Title: Friend or Foe 2/3
By: Chen (Chenanceou)
Feedback: Sure. Feed me back!
Disclaimers: All things Buffy belong to ME (Grr! Argh!) and not to me. Charlie owns me though.
Archive: Talk to me first?
Spoilers: Nothing much. Some s6. By now this is my own universe.
A/N: Second part to the 'Friend or Foe' sequel in the Friends Series. 'Friend or Foe' follows 'New Friends'.
It's all about changes.
Being without a computer of my own for some time, I want to dedicate this to anybody who has had PC problems. It sucks.
***
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
***
Tara picked up the coffee mug from the table and rinsed it in the sink.
"You don't have to do that Tara." Charlie said as she finished bringing the dinner plates from the table.
"It's no problem. Besides I like it." She dried her hands on the dishcloth and sat down at the kitchen's table. "Spike left to patrol?" Charlie nodded as she lit a cigarette. "He was sort of quiet tonight, wasn't he?"
"Yes. He has a lot on his mind these days." A lot of Buffy, Charlie mentally corrected.
It had been over a week since he had last seen Buffy. For a week they had been studiously avoiding each other, patrolling different sides of town. Both were too proud to seek the other one out. Charlie had decided to stay out of it. Those two had to work things out on their own. But nonetheless, it pained her to see her friend suffering.
"A book." Tara smiled at the thought. "I still can't get over the fact he's getting published. And the accent… He sounds different now, doesn't he?"
"He told me it was time to drop the cockney act."
"It was fake? Fooled me."
Charlie chuckled. "Seems it was part of his big bad schtick. I'm just happy he hasn't dropped the Spikeisms. He wouldn't be Spike without them."
Charlie hadn't really noticed the change at first, as it had been very subtle. When she did comment on his polished English, he had just shrugged it off as if it were nothing of importance.
"He sounds a bit like Giles now. You didn't get to meet him, did you?"
"No, I wish I did though. Spike has a secret soft spot for the Watcher."
"You would've liked him. So, how's the party planning going?"
"Anne is such a find. She is taking care of everything. All I have to do is tell her how much I want to spend and how I want it to be done." Charlie gave Tara a mischievous look. "She is also quite a knock out. Tall with the most beautiful red hair." She winked at Tara who couldn't help blushing at the not so subtle teasing. "You are coming right?"
"I…I don't know. What about Willow? She'll probably bring that new Monique girl she has been seeing… It could become awkward very fast."
"They are all coming Tara. And if Red is coming with a date, then so are you." Charlie raised a hand to stop Tara from protesting. "You have to be there. I need someone intelligent and good looking to go with."
"Charlie, are you asking me to be your date for the party?"
Charlie laughed out loud at the witch's incredulity. "You do fit the requirements. C'mon it will be fun, I promise! Plus it would hurt Spike's feelings if you did not come." Charlie gave Tara her best puppy face. "Please?"
Tara didn't look forward to seeing Willow with a date, but told herself that it would have to happen sooner or later. Life did go on. Besides, being Charlie's date was a guarantee that she would have fun. The two girls had forged an easy friendship since the day they had met at the Espresso Pump. Tara admired the girl's ease with people and had even gotten used to her thunderous laugh.
"Okay then, it's a date."
***
The music was blaring and the party was in full swing when the Scoobies arrived together at the Bronze. They were met at the door by an Elvira look alike, who took their invitations and checked their names on the list.
"Ohh! This is going to be fun!" Willow held Monique's hand in hers.
"Yeah, maybe." Buffy said absently. She hadn't wanted to come, but curiosity and the Scoobies had won her over.
Buffy made her way in, happy to have the whole gang around her. There were demons all over the place and her Slayer sense told her that even though some were just the product of a good make-up artist some of them were the real deal. What was Spike up to?She spotted a table with an elaborate display for the book and walked over.
Anya picked one of the black on black copies and started reading the back cover. "It's a good picture of Spike. Hmm… Actually it's William Fitzwilliam." Anya said, excited at her discovery.
"What?" Buffy exclaimed.
"Well, that's what it says here: 'William Fitzwilliam is a first time novelist'…"
"Let me see that!" Buffy snatched the book from Anya's hand and looked at Spike's picture. The black and white picture brought out his exquisite cheekbones, but made his hair look much darker.
"Cool name! William, son of William. Makes sense for a vampire. Do you think that's his real name though?"
