It was night by the time they got back to California. Xander and Dawn were
in the Magic Box, empty canisters of Raid rolling around their feet like
oblong marbles. The floor was coated in slimy, crushed bugs.
"Buffster!" Xander called out. "Welcome home! And what a lovely home it is to return to."
Xander paused. "Willow?" He rushed to the door and enveloped the wane looking red head in a crushing hug. She smiled timidly.
"Hey Xander."
"Wow, Will! I wasn't expecting you home so soon," And possibly not ever, Xander thought. "This is great! This is.. Good god what is he doing here?" Xander demanded when he noticed Spike looming behind Willow and Buffy.
The vampire looked the same, pale, dressed in black, with a heavy duffle bag over his shoulder. His hair was a more natural shade of blond. What, Xander wanted to know, was with Spike and his hair? No, what he really wanted to know was why the fuck he was in Sunnydale? Focus. It was all about focus.
"Spike?" Buffy asked nonchalantly. "He's leaving. Aren't you?" She turned and glared at the vampire.
"Yeah, that's what I'm doing," he agreed coldly. Spike would grovel in front of her privately, but he'd be damned if he would do it in front her friends. Before he turned to go, Spike gave Willow a reassuring smile. Xander was horrified to see her smile back, just a little.
There goes my Watcher, Buffy thought. That was possibly the stupidest split second decision she had ever made. Better the evil you know was what she had told Giles. Better Spike as a Watcher in name only than deal with some new uptight, tweed clad, by the book drill sergeant who thought he had some authority over her. Spike would at least stay the fuck out of her way. Or so he had promised. Unfortunately Buffy knew now how much value to put on his word of honor.
Buffy turned back to Xander, preparing herself for his look of anger and betrayal. Nope, she hadn't quite been ready for that.
"It makes sense," she told him. Buffy caught Dawn's confused expression. "I'll explain everything later. Let's just deal with the evil at hand. What is the evil at hand?"
Xander didn't say anything, just stood before her accusingly.
"Did you find anything out about the invasion?" Willow asked, threading her arm comfortingly through Xander's.
Huh, Xander thought. Look at Willow, sallow and faded, trying to reassure him. If she could deal then he supposed he could too. For now.
"Yeah," Xander said walking arm and arm with Willow back to the book encrusted table. I think we figured out what the bugs are."
"Eh-hem!" Dawn cleared her throat loudly. "I believe I was the one who found the bad guy. That's me. I'm research girl."
"Yes," Buffy said with a smile. "You get a shiny gold star. What have we got?"
"This," Anya held up a book. Buffy compared the drawing to the squashed bugs on the floor.
"No offence, guys, but they don't really look the same."
"These," Anya pointed to the floor, "are only drones. The picture is if of the Queen."
"Of course it is. My what pointy teeth she has."
"And many rows of them," Anya agreed. "There is more strangeness to relate. According to the news reports many people have been knocked out by our little stinging friends. Some have been abducted. So far all of those taken have been men."
"That sounds like strangeness," Buffy agreed. "I wonder if the Queen Bee is here for a reason, or if it's just drawn to the Hellmouth's mystical energies?"
"I could go online, see if we can find a pattern to the men who were taken," Willow offered. "I should be able to find out from the hospital exactly what the bug stings are doing, if they're fatal or not."
Buffy looked reluctant at this suggestion. "Are you sure you're ready to just jump back in, Will?
"Yeah, I am. I want to help. I can do this, all magic free now," she promised them.
"I know. Okay. Give it your best shot."
______________________________________________________________________
Willow had not turned up much by the next morning when they gathered at the Magic Box to compare notes. None of the abducted had any criminal backgrounds. They came from no specific part of town, didn't have similar jobs or share race or economic status. So much for the information super highway.
"I'm coming up with a big nothing here," Willow confessed. After a night of research she hated her candy colored computer, hated how slow and pointless everything was. Once again she was completely useless.
"There has to be a pattern, we're just not seeing it," Buffy insisted.
"They are all men," Anya pointed out. "Doesn't that sort of scream pattern right there?"
"You don't think it's some sort of breeding thing do you?" Dawn asked. "Because: gross."
Her sister looked disgusted, Buffy thought, and yet faintly hopeful. Oh shit. It was time to have the talk about boys. Again.
"I'm going to rule out the breeding idea until forced not to," Buffy said, wrinkling her nose.
"On the good news front, the stings aren't deadly," Willow said looking up from her laptop. Anya noticed the blue glow from the screen made her look worse than ever. Well, good, the demon thought.
