I don't own BtVS, Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy do.
Journey
It had been a week since Spike had left. He made his way down to New Orleans. He was having a great time. He had needed it, the chance to get away from Buffy and whatever it was that they had.
He was now in a bar, the name of which he didn't have. He was still killing demons, but only when he needed a violence fix. This bar was full of them. It was only slightly higher on the moral scale than Willie's. He decided to leave. Getting drunk in a town where he was a foreigner really wasn't at the top of his list.
He had only gone a couple of blocks away when he heard the sounds of fighting. He turned the corner and saw a vamp being beat up by a girl. Unfortunately, there were more behind her. He got into game face and attacked the vamps behind her.
The girl was doing well on her own, so he quickly took down the remaining vamps and watched as she dusted the first one expertly. Before he could say anything; however, he heard a voice in his mind. Duck!. He ducked, and the girl thrust a stake over his head and into the heart of the vampire that had been sneaking up behind him.
"Thanks", the girl said, as she gave him a hand up. Spike looked at her. Deep green eyes, long brown hair. About the Slayer's age, give or take a few years.
He said, "Uh, vampire here, luv. Why aren't you running?". The girl smiled and said, "You just helped me dust those other vamps, for one thing. Plus, I can tell that you aren't going to hurt me".
Spike didn't question it. He could feel something powerful about this girl. "So what were you doing attacking vampires?", he asked, shaking out of his game face.
She answered easily, "They attacked me, thank you very much. And having lived in this town, where there are demons around every corner, a girl has gotta learn some self defense.".
Spike liked this girl. Not only was she not afraid of him, she was talking back to him. He stuck his hand out. "The name's Spike. What's yours?". She took his outstretched hand and said, "My name's Katrina, but everyone calls me Kat. Pleasure to meet you, Spike".
They talked amicably for a few minutes, until Kat said suddenly, "Do you have a place to stay while you're here? I have an extra room at my place, you can crash there for awhile. It'll be nice to have some company. Plus, the bedroom you'd have has no windows, so no dust in the morning ".
Spike thought about it. He had been staying in a pathetic rathole in the bad side of town. "Thanks, pet", he said. "Think I'll do that". She led him there, as they continued talking. --------------------------------------------- Buffy was tired when she got home. She hadn't seen Dawn in what seemed like forever. Without Spike backing her up, patrol was longer and harder. Willow had been out a lot more with Amy lately, so Dawn was often left home alone, which really bothered Buffy.
She walked in to see Dawn holding something between her fingers. "What's that?", she asked as she plopped down on the couch. Dawn glared at her and said, "It's nothing". Buffy, confused by her reaction, said, "Dawn...", using the perfect motherly tone.
Dawn relented and showed her the key. "Dawn, where did you get this?', asked Buffy. Her sister certainly couldn't have afforded this on her own.
Dawn said, "Spike gave it to me". Buffy gaped, then shook her head and said, "Dawn, it isn't right, even if he gave it to you. He probably stole it, and-".
Dawn got angry. "Buffy, this was his mother's! Do you really think he would give something he stole to me?"
She shook her head and said bitterly, "Of course you would. After all, you did chase him out of town, I guess anything's possible".
Buffy stared and said, "W-What?". Dawn smiled maliciously and said, "Oh, that's right, he didn't tell you. Well congratulations Buffy, you finally got Spike to leave, after three years. He left a week ago, but of course you were too busy to notice. He gave me the key that night we went out. Then he left". She stalked upstairs and slammed the door.
Buffy's mind shut down. Spike left. Spike left Sunnydale. Spike left her. She slowly went up to her room and let the tears fall, wondering why the hell this bothered her so much. ------------------------------------------- If he'd been having fun before, Spike was having the best time of his unlife right now. Kat knew all the places to party and it seemed like she knew everyone in town. Right now they were just relaxing at her house, deciding to stay in for a night.
"So", Kat said, "Tell me about the girl". Spike sat up straight. "What?", he asked. Kat rolled her eyes and said, "The girl. I can tell there's a girl getting you all mopey and depressed".
Spike thought about it. He knew he could trust her. They were like best friends now. Oh, what the hell. He began to tell her his story.
"So she starts kissing me, and I realized that she would never see me as more than a thing, so I ended it, said goodbye to my Bit and left. And here I am", he finished.
Kay stared open-mouthed at him. "Wow. And I thought my life was hectic". Spike asked her, "What's your story, pet? You don't seem to have anyone keeping you around here".