Buffy didn't really register Willow's words as she opened the book and started leafing through it, anger building with every passage she read. It was all there. Blood and gore. The deaths, the massacres. The names and places had been changed, but Buffy knew enough of William the Bloody's bio to recognize it when she saw it.
She tried to find him in the crowd, but had to use her vampire radar. She finally spotted him by the dance floor talking to a curvaceous redhead and…. What had he done to his hair?
"Wow! Captain Peroxide is no more." Xander had also seen Spike's new natural look.
"Uh, yeah. Seems there are a lot of changes going on here." She didn't stay to hear Xander's response and made her way to where Spike was.
"What did you do to your hair?" The accusation in her voice clear.
"Hello Buffy." His tone was guarded, as was his posture. "This is Anne." He turned to the redhead and introduced Buffy very politely, "Anne, this is Buffy Summers."
Buffy forced a smile and shook hands like her mother had taught her to. "Nice to meet you Anne."
"Mr. Fitzwilliam, I'm going to check with the caterers now. If there's anything you need – just let me know."
"Thank you Anne." As the woman walked away, Spike turned to give his full attention to Buffy.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Buffy looked at him with contempt in her eyes. "How could you? This book… It's disgusting. *You* did all these things!"
"Some of them, yes. That was a long time ago, Buffy." Spike tried to pacify her. "It's just a book, love."
"Just a book…" She spat her words, her voice full of rage. "It's disgusting. How can you have a party for this? How dare you publish this filth! You even invited your demon friends! What was I thinking? You will never change."
"It's not all about Buffy and that bothers you, doesn't it, pet? I am not following you around like a love-sick puppy anymore and that doesn't sit quite well with your ego?"
Spike threw his hands up in frustration. "Bloody hell woman! I thought you would be happy about this! I'm making money all honest like – it's as normal as I am going to get Slayer. I am a vampire."
People started to stare causing Spike to lower his voice. "Buffy, I love you. You know how much I do. I just can't keep playing this game of yours any longer, not with you changing the rules to your heart's content!"
"You told me you wanted to date, even after you let me have you. It makes me happier than I can say to court you. Then you said that you need time to tell your friends about us. And not a peep out of me there. Not because I'm happy to be a dirty secret, but because I will bloody well do anything to give you what you want! But I will not let you come here and just rip apart something that I am proud of."
Spike's tone acquired a forced politeness. "So if you will excuse me Slayer, I have guests to attend to. I hope you enjoy your evening." With a last look he turned and left her standing there, surrounded by the noise and the crowd.
Charlie had watched the interaction from the corner of her eye while talking to Tara. As Spike approached, she reached out to take his hand.
"Bad?" Charlie could kill Buffy for ruining her friend's night.
"I think it's over, Charlie. I don't know what else to do." He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Whatever I do, it's always the wrong thing."
"Come with me – we both could use a drink."
Charlie told Tara she was heading to the bar and made her way through the crowd, waiting for Spike who was being stopped by just about everybody. She could see the strain showing on his face as he accepted another congratulatory pat on the back.
She ordered her drink and turned to scan the Bronze. With her attention focused on Spike, Charlie missed the man who was unsteadily making his way towards her, his eyes fixed on her cleavage.
"Hello there, lover."
"I think you got the wrong girl, pal." Charlie replied as she tried to put some distance between them.
"No, I think I got the right one." The man had obviously been drinking more than he could hold as his bloodshot eyes and slurred speech testified. "C'mon give daddy some sugar." He clumsily tried to paw Charlie's ass with his hand. Charlie tried to free herself, but the level of drunkenness had not diminished the man's strength.
"The lady told you to leave her alone." Spike took the man's hand and twisted it behind his back making the drunk whimper in pain.
Charlie suddenly felt all the blood drain from her face, as she stood frozen in place.
Spike was pulling on the man's arm forcing him to his knees. "Now… Be a good boy and apologize to the lady."
"I'm sorry… Please let me go, you're hurting me. I'm sorry."
Spike let the man go, smiling as he looked at Charlie. "He won't bother y…" It was only then he noticed Charlie's face. Her eyes were wide and the red of her lipstick stood out against her pale skin.
"Charlie girl, did the wanker hurt you?"
"Spike..." Was all she could say.
Then it hit him. The human. The chip. What?
For a moment the two friends felt suspended in time as they looked into each other's eyes. In that second Spike saw the fear in Charlie's eyes.
The chip is not working, a voice in his head, which had been whispering, started yelling. He looked around him and then looked back at Charlie with full realization dawning in his eyes.
"William…" Charlie tried to stop him from leaving, but it was too late.