"The bugs give off a mild toxin that paralyzes the victim, but the effects only last for a couple of hours. I'm sorry I can't come up with anything more."
"You're doing great, Will," Xander said squeezing her hand.
Willow gave him a tight smile. His affection was so embarrassing. She had almost killed them all; she didn't deserve this unadulterated love. It was easier living with Spike who was apathetic even when he did things that could be considered kind, and never asked more of her than to bath once a day. Well, and to help translate an incredibly complex demonic manuscript.
"We're not going to find out much more online. I think it's time I go and meet mama," Buffy said.
______________________________________________________________________
That night, creeping into the abandoned warehouse, Buffy decided this probably was a stupid idea.
"This was a stupid idea," Anya said, unable to see the angry look the Slayer shot her. The bugs couldn't do more than annoy the demon who moved comfortably through the glittering blue swarm in her jeans and leather jacket. Buffy felt like a mummy with her leather gauntlets, heavy jacket, tightly wound scarf protecting her neck, and fencing mask over her face. Thank god Giles had left all his training equipment behind when he went back to England.
They must have the right place. The air was so thick with bugs Buffy felt like she was pushing her way through a shimmering blue wall. The insect wings glittering in the flashlight's beam were actually quite pretty, she thought. Then her foot hit something soft. Bending down, pushing though the spinning bodies in the air, Buffy tried to catch a glimpse of what she had stepped on.
"Ick. I think we found the missing men, or at least one of them." Buffy leaned down to get a better look. She saw fingers and a wrist, but couldn't get a pulse through her leather gloves.
"I think we just found the Queen," Anya countered. Buffy turned as Anya fired a bolt from her crossbow into a giant, multifaceted eye. Good shot, Anya congratulated herself because it was obvious Buffy wasn't going to.
Giant bugs, Buffy thought, lunging at the creature with her axe. Why was it always big insects? They weren't exactly cute when they were small. Blown up thirty feet high this creature was defiantly barf worthy. She moved in, chopping at it's face and eyes. Anya reloaded her crossbow and fired again.
Duck and thrust and chop and turn. This isn't so hard, Buffy thought. Mamma bug swatted her away with a hairy antenna and Buffy popped back up. The Queen was bleeding a dark blue liquid from the cross bow bolts and axe cuts, but she advanced steadily. Buffy attacked again, attempting to sever the bug's head. She was starting to get tired.
"Hey Buffy," Anya called when she shot all of her bolts into the eyes and throat of the creature. "Shouldn't it be dead by now?"
"I would have thought so," Buffy panted.
"Maybe we should run away," Anya suggested, as the injured, oozing mass continued slowly towards them.
"Oh yeah," Buffy agreed.
The swarm around them grew even denser. She grabbed Anya's hand and plunged blindly though the humming mass, down invisible hallways, and out into the bug infested air. They kept running long past the edge of the industrial district even though the insects around them didn't seem to be attacking.
"Since we're not dead, does this count as a success?" Anya asked.
______________________________________________________________________
Xander decided that, considering the paralyzing bug infestation, the crew probably shouldn't be at the job site today. The Hellmouth was a capricious place to try to finish a contract. On the other hand, lots of destruction meant new buildings were always going up. Sure it was bad for society, but good for him.
Xander listened to the phone ring as he peeled a green apple. His goal was to achieve one long ribbon in one hand, one completely naked apple in the other. Things like this tended to impress Dawn, now he was finding himself impressed by them too. With Anya hating him he had to take approbation where he found it.
"Hey Nicole? Is Richard there?" He asked into the phone, "I want to let him know I'm calling off work for the day. Thought I'd give the city time to deal with this bug problem."
"Richard's not here," Nicole said, sounding a little guilty. "He's missing. Not that I give a shit after what he did to me."
"What did he do to you?" Xander demanded. "Did he hurt you?" Richard was a pretty quiet guy at the sight, but who knew what people were like at home? Sometimes he forgot that vampires weren't the only evil lurking out there.
In his concern Xander forgot about the apple until the knife slit the pad of this thumb. Feeling manly he stifled an exclamation of pain.
"No he.he left me for some little slut he met. Didn't even have the balls to tell me himself. Left me a note last week." She laughed. "Not that you need to know this."
Thumb in his mouth, Xander didn't say anything and she went on.
"My friend Sonya? Her husband's been seeing their lawyer. We think they must have finally got what they deserved. It was funny, you know? But now it's been days and I guess it wouldn't be too funny if they were dead. Well, maybe a little funny."