"I'm a psychic", she answered simply. "Found out when I was 14 and a demon killed my family to get to me. I lived by myself for a few years, then I drifted around. The only reason I like it here is because there are plenty of demons to kill".
Spike said, "Your story's a lot shorter than mine". Kat smirked and replied, "Well, yeah, I haven't been around for 120-plus years, Grandpa". Spike looked at her and said indignantly, "Hey! I'm right good-looking for my age, and I was turned when I was 27, thank you very much. Belligerent little chit. Have some respect".
Kat looked at him and burst out laughing. Spike couldn't help himself and joined in. "Bloody hell, I was channeling the Watcher for a second!", gasped Spike.
When they finally stopped laughing, Kat said, "So what exactly is the problem with this Buffy? From what I've seen, you have a great sense of humor, you're pretty cute for a dead guy, and you obviously care about her. You can't even hurt people, and I don't think you would if you had the chip taken out. Heck, if I liked you in that way in the least, I'd go for you".
Spike said, "Thanks pet. Buffy has issues though. Angel, the poof I was tellin' you about? He pretty much set her views on vampires. Soul, good, no soul, evil".
Kat regarded him seriously and said, "You should go back. Solve your issues. You can't run away forever, you know". Spike laughed dryly and said, "Vampire, pet. Forever is nothing to me". ------------------------------------------------ Buffy walked into the Magic Box. Since Spike had left, she had been getting more and more depressed. Not only had she lost a patrolling partner, but Spike was the only one who could even remotely understand what she was going through. He always listened.
Willow had been found on a magic high one night, and now she was recuperating and trying to stay away from magic.
Everyone, it had turned out, had gotten some sort of farewell letter. Except for her. Willow had gotten a letter wishing her luck with her magic and hopefully a reunion with Tara.
Tara had gotten a letter telling her how much Spike respected her and how he hoped she could work things out with Willow.
Xander had gotten a letter telling him that although Spike hated him and the feeling was mutual, he wished him luck with his marriage.
Anya got money for the Berber root he had stolen, with wishes from Spike for much money and happiness for her. Everyone could see how Buffy was reacting, but they didn't want to push the issue, so they said nothing. Clem had moved into the crypt under a request from Spike.
Life was moving on, and Buffy just couldn't figure out where she fit anymore. And now she couldn't turn to Spike for help.
Journey
It had been a week since Spike had left. He made his way down to New Orleans. He was having a great time. He had needed it, the chance to get away from Buffy and whatever it was that they had.
He was now in a bar, the name of which he didn't have. He was still killing demons, but only when he needed a violence fix. This bar was full of them. It was only slightly higher on the moral scale than Willie's. He decided to leave. Getting drunk in a town where he was a foreigner really wasn't at the top of his list.
He had only gone a couple of blocks away when he heard the sounds of fighting. He turned the corner and saw a vamp being beat up by a girl. Unfortunately, there were more behind her. He got into game face and attacked the vamps behind her.
The girl was doing well on her own, so he quickly took down the remaining vamps and watched as she dusted the first one expertly. Before he could say anything; however, he heard a voice in his mind. Duck!. He ducked, and the girl thrust a stake over his head and into the heart of the vampire that had been sneaking up behind him.
"Thanks", the girl said, as she gave him a hand up. Spike looked at her. Deep green eyes, long brown hair. About the Slayer's age, give or take a few years.
He said, "Uh, vampire here, luv. Why aren't you running?". The girl smiled and said, "You just helped me dust those other vamps, for one thing. Plus, I can tell that you aren't going to hurt me".
Spike didn't question it. He could feel something powerful about this girl. "So what were you doing attacking vampires?", he asked, shaking out of his game face.
She answered easily, "They attacked me, thank you very much. And having lived in this town, where there are demons around every corner, a girl has gotta learn some self defense.".
Spike liked this girl. Not only was she not afraid of him, she was talking back to him. He stuck his hand out. "The name's Spike. What's yours?". She took his outstretched hand and said, "My name's Katrina, but everyone calls me Kat. Pleasure to meet you, Spike".
They talked amicably for a few minutes, until Kat said suddenly, "Do you have a place to stay while you're here? I have an extra room at my place, you can crash there for awhile. It'll be nice to have some company. Plus, the bedroom you'd have has no windows, so no dust in the morning ".
Spike thought about it. He had been staying in a pathetic rathole in the bad side of town. "Thanks, pet", he said. "Think I'll do that". She led him there, as they continued talking. --------------------------------------------- Buffy was tired when she got home. She hadn't seen Dawn in what seemed like forever. Without Spike backing her up, patrol was longer and harder. Willow had been out a lot more with Amy lately, so Dawn was often left home alone, which really bothered Buffy.
She walked in to see Dawn holding something between her fingers. "What's that?", she asked as she plopped down on the couch. Dawn glared at her and said, "It's nothing". Buffy, confused by her reaction, said, "Dawn...", using the perfect motherly tone.
Dawn relented and showed her the key. "Dawn, where did you get this?', asked Buffy. Her sister certainly couldn't have afforded this on her own.
Dawn said, "Spike gave it to me". Buffy gaped, then shook her head and said, "Dawn, it isn't right, even if he gave it to you. He probably stole it, and-".
Dawn got angry. "Buffy, this was his mother's! Do you really think he would give something he stole to me?"
She shook her head and said bitterly, "Of course you would. After all, you did chase him out of town, I guess anything's possible".
Buffy stared and said, "W-What?". Dawn smiled maliciously and said, "Oh, that's right, he didn't tell you. Well congratulations Buffy, you finally got Spike to leave, after three years. He left a week ago, but of course you were too busy to notice. He gave me the key that night we went out. Then he left". She stalked upstairs and slammed the door.
Buffy's mind shut down. Spike left. Spike left Sunnydale. Spike left her. She slowly went up to her room and let the tears fall, wondering why the hell this bothered her so much. ------------------------------------------- If he'd been having fun before, Spike was having the best time of his unlife right now. Kat knew all the places to party and it seemed like she knew everyone in town. Right now they were just relaxing at her house, deciding to stay in for a night.
"So", Kat said, "Tell me about the girl". Spike sat up straight. "What?", he asked. Kat rolled her eyes and said, "The girl. I can tell there's a girl getting you all mopey and depressed".
Spike thought about it. He knew he could trust her. They were like best friends now. Oh, what the hell. He began to tell her his story.
"So she starts kissing me, and I realized that she would never see me as more than a thing, so I ended it, said goodbye to my Bit and left. And here I am", he finished.
Kay stared open-mouthed at him. "Wow. And I thought my life was hectic". Spike asked her, "What's your story, pet? You don't seem to have anyone keeping you around here".
"I'm a psychic", she answered simply. "Found out when I was 14 and a demon killed my family to get to me. I lived by myself for a few years, then I drifted around. The only reason I like it here is because there are plenty of demons to kill".
Spike said, "Your story's a lot shorter than mine". Kat smirked and replied, "Well, yeah, I haven't been around for 120-plus years, Grandpa". Spike looked at her and said indignantly, "Hey! I'm right good-looking for my age, and I was turned when I was 27, thank you very much. Belligerent little chit. Have some respect".
Kat looked at him and burst out laughing. Spike couldn't help himself and joined in. "Bloody hell, I was channeling the Watcher for a second!", gasped Spike.
When they finally stopped laughing, Kat said, "So what exactly is the problem with this Buffy? From what I've seen, you have a great sense of humor, you're pretty cute for a dead guy, and you obviously care about her. You can't even hurt people, and I don't think you would if you had the chip taken out. Heck, if I liked you in that way in the least, I'd go for you".
Spike said, "Thanks pet. Buffy has issues though. Angel, the poof I was tellin' you about? He pretty much set her views on vampires. Soul, good, no soul, evil".
Kat regarded him seriously and said, "You should go back. Solve your issues. You can't run away forever, you know". Spike laughed dryly and said, "Vampire, pet. Forever is nothing to me". ------------------------------------------------ Buffy walked into the Magic Box. Since Spike had left, she had been getting more and more depressed. Not only had she lost a patrolling partner, but Spike was the only one who could even remotely understand what she was going through. He always listened.
Willow had been found on a magic high one night, and now she was recuperating and trying to stay away from magic.
Everyone, it had turned out, had gotten some sort of farewell letter. Except for her. Willow had gotten a letter wishing her luck with her magic and hopefully a reunion with Tara.
Tara had gotten a letter telling her how much Spike respected her and how he hoped she could work things out with Willow.
Xander had gotten a letter telling him that although Spike hated him and the feeling was mutual, he wished him luck with his marriage.
Anya got money for the Berber root he had stolen, with wishes from Spike for much money and happiness for her. Everyone could see how Buffy was reacting, but they didn't want to push the issue, so they said nothing. Clem had moved into the crypt under a request from Spike.
Life was moving on, and Buffy just couldn't figure out where she fit anymore. And now she couldn't turn to Spike for help.