Friend or Foe Complete - 1/3
By: Chen (Chenanceou)
Feedback: Yes, please!
Archive: Talk to me first?
Spoilers: Not much. S6.
A/N: Sequel to 'New Friends' in the Friends series. Yes, Charlie is back. And Spike's life continues to change. Sometimes change – even for the better – can prove hard to deal with.
This is a bit different from the other sequels as it is a trilogy. So, once again, bear with me.
I was about to stop writing – it had been very hard for me with the show and all (you know what I am talking about) and some really nice people took a lot of their time to cheer me on. Thank you ladies. For the time, for the brainstorming sessions during chat, for the BETAs and for just not letting me quit.
***
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
T.S. Eliot
***
"Spike! Spike!" Charlie took the stairs two at a time, waiving an envelope in the air. "Wake up! It's here!"
She approached the bed where the vampire slept, dead to the world. Charlie's usually pale skin was flushed a deep red and her eyes shone with excitement. Unable to wait for Spike to wake up, she jumped on the bed and started tickling him.
Spike twisted to avoid her hands. "Charlie! Stop!" He knew his big bad posture was quite hard to maintain when he was reduced to giggles.
"It is not my fault, I did try yelling first!" Charlie produced the letter and waved it in front of his face. "C'mon Spikey! The letter is here! Open it!"
Spike feigned disinterest as he slowly rose and lit the first fag of the day. "Letter? What letter?"
"Oh! You fiend! You know what letter! The letter from the publishing house." She noticed the smirk surfacing on his face and threatened, "William! If you don't open it, I will!"
"Hey, no need to use the name!"
"Aren't you going to open it?"
Spike sat next to Charlie on the bed, looking anywhere but at the letter. "No pet, you open it."
Without waiting another second, Charlie tore the envelope open. She looked at the folded letter and then handed it to him. "I can't. You read it! Stop being such a poof," she said, ignoring Spike's raised eyebrow and the beginning of what was surely to be a vehement protest. "Read it already."
He read the letter quietly and then placed it on the bedside table. Charlie waited all of five seconds before her curiosity got the better of her. "Well?"
"Well what, luv?" His face was a mask of pure innocence.
She growled at him. "You are so evil!"
He gave her his most charming smile. "Flattery will get you anything, luv."
"Spike! I am going to explode if you don't tell me!"
"We can't have that, now can we, Charlotte?" Spike's smile grew even wider. "They accepted it!"
With a Xena battle cry Charlie jumped on Spike giving him a big hug. "Yhaaa ! Your book is getting published!"
Spike couldn't hold back any longer. Big bad be damned! He pulled Charlie into his arms and led her in an impromptu waltz around the basement.
Charlie abruptly stopped, looking at Spike straight in the eye. "You *do* know what this means – right?"
"No, lamb what does it mean?" He asked, doubt starting to invade his happiness.
Charlie laughed, filling the whole room with her thunder. "We absolutely have to throw a party!" She smoothed Spike's sleep messed hair and saw the worry vanish from his eyes. She knew he instinctively expected things to go wrong. "I like your hair curly like this so much better than when you slick it back."
"Do you really, pet? Maybe it's time for a change. I have been wearing it like this for the last…"
"Don't try to sidetrack me here Mr. Vampire. We *are* having a party to celebrate your first book!"
They started waltzing again.
***
"Anne? Hello, my name is Charlotte Bennett. Kim Woodson gave me your number."
Charlie had asked around for the best party planner in Sunnydale, and Anne came highly recommended. "Of course! Kim said you would be calling. How can I help you Charlotte?"
Charlie had her fingers crossed. "Call me Charlie, please. It would be great if you would be able to fit me in…"
***
"It's all set. Anne is taking care of the caterer and of most of the details. We were so lucky to get her!" Charlie took the space next to Spike on the couch and lit a cigarette. "She even got the Bronze to close for the party."
"Really posh, pet, but don't you think you're going overboard with this? It's only one lousy book."
"Shut up." She took the sting from her words by giving him a kiss on the nose. "It's quite an accomplishment. I am proud of you and you should be proud of yourself!" She passed him a piece of paper. "Take a couple of minutes and go over the guest list. I have to hand it in to Anne this afternoon."
"Hmm.. Charlie…?" Spike had an uncertain look on his face. "I want to invite some of my more unusual friends… Clem, Dvarka, and a couple of others. Do you really think inviting the literary agent and the people from the publishing house is wise?"
"Don't worry – it will add to your mystique. Trust me." Spike gave her a very untrusting look. "C'mon! You wrote a book about demons and vampires. They will think it's some kind of publicity stunt. It will be fine." She took a drag and watched the smoke curl up towards the ceiling. "Spike, have you told Buffy yet?"
"About the party, or about the book?"
"Both," she said as she turned to watch him.
"No. I want it to be a surprise." Somehow his voice lacked sincerity. He was a lousy liar for somebody who had worn the black hat for so long.
"Hon, what's the matter? You can tell me." She put her arm around Spike's shoulders and waited.
"It's just that. . . I don't know how she is going to react, Charlie. The book. You and I know those stories owe very little to my imagination. They're embellished versions of things I did and experienced. I'm not sure that Buffy will like having a reminder of my 'scourge of Europe' days rubbed in her nose." Spike could still recall the look of disgust that the Slayer had reserved for him not long ago. Also, things were going so well of late that he was afraid to stir things up.
"Spike, she knows this is your past. You have changed so much, hon. She loves you, right?" The vampire gave her a doubtful look. "Stop doing this to yourself. Just go and tell her – something you should have done already. She will be as proud of you as I am." She gave him a mischievous smile. "You might even get lucky."
***
Spike prepared himself for Buffy's reaction as he walked up the steps, telling himself for the thousandth time to stop being such a wanker. He knocked on the door.
"Spike? It's still early for patrol." Buffy hugged him and kissed him lightly on the lips.
So far, so good, he thought.
"I wanted to talk to you love. Let's go and sit down." Buffy followed him to the back porch steps and sat, while Spike paced back and forth summoning the courage to speak.
"So what's up?"
"I should have told you sooner, but I wanted to be sure that it was really going to happen before I told you anything about it and now that I know it *is* happening, I came over to tell you about it and…" The words rushed out of his mouth in one long stream.
"Spike, what is it?" Buffy saw how nervous he was and wondered whether she should be worried or amused. "More point. Less cryptic?"
"I wrote a book, and it got accepted. It's going to be published."
Yes, that had been to the point. "Book? Published?"
"Yes and yes, Buffy."
"Oh, cool." Her voice was flat. Since when did he write?, Buffy asked herself. I so can't deal with another change around here.
He had expected anger for not telling her sooner, had hoped for a hug and some kissing to be involved. He had not expected this… nothing.
"That's all you have to say?" He tried hard to hide the disappointment in his voice.
"Congratulations, I guess. Listen, can you patrol tonight without me? I have some stuff to do." She got up from the steps before he could answer her and gave him an dry peck on the lips. "Congratulations again. I'll see you later." With that, she went in and was gone.
"And Charlie and I are having a party to celebrate this *great* accomplishment of yours truly." Spike said sarcastically to the empty spot where Buffy had been a moment ago. He raised his eyes to the closed door and felt the disappointment turning to anger. Damn if he would let her know how hurt he was by her dismissal of what was a landmark in his existence.
***
"How did it go?" Charlie asked, looking up from her computer.
"It didn't, Charlie." He paced the room as he felt the anger spreading through his body. "The bloody Slayer didn't even care!" He ran his hands through his hair. "Damn her! And she has to be crazy to think she can just… Me patrol? Damn it all to hell!"
Charlie got up and made her way to Spike, trying to hug him, only to be shrugged off.
"Leave me alone. Don't touch me. I… I have to be alone." With that he stomped his way to his room in the basement, not without banging the door first.
Charlie stood there not knowing what to do. She had never seen Spike like this before. Her protective instincts told her to go after him and try to calm him down, but what if he just needed to be alone? This indecision was new to Charlie, for when it came to Spike, she had always known the right thing to do. She leaned against the basement door and knocked softly, noticing that some of the hinges had been broken.
"Hon, you did a pretty number with the door… We're going to have to call Harris to fix it."
"Go away Charlie. Just leave me alone."
Charlie opened the door gingerly, but the damage was more extensive than she thought. The door came totally off the hinges and fell on top of her.
Before she could recover, Spike was kneeling down next to her, worry and remorse evident on his face. "Charlie girl? Are you all right? It's my bloody fault!"
Charlie propped herself up on an elbow and shook her head to clear her vision. "Yes, I am okay. And no – it wasn't your bloody fault. It was an accident." She took his hand and got up on her feet. "Now that I have suffered wounds in the name of friendship, could you please tell me what is going on?"
Spike picked the door from the floor where it had landed and put it against the wall before answering. "Nothing is going on Charlie. I told her, and I got no reaction at all. Well, she did say 'congratulations, I guess'." Sarcasm and bitterness mixed in his voice.
"Help me get to the sofa, I am still a bit dizzy." Spike helped her lie down on the sofa and sat on the floor facing her.
"I'm sorry about before Charlie. I was a stupid git for blowing up like that, but sometimes I loose control." He looked down still ashamed of his behavior. "I *am* a demon."
"You are not a demon. Okay, you are a demon. What I mean is that you reacted in the same way any *hot* blooded male with a bad temper would." Spike rewarded her with a weak smile. "I knew I could get a smile." She reached out and took his hand in hers. "You are just a whole lot stronger than the average Joe, so don't beat yourself up over the door. Now, about Buffy… I don't know what is going on there, hon. My first instinct is to tell you how undeserving she is of a guy like you, but that is your very protective friend speaking." Charlie felt Spike squeeze her hand. "But if you think about it, what happened is quite at odds with the Buffy of the last few months."
"I don't know what to think, pet. Actually I didn't think, I just reacted."
"So what's new?" Charlie ruffled Spike's hair fondly. "Something must be going on with her that you missed while tending to your hurt ego. Listen to me, we go ahead with the party as if nothing has happened tonight, okay?" Spike tried to protest, but the look on Charlie's face told him it would be useless. "Don't even think about it, hon. We will have the party. I handed the guest list to Anne, and the wheels are in motion. The invitations are going out in a couple of days. In the mean time, you have work to do with your editor, and I have to get that door fixed." She softened her tone. "What are you going to do about Buffy?"
"Damned if I know, luv."
End of part 1
By: Chen (Chenanceou)
Feedback: Yes, please!
Archive: Talk to me first?
Spoilers: Not much. S6.
A/N: Sequel to 'New Friends' in the Friends series. Yes, Charlie is back. And Spike's life continues to change. Sometimes change – even for the better – can prove hard to deal with.
This is a bit different from the other sequels as it is a trilogy. So, once again, bear with me.
I was about to stop writing – it had been very hard for me with the show and all (you know what I am talking about) and some really nice people took a lot of their time to cheer me on. Thank you ladies. For the time, for the brainstorming sessions during chat, for the BETAs and for just not letting me quit.
***
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
T.S. Eliot
***
"Spike! Spike!" Charlie took the stairs two at a time, waiving an envelope in the air. "Wake up! It's here!"
She approached the bed where the vampire slept, dead to the world. Charlie's usually pale skin was flushed a deep red and her eyes shone with excitement. Unable to wait for Spike to wake up, she jumped on the bed and started tickling him.
Spike twisted to avoid her hands. "Charlie! Stop!" He knew his big bad posture was quite hard to maintain when he was reduced to giggles.
"It is not my fault, I did try yelling first!" Charlie produced the letter and waved it in front of his face. "C'mon Spikey! The letter is here! Open it!"
Spike feigned disinterest as he slowly rose and lit the first fag of the day. "Letter? What letter?"
"Oh! You fiend! You know what letter! The letter from the publishing house." She noticed the smirk surfacing on his face and threatened, "William! If you don't open it, I will!"
"Hey, no need to use the name!"
"Aren't you going to open it?"
Spike sat next to Charlie on the bed, looking anywhere but at the letter. "No pet, you open it."
Without waiting another second, Charlie tore the envelope open. She looked at the folded letter and then handed it to him. "I can't. You read it! Stop being such a poof," she said, ignoring Spike's raised eyebrow and the beginning of what was surely to be a vehement protest. "Read it already."
He read the letter quietly and then placed it on the bedside table. Charlie waited all of five seconds before her curiosity got the better of her. "Well?"
"Well what, luv?" His face was a mask of pure innocence.
She growled at him. "You are so evil!"
He gave her his most charming smile. "Flattery will get you anything, luv."
"Spike! I am going to explode if you don't tell me!"
"We can't have that, now can we, Charlotte?" Spike's smile grew even wider. "They accepted it!"
With a Xena battle cry Charlie jumped on Spike giving him a big hug. "Yhaaa ! Your book is getting published!"
Spike couldn't hold back any longer. Big bad be damned! He pulled Charlie into his arms and led her in an impromptu waltz around the basement.
Charlie abruptly stopped, looking at Spike straight in the eye. "You *do* know what this means – right?"
"No, lamb what does it mean?" He asked, doubt starting to invade his happiness.
Charlie laughed, filling the whole room with her thunder. "We absolutely have to throw a party!" She smoothed Spike's sleep messed hair and saw the worry vanish from his eyes. She knew he instinctively expected things to go wrong. "I like your hair curly like this so much better than when you slick it back."
"Do you really, pet? Maybe it's time for a change. I have been wearing it like this for the last…"
"Don't try to sidetrack me here Mr. Vampire. We *are* having a party to celebrate your first book!"
They started waltzing again.
***
"Anne? Hello, my name is Charlotte Bennett. Kim Woodson gave me your number."
Charlie had asked around for the best party planner in Sunnydale, and Anne came highly recommended. "Of course! Kim said you would be calling. How can I help you Charlotte?"
Charlie had her fingers crossed. "Call me Charlie, please. It would be great if you would be able to fit me in…"
***
"It's all set. Anne is taking care of the caterer and of most of the details. We were so lucky to get her!" Charlie took the space next to Spike on the couch and lit a cigarette. "She even got the Bronze to close for the party."
"Really posh, pet, but don't you think you're going overboard with this? It's only one lousy book."
"Shut up." She took the sting from her words by giving him a kiss on the nose. "It's quite an accomplishment. I am proud of you and you should be proud of yourself!" She passed him a piece of paper. "Take a couple of minutes and go over the guest list. I have to hand it in to Anne this afternoon."
"Hmm.. Charlie…?" Spike had an uncertain look on his face. "I want to invite some of my more unusual friends… Clem, Dvarka, and a couple of others. Do you really think inviting the literary agent and the people from the publishing house is wise?"
"Don't worry – it will add to your mystique. Trust me." Spike gave her a very untrusting look. "C'mon! You wrote a book about demons and vampires. They will think it's some kind of publicity stunt. It will be fine." She took a drag and watched the smoke curl up towards the ceiling. "Spike, have you told Buffy yet?"
"About the party, or about the book?"
"Both," she said as she turned to watch him.
"No. I want it to be a surprise." Somehow his voice lacked sincerity. He was a lousy liar for somebody who had worn the black hat for so long.
"Hon, what's the matter? You can tell me." She put her arm around Spike's shoulders and waited.
"It's just that. . . I don't know how she is going to react, Charlie. The book. You and I know those stories owe very little to my imagination. They're embellished versions of things I did and experienced. I'm not sure that Buffy will like having a reminder of my 'scourge of Europe' days rubbed in her nose." Spike could still recall the look of disgust that the Slayer had reserved for him not long ago. Also, things were going so well of late that he was afraid to stir things up.
"Spike, she knows this is your past. You have changed so much, hon. She loves you, right?" The vampire gave her a doubtful look. "Stop doing this to yourself. Just go and tell her – something you should have done already. She will be as proud of you as I am." She gave him a mischievous smile. "You might even get lucky."
***
Spike prepared himself for Buffy's reaction as he walked up the steps, telling himself for the thousandth time to stop being such a wanker. He knocked on the door.
"Spike? It's still early for patrol." Buffy hugged him and kissed him lightly on the lips.
So far, so good, he thought.
"I wanted to talk to you love. Let's go and sit down." Buffy followed him to the back porch steps and sat, while Spike paced back and forth summoning the courage to speak.
"So what's up?"
"I should have told you sooner, but I wanted to be sure that it was really going to happen before I told you anything about it and now that I know it *is* happening, I came over to tell you about it and…" The words rushed out of his mouth in one long stream.