"Maybe," Xander said, agreeing without really thinking about it. He hung up the phone with a horrible feeling. On his way out the door he threw the apple and ribbon of peel in the garbage. He had lost his appetite.
______________________________________________________________________
"I don't get it," Buffy said, looking around at the gang gathered in her living room the evening after her full frontal assault on the Queen. "The thing should have been dead."
"I think I get it," Xander said angrily. "You can't kill the bug. A curse can only be lifted by the vengeance demon that sent it, right Ahn?"
"Well that, or by destroying her pendant," she told them factually.
"Then why don't you lift the curse already?"
"Because, Xander, I didn't curse anyone. I haven't since regaining my powers. D'Hoffryn is quite unimpressed with me at the moment." Anya's voice was matter of fact, but the look she shot Xander was scathing.
"But! But I found the pattern!" he objected. "The men were all cheating on their significant others. Well, two of them were. Could it be Hallie?"
"Two men?" Anya asked. "Out of how many?"
"Twenty-six so far," Willow said.
"Great pattern, Xander," Anya said, clapping her hands in the air and stunning a stray bug that had wormed its way into the house. She tried to imagine the inert blue body on the floor belonged to her ex-fiancé.
"So where does that leave us?" Dawn asked.
"A whole lot of nowhere," Buffy sighed.
______________________________________________________________________
At dusk Spike climbed to the top of his crypt. The cell phone could not get a decent signal inside. Spread out below him Sunnydale was sprawling and ugly. Its low, squat buildings and ragged palm trees could have belonged to any number of interchangeable California towns. To the naked eye it looked dreary and unimportant. Camouflage, Spike supposed, for the Hellmouth. It was all so bloody normal, yet here he was, possibly the most abnormal vampire in history: finally wrested the title from Angel (bloody git.) One soul, no strings attached. Take that grandpa. Being the only one, not belonging anywhere, it had never bothered Spike. What bothered him more was the idea this shit hole had some claim on his affections.
The stupid, happy, hopeful bastard in him sang, "She asked me to come back!" He decided that was the demon, that insipid little voice. The soul cringed at her proximity and longed to be thousands of miles away from Buffy Anne Summers. He didn't know if that was chivalry or cowardice and he didn't care.
Above the still trees the moon was almost full. It's light turned Spike's pale hands silver as he dialed the phone. Best to call Giles now, before doing a sweep of his cemetery. He had promised Buffy he would keep it clean, save them both from unexpected encounters.
"Ah. Spike," Giles complained into the phone. "You do realize there is a time difference between California and England, do you not?"
Spike lay back against the rough stone of the crypt's roof. He wanted to see the stars but they were completely obscured by the ambient light of the town.
"I know the time. Do you want to hear what I've got or not?"
"How is Buffy?"
"I don't know." It was the right answer, and it was true.
"Good," Giles said, relieved. "Then I take it you are calling in regards to the manuscripts?"
"No. I just thought you'd like to have a midnight chat. The sound of your voice, Watcher, it sends me over the edge." He lit a cigarette. Giles obviously refused to respond to his mockery so Spike went on. "The manuscripts prophesize an apocalypse."
"Yes. Of course they do." Giles sighed heavily into the phone.
"If you already know this I'd just as soon free up my time for poker."
"What? No. I only meant it is always something apocalyptic. With us."
"Well we should see this one coming," Spike said. Since he could not see the stars he watched the iridescent insects wing their way around his cemetery. "There will be three warnings."
"What sort of warnings?" Giles sounded more awake now.
"The first is the Host. Sounds like your typical over-run the body and leave an ugly corpse sort of bloke. From what I can tell it should be a collective conscious demon- all parts are the whole, blah blah. Of course there's only about a hundred species of those. I haven't managed to narrow it down yet."
"And the other warnings?"
"I don't know." The frustration sounded in Spike's voice, which frustrated him even more. "This thing is bloody killing me. I can make out something about death, then there will be a period of calm and some sort of rising or lifting. An earthquake maybe?"
"What does Willow think?"
"How the fuck should I know? She's home with Buffy. I can't exactly ring her up." Spike had hoped Willow would call him. He did not use the word hope in his own mind, but acknowledged quietly that hearing from the ex- witch would not be unwelcome.
"Well. I trust you will be will be able to solve this problem on your own."
Trust? Really? Well that was just bloody perfect, Spike thought hanging up the phone.
Lighting another cigarette, Spike briefly entertained burning the manuscripts and letting the world go to hell if that was what it really wanted. Why did he and Buffy waste so much energy stopping the inevitable? Before Spike could think of an answer someone's soft fingers brushed the back of his neck, startling him.