End Part 2
By: Chen (Chenanceou)
Feedback: Sure. Feed me back!
Disclaimers: All things Buffy belong to ME (Grr! Argh!) and not to me. Charlie owns me though.
Archive: Talk to me first?
Spoilers: Nothing much. Some s6. By now this is my own universe.
A/N: Second part to the 'Friend or Foe' sequel in the Friends Series. 'Friend or Foe' follows 'New Friends'.
It's all about changes.
Being without a computer of my own for some time, I want to dedicate this to anybody who has had PC problems. It sucks.
***
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
***
Tara picked up the coffee mug from the table and rinsed it in the sink.
"You don't have to do that Tara." Charlie said as she finished bringing the dinner plates from the table.
"It's no problem. Besides I like it." She dried her hands on the dishcloth and sat down at the kitchen's table. "Spike left to patrol?" Charlie nodded as she lit a cigarette. "He was sort of quiet tonight, wasn't he?"
"Yes. He has a lot on his mind these days." A lot of Buffy, Charlie mentally corrected.
It had been over a week since he had last seen Buffy. For a week they had been studiously avoiding each other, patrolling different sides of town. Both were too proud to seek the other one out. Charlie had decided to stay out of it. Those two had to work things out on their own. But nonetheless, it pained her to see her friend suffering.
"A book." Tara smiled at the thought. "I still can't get over the fact he's getting published. And the accent… He sounds different now, doesn't he?"
"He told me it was time to drop the cockney act."
"It was fake? Fooled me."
Charlie chuckled. "Seems it was part of his big bad schtick. I'm just happy he hasn't dropped the Spikeisms. He wouldn't be Spike without them."
Charlie hadn't really noticed the change at first, as it had been very subtle. When she did comment on his polished English, he had just shrugged it off as if it were nothing of importance.
"He sounds a bit like Giles now. You didn't get to meet him, did you?"
"No, I wish I did though. Spike has a secret soft spot for the Watcher."
"You would've liked him. So, how's the party planning going?"
"Anne is such a find. She is taking care of everything. All I have to do is tell her how much I want to spend and how I want it to be done." Charlie gave Tara a mischievous look. "She is also quite a knock out. Tall with the most beautiful red hair." She winked at Tara who couldn't help blushing at the not so subtle teasing. "You are coming right?"
"I…I don't know. What about Willow? She'll probably bring that new Monique girl she has been seeing… It could become awkward very fast."
"They are all coming Tara. And if Red is coming with a date, then so are you." Charlie raised a hand to stop Tara from protesting. "You have to be there. I need someone intelligent and good looking to go with."
"Charlie, are you asking me to be your date for the party?"
Charlie laughed out loud at the witch's incredulity. "You do fit the requirements. C'mon it will be fun, I promise! Plus it would hurt Spike's feelings if you did not come." Charlie gave Tara her best puppy face. "Please?"
Tara didn't look forward to seeing Willow with a date, but told herself that it would have to happen sooner or later. Life did go on. Besides, being Charlie's date was a guarantee that she would have fun. The two girls had forged an easy friendship since the day they had met at the Espresso Pump. Tara admired the girl's ease with people and had even gotten used to her thunderous laugh.
"Okay then, it's a date."
***
The music was blaring and the party was in full swing when the Scoobies arrived together at the Bronze. They were met at the door by an Elvira look alike, who took their invitations and checked their names on the list.
"Ohh! This is going to be fun!" Willow held Monique's hand in hers.
"Yeah, maybe." Buffy said absently. She hadn't wanted to come, but curiosity and the Scoobies had won her over.
Buffy made her way in, happy to have the whole gang around her. There were demons all over the place and her Slayer sense told her that even though some were just the product of a good make-up artist some of them were the real deal. What was Spike up to?She spotted a table with an elaborate display for the book and walked over.
Anya picked one of the black on black copies and started reading the back cover. "It's a good picture of Spike. Hmm… Actually it's William Fitzwilliam." Anya said, excited at her discovery.
"What?" Buffy exclaimed.
"Well, that's what it says here: 'William Fitzwilliam is a first time novelist'…"
"Let me see that!" Buffy snatched the book from Anya's hand and looked at Spike's picture. The black and white picture brought out his exquisite cheekbones, but made his hair look much darker.
"Cool name! William, son of William. Makes sense for a vampire. Do you think that's his real name though?"
Buffy didn't really register Willow's words as she opened the book and started leafing through it, anger building with every passage she read. It was all there. Blood and gore. The deaths, the massacres. The names and places had been changed, but Buffy knew enough of William the Bloody's bio to recognize it when she saw it.
She tried to find him in the crowd, but had to use her vampire radar. She finally spotted him by the dance floor talking to a curvaceous redhead and…. What had he done to his hair?
"Wow! Captain Peroxide is no more." Xander had also seen Spike's new natural look.
"Uh, yeah. Seems there are a lot of changes going on here." She didn't stay to hear Xander's response and made her way to where Spike was.
"What did you do to your hair?" The accusation in her voice clear.
"Hello Buffy." His tone was guarded, as was his posture. "This is Anne." He turned to the redhead and introduced Buffy very politely, "Anne, this is Buffy Summers."
Buffy forced a smile and shook hands like her mother had taught her to. "Nice to meet you Anne."
"Mr. Fitzwilliam, I'm going to check with the caterers now. If there's anything you need – just let me know."
"Thank you Anne." As the woman walked away, Spike turned to give his full attention to Buffy.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Buffy looked at him with contempt in her eyes. "How could you? This book… It's disgusting. *You* did all these things!"
"Some of them, yes. That was a long time ago, Buffy." Spike tried to pacify her. "It's just a book, love."
"Just a book…" She spat her words, her voice full of rage. "It's disgusting. How can you have a party for this? How dare you publish this filth! You even invited your demon friends! What was I thinking? You will never change."
"It's not all about Buffy and that bothers you, doesn't it, pet? I am not following you around like a love-sick puppy anymore and that doesn't sit quite well with your ego?"
Spike threw his hands up in frustration. "Bloody hell woman! I thought you would be happy about this! I'm making money all honest like – it's as normal as I am going to get Slayer. I am a vampire."
People started to stare causing Spike to lower his voice. "Buffy, I love you. You know how much I do. I just can't keep playing this game of yours any longer, not with you changing the rules to your heart's content!"
"You told me you wanted to date, even after you let me have you. It makes me happier than I can say to court you. Then you said that you need time to tell your friends about us. And not a peep out of me there. Not because I'm happy to be a dirty secret, but because I will bloody well do anything to give you what you want! But I will not let you come here and just rip apart something that I am proud of."
Spike's tone acquired a forced politeness. "So if you will excuse me Slayer, I have guests to attend to. I hope you enjoy your evening." With a last look he turned and left her standing there, surrounded by the noise and the crowd.
Charlie had watched the interaction from the corner of her eye while talking to Tara. As Spike approached, she reached out to take his hand.
"Bad?" Charlie could kill Buffy for ruining her friend's night.
"I think it's over, Charlie. I don't know what else to do." He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Whatever I do, it's always the wrong thing."
"Come with me – we both could use a drink."
Charlie told Tara she was heading to the bar and made her way through the crowd, waiting for Spike who was being stopped by just about everybody. She could see the strain showing on his face as he accepted another congratulatory pat on the back.
She ordered her drink and turned to scan the Bronze. With her attention focused on Spike, Charlie missed the man who was unsteadily making his way towards her, his eyes fixed on her cleavage.
"Hello there, lover."
"I think you got the wrong girl, pal." Charlie replied as she tried to put some distance between them.
"No, I think I got the right one." The man had obviously been drinking more than he could hold as his bloodshot eyes and slurred speech testified. "C'mon give daddy some sugar." He clumsily tried to paw Charlie's ass with his hand. Charlie tried to free herself, but the level of drunkenness had not diminished the man's strength.
"The lady told you to leave her alone." Spike took the man's hand and twisted it behind his back making the drunk whimper in pain.
Charlie suddenly felt all the blood drain from her face, as she stood frozen in place.
Spike was pulling on the man's arm forcing him to his knees. "Now… Be a good boy and apologize to the lady."
"I'm sorry… Please let me go, you're hurting me. I'm sorry."
Spike let the man go, smiling as he looked at Charlie. "He won't bother y…" It was only then he noticed Charlie's face. Her eyes were wide and the red of her lipstick stood out against her pale skin.
"Charlie girl, did the wanker hurt you?"
"Spike..." Was all she could say.
Then it hit him. The human. The chip. What?
For a moment the two friends felt suspended in time as they looked into each other's eyes. In that second Spike saw the fear in Charlie's eyes.
The chip is not working, a voice in his head, which had been whispering, started yelling. He looked around him and then looked back at Charlie with full realization dawning in his eyes.
"William…" Charlie tried to stop him from leaving, but it was too late.
End Part 2