"Spike, what is it?" Buffy saw how nervous he was and wondered whether she should be worried or amused. "More point. Less cryptic?"
"I wrote a book, and it got accepted. It's going to be published."
Yes, that had been to the point. "Book? Published?"
"Yes and yes, Buffy."
"Oh, cool." Her voice was flat. Since when did he write?, Buffy asked herself. I so can't deal with another change around here.
He had expected anger for not telling her sooner, had hoped for a hug and some kissing to be involved. He had not expected this… nothing.
"That's all you have to say?" He tried hard to hide the disappointment in his voice.
"Congratulations, I guess. Listen, can you patrol tonight without me? I have some stuff to do." She got up from the steps before he could answer her and gave him an dry peck on the lips. "Congratulations again. I'll see you later." With that, she went in and was gone.
"And Charlie and I are having a party to celebrate this *great* accomplishment of yours truly." Spike said sarcastically to the empty spot where Buffy had been a moment ago. He raised his eyes to the closed door and felt the disappointment turning to anger. Damn if he would let her know how hurt he was by her dismissal of what was a landmark in his existence.
***
"How did it go?" Charlie asked, looking up from her computer.
"It didn't, Charlie." He paced the room as he felt the anger spreading through his body. "The bloody Slayer didn't even care!" He ran his hands through his hair. "Damn her! And she has to be crazy to think she can just… Me patrol? Damn it all to hell!"
Charlie got up and made her way to Spike, trying to hug him, only to be shrugged off.
"Leave me alone. Don't touch me. I… I have to be alone." With that he stomped his way to his room in the basement, not without banging the door first.
Charlie stood there not knowing what to do. She had never seen Spike like this before. Her protective instincts told her to go after him and try to calm him down, but what if he just needed to be alone? This indecision was new to Charlie, for when it came to Spike, she had always known the right thing to do. She leaned against the basement door and knocked softly, noticing that some of the hinges had been broken.
"Hon, you did a pretty number with the door… We're going to have to call Harris to fix it."
"Go away Charlie. Just leave me alone."
Charlie opened the door gingerly, but the damage was more extensive than she thought. The door came totally off the hinges and fell on top of her.
Before she could recover, Spike was kneeling down next to her, worry and remorse evident on his face. "Charlie girl? Are you all right? It's my bloody fault!"
Charlie propped herself up on an elbow and shook her head to clear her vision. "Yes, I am okay. And no – it wasn't your bloody fault. It was an accident." She took his hand and got up on her feet. "Now that I have suffered wounds in the name of friendship, could you please tell me what is going on?"
Spike picked the door from the floor where it had landed and put it against the wall before answering. "Nothing is going on Charlie. I told her, and I got no reaction at all. Well, she did say 'congratulations, I guess'." Sarcasm and bitterness mixed in his voice.
"Help me get to the sofa, I am still a bit dizzy." Spike helped her lie down on the sofa and sat on the floor facing her.
"I'm sorry about before Charlie. I was a stupid git for blowing up like that, but sometimes I loose control." He looked down still ashamed of his behavior. "I *am* a demon."
"You are not a demon. Okay, you are a demon. What I mean is that you reacted in the same way any *hot* blooded male with a bad temper would." Spike rewarded her with a weak smile. "I knew I could get a smile." She reached out and took his hand in hers. "You are just a whole lot stronger than the average Joe, so don't beat yourself up over the door. Now, about Buffy… I don't know what is going on there, hon. My first instinct is to tell you how undeserving she is of a guy like you, but that is your very protective friend speaking." Charlie felt Spike squeeze her hand. "But if you think about it, what happened is quite at odds with the Buffy of the last few months."
"I don't know what to think, pet. Actually I didn't think, I just reacted."
"So what's new?" Charlie ruffled Spike's hair fondly. "Something must be going on with her that you missed while tending to your hurt ego. Listen to me, we go ahead with the party as if nothing has happened tonight, okay?" Spike tried to protest, but the look on Charlie's face told him it would be useless. "Don't even think about it, hon. We will have the party. I handed the guest list to Anne, and the wheels are in motion. The invitations are going out in a couple of days. In the mean time, you have work to do with your editor, and I have to get that door fixed." She softened her tone. "What are you going to do about Buffy?"
"Damned if I know, luv."
End of part 1