"Jumpy." Tara smiled.
Ballsy witch, Spike thought. She would never have dared to touch him when she had breath. He gave her a feral growl for her trouble.
"I don't think you're really that mad at me," Tara said, looking directly in his face, her hair tucked behind her ears.
"Shows you don't know much about my thoughts," Spike said shortly.
So you say, Tara thought, but his aura was a bright and luminous blue, whorls of light enveloping the darkness. She reached out a hand to see if it felt as soft as it looked and Spike recoiled. Slowly Tara let her hand fall. She could see she was confusing him.
"Don't forget about Willow. Don't get," she rolled her eyes, "distracted by other.things."
Spike didn't know if she meant Buffy or the manuscripts or some other diversion he was not yet aware of.
______________________________________________________________________
TBC
"Buffster!" Xander called out. "Welcome home! And what a lovely home it is to return to."
Xander paused. "Willow?" He rushed to the door and enveloped the wane looking red head in a crushing hug. She smiled timidly.
"Hey Xander."
"Wow, Will! I wasn't expecting you home so soon," And possibly not ever, Xander thought. "This is great! This is.. Good god what is he doing here?" Xander demanded when he noticed Spike looming behind Willow and Buffy.
The vampire looked the same, pale, dressed in black, with a heavy duffle bag over his shoulder. His hair was a more natural shade of blond. What, Xander wanted to know, was with Spike and his hair? No, what he really wanted to know was why the fuck he was in Sunnydale? Focus. It was all about focus.
"Spike?" Buffy asked nonchalantly. "He's leaving. Aren't you?" She turned and glared at the vampire.
"Yeah, that's what I'm doing," he agreed coldly. Spike would grovel in front of her privately, but he'd be damned if he would do it in front her friends. Before he turned to go, Spike gave Willow a reassuring smile. Xander was horrified to see her smile back, just a little.
There goes my Watcher, Buffy thought. That was possibly the stupidest split second decision she had ever made. Better the evil you know was what she had told Giles. Better Spike as a Watcher in name only than deal with some new uptight, tweed clad, by the book drill sergeant who thought he had some authority over her. Spike would at least stay the fuck out of her way. Or so he had promised. Unfortunately Buffy knew now how much value to put on his word of honor.
Buffy turned back to Xander, preparing herself for his look of anger and betrayal. Nope, she hadn't quite been ready for that.
"It makes sense," she told him. Buffy caught Dawn's confused expression. "I'll explain everything later. Let's just deal with the evil at hand. What is the evil at hand?"
Xander didn't say anything, just stood before her accusingly.
"Did you find anything out about the invasion?" Willow asked, threading her arm comfortingly through Xander's.
Huh, Xander thought. Look at Willow, sallow and faded, trying to reassure him. If she could deal then he supposed he could too. For now.
"Yeah," Xander said walking arm and arm with Willow back to the book encrusted table. I think we figured out what the bugs are."
"Eh-hem!" Dawn cleared her throat loudly. "I believe I was the one who found the bad guy. That's me. I'm research girl."
"Yes," Buffy said with a smile. "You get a shiny gold star. What have we got?"
"This," Anya held up a book. Buffy compared the drawing to the squashed bugs on the floor.
"No offence, guys, but they don't really look the same."
"These," Anya pointed to the floor, "are only drones. The picture is if of the Queen."
"Of course it is. My what pointy teeth she has."
"And many rows of them," Anya agreed. "There is more strangeness to relate. According to the news reports many people have been knocked out by our little stinging friends. Some have been abducted. So far all of those taken have been men."
"That sounds like strangeness," Buffy agreed. "I wonder if the Queen Bee is here for a reason, or if it's just drawn to the Hellmouth's mystical energies?"
"I could go online, see if we can find a pattern to the men who were taken," Willow offered. "I should be able to find out from the hospital exactly what the bug stings are doing, if they're fatal or not."
Buffy looked reluctant at this suggestion. "Are you sure you're ready to just jump back in, Will?
"Yeah, I am. I want to help. I can do this, all magic free now," she promised them.
"I know. Okay. Give it your best shot."
______________________________________________________________________
Willow had not turned up much by the next morning when they gathered at the Magic Box to compare notes. None of the abducted had any criminal backgrounds. They came from no specific part of town, didn't have similar jobs or share race or economic status. So much for the information super highway.
"I'm coming up with a big nothing here," Willow confessed. After a night of research she hated her candy colored computer, hated how slow and pointless everything was. Once again she was completely useless.
"There has to be a pattern, we're just not seeing it," Buffy insisted.
"They are all men," Anya pointed out. "Doesn't that sort of scream pattern right there?"
"You don't think it's some sort of breeding thing do you?" Dawn asked. "Because: gross."
Her sister looked disgusted, Buffy thought, and yet faintly hopeful. Oh shit. It was time to have the talk about boys. Again.
"I'm going to rule out the breeding idea until forced not to," Buffy said, wrinkling her nose.
"On the good news front, the stings aren't deadly," Willow said looking up from her laptop. Anya noticed the blue glow from the screen made her look worse than ever. Well, good, the demon thought.
"The bugs give off a mild toxin that paralyzes the victim, but the effects only last for a couple of hours. I'm sorry I can't come up with anything more."
"You're doing great, Will," Xander said squeezing her hand.
Willow gave him a tight smile. His affection was so embarrassing. She had almost killed them all; she didn't deserve this unadulterated love. It was easier living with Spike who was apathetic even when he did things that could be considered kind, and never asked more of her than to bath once a day. Well, and to help translate an incredibly complex demonic manuscript.
"We're not going to find out much more online. I think it's time I go and meet mama," Buffy said.
______________________________________________________________________
That night, creeping into the abandoned warehouse, Buffy decided this probably was a stupid idea.
"This was a stupid idea," Anya said, unable to see the angry look the Slayer shot her. The bugs couldn't do more than annoy the demon who moved comfortably through the glittering blue swarm in her jeans and leather jacket. Buffy felt like a mummy with her leather gauntlets, heavy jacket, tightly wound scarf protecting her neck, and fencing mask over her face. Thank god Giles had left all his training equipment behind when he went back to England.
They must have the right place. The air was so thick with bugs Buffy felt like she was pushing her way through a shimmering blue wall. The insect wings glittering in the flashlight's beam were actually quite pretty, she thought. Then her foot hit something soft. Bending down, pushing though the spinning bodies in the air, Buffy tried to catch a glimpse of what she had stepped on.
"Ick. I think we found the missing men, or at least one of them." Buffy leaned down to get a better look. She saw fingers and a wrist, but couldn't get a pulse through her leather gloves.
"I think we just found the Queen," Anya countered. Buffy turned as Anya fired a bolt from her crossbow into a giant, multifaceted eye. Good shot, Anya congratulated herself because it was obvious Buffy wasn't going to.
Giant bugs, Buffy thought, lunging at the creature with her axe. Why was it always big insects? They weren't exactly cute when they were small. Blown up thirty feet high this creature was defiantly barf worthy. She moved in, chopping at it's face and eyes. Anya reloaded her crossbow and fired again.
Duck and thrust and chop and turn. This isn't so hard, Buffy thought. Mamma bug swatted her away with a hairy antenna and Buffy popped back up. The Queen was bleeding a dark blue liquid from the cross bow bolts and axe cuts, but she advanced steadily. Buffy attacked again, attempting to sever the bug's head. She was starting to get tired.
"Hey Buffy," Anya called when she shot all of her bolts into the eyes and throat of the creature. "Shouldn't it be dead by now?"
"I would have thought so," Buffy panted.
"Maybe we should run away," Anya suggested, as the injured, oozing mass continued slowly towards them.
"Oh yeah," Buffy agreed.
The swarm around them grew even denser. She grabbed Anya's hand and plunged blindly though the humming mass, down invisible hallways, and out into the bug infested air. They kept running long past the edge of the industrial district even though the insects around them didn't seem to be attacking.
"Since we're not dead, does this count as a success?" Anya asked.
______________________________________________________________________
Xander decided that, considering the paralyzing bug infestation, the crew probably shouldn't be at the job site today. The Hellmouth was a capricious place to try to finish a contract. On the other hand, lots of destruction meant new buildings were always going up. Sure it was bad for society, but good for him.
Xander listened to the phone ring as he peeled a green apple. His goal was to achieve one long ribbon in one hand, one completely naked apple in the other. Things like this tended to impress Dawn, now he was finding himself impressed by them too. With Anya hating him he had to take approbation where he found it.
"Hey Nicole? Is Richard there?" He asked into the phone, "I want to let him know I'm calling off work for the day. Thought I'd give the city time to deal with this bug problem."
"Richard's not here," Nicole said, sounding a little guilty. "He's missing. Not that I give a shit after what he did to me."
"What did he do to you?" Xander demanded. "Did he hurt you?" Richard was a pretty quiet guy at the sight, but who knