TITLE: "The Tell-Tale Hearts"
AUTHOR: Elise D. (aka LilHairyEyeball)
FEEDBACK: Gimme gimme. Just be gentle.
SUMMARY: AU version of the Season 5 climax
SPOILERS: Up through the Gift
RATING: R for naughty words and bad touching.
DISCLAIMER: Nobody buys me good presents, so I steal other peoples.
Spike was up to three baskets of kittens, when he heard the murmurs from across the room. Some Big Bad was on its way back, and a nasty fella was orchestrating the whole thing.
Well, that just wouldn't do, would it? So after some gentle negotiation . . .okay, he kicked the crap out of them, he learnt that Harris and himself hadn't done such a thorough job on Doc, last time they paid him a visit. The bastard was working on summoning that Glory bird, from wherever the hell she was, and doing a new ritual. No doubt there was a key involved, and Spike was not a happy camper.
Neither was Xander, when the pounding on the door woke him up at 4 a.m.
He shuffled to the door, and sighed loudly when he checked the spy hole.
"Spike, some of us have to be up and about during the day . . . this means we sleep right about now?" grumbled the carpenter, as he opened the door and waved the vampire in.
"Oh, you can bitch all you like later. Get yer kit on, we've got a job to do." Said Spike, who began pacing the living room.
The statement woke Xander up, and fast.
"A job? What's going on? Is everybody okay?" panicked Xander.
"Yeah, yeah. They're fine, and we're going to make sure they stay that way, right?
The pair crept silently towards the building, a picture of stealth and business. Xander had been surprised to learn of Doc's recovery, and Spike had been adamant, they wouldn't make the same mistake again. As a result, he was lugging a gas can along with the usual weapons, and Spike was brandishing the scariest axe that Xander had ever seen. And that was saying something.
"The plan is this, we make it quick, and as messy as possible. I'm not letting that git get his paws on Dawn. Or Glory, for that matter." Said the vampire with a scowl. He was really taking this personally.
"Spike, now don't chop my head off or anything, but tell me again why we're not just telling Buffy about this? She is the slayer, and our track record is slightly tarnished when it comes to this guy." Xander flinched when he saw the jaw tense on Spike. That was always the prelude to getting yelled at. He really wasn't in the mood for that.
"Listen. You've seen the Slayer. She's doing all right at the moment. No stress, yeah? Do you really want her to switch back to the Buffy who would kick both our asses if we looked at her funny? We do this, she's none the wiser, and everything stays nice and happy. For all of us. Plus, I don't want to worry the bit. She's only just got over it, and this might be too much. She needs to know that it's over."
"But it might not ever be over, don't you think?" asked Xander with a frown. "I mean, she is the key, right? Who's to say that someone else doesn't get some great plan that needs her. Or the nights come back, and decide she needs to be gone?"
Oh, there's the jaw again. Xander realized he really needed to keep his mouth shut.
"We'll protect her. It's what we do. I won't let anything happen to her." Said Spike, suddenly coming over all pensive like.
"Umm, Spike? Are you still with me? I can't do a hack and slash all alone, here. Okay? No comas until after the dismemberment and barbeque."
Spike snorted, and resumed the walk towards Doc's new location. Bastard was going to die.
Spike exhaled loudly, a trait that Xander always found disturbing. Vampires don't need to breath, so why did the ones who huffed and puffed always surround him. Life on the Hellmouth, whatcha gonna do?
"You see, Doc, old chap. We just can't let you bring Glory back. My associate and I feel it would be in your best interest if you were . . . well, dead." Laughed the vampire, before lighting a cigarette and throwing the match onto the gasoline soaked body parts of the bookish old demon.
Xander flinched when the flames burst. That smell was in human. Well, so was Doc, so that made sense. Didn't make it any less foul though.
Spike patted him on the back, before wiping some greenish ooze from his duster.
"I'd say this calls for a drink, don't you?" asked Spike jubilantly.
"Several, maybe more," agreed Xander, before they headed out, leaving a smoldering pile of demon parts to continue burning.
"And then she says, "I'm glad, so thank you" right to my face! I mean, is that how you treat someone you abhor?" slurred Spike, signaling to the waitress for more liquid refreshment.
"I don't know dude. I got lucky; she was straightforward with me. Didn't like me "that way." Don't get me wrong, I'm sure she doesn't like you that way, either, but signs are nice. And mixed signals are so . . ."
"Buffy."
"Well, yeah," laughed Xander.
"Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. Maybe the Watcher is right. Maybe I should just buggar off, get out of town. She'll stop screwing up my mind; I'll stop confusing her. Nice and neat."
Xander observed the misery on Spike's face when he said it. Oh yeah, the vampire had it bad.
"So, why don't you? Maybe Giles is right. He usually is."
Spike lifted his head, "Dawn. I won't leave, because of Dawn. She needs me," before falling face down on the table again.
Wow. Depressed vampire and large quantities of alcohol do not mix. Or maybe he was just coming down from the fight. Xander had never seen Spike so animated, as when he hacked Doc to little pieces. It was quite disturbing.
"Angel screwed her up," announced Xander, after sitting in silence for what seemed like an eternity.
That seemed to wake Spike up from his little table nap, and he sat up with a jolt.
"Yeah. Good and proper. It's clear as day, or, I assume day. Peaches ruins everything. Everyone. Son of a bitch," pouted Spike, gulping down the last of his beer.
"And the worst part? He makes me realize that I'd prefer you with Buffy, and in our lives. I don't want him back." Said Xander with a frown, causing Spike to chuckle.
"Well, with any luck, neither does the Slayer, yeah?"
Silence overtook the pair again, not that they were brooding. Brooding would be bad, and a clear sign that they were far too much like that guy. The one who's name they weren't going to mention again, lest it lead to more brooding.
"So, are you gonna tell her?" asked Xander, out of the blue.
"Tell her what? That I'm leaving? I haven't made up m'mind yet, so no."
Xander shook his head furiously. Wow, that had been a mistake. When the room stopped spinning for him, he clarified.
"No, about Doc or whatever his name was. How we thwarted his plans and saved the world, all by ourselves?"
Spike shrugged. He hadn't done it for the sake of glory. No, not that glory. The un-God like one. He hadn't done it to get a pat on the head.
"Don't see the point really. It's done, why bother her with it?"
Xander looked at Spike in shock. "Why bother her? We did good! You don't think we deserve some sort of recognition?"
Another shrugged earned for that one. Damn, Xander really had to make some new friends. Maybe if he could stop saving the world from demons, he's actually start hanging out with people who weren't demons. Well, a man could dream.
"Recognition is highly over-rated. Besides. You know what she's like. Probably get her all pissed off for missing on the violence. She probably wanted payback for all the trauma she's gone through."
Xander grimaced. Christ, Spike was right. Killing Doc was probably a physician-approved kind of therapy, and they'd just taken it from her. Plus have the whole "You could have been in danger" speech that he was hearing way too much.
"Okay, you're right. This one is between the two of us. No need to brag when there's nothing to brag about."
Spike watched Xander's face carefully. That boy couldn't keep an emotion in check if his life depended on it. That could be good. Very good indeed.
"So, Harris? Do you play poker?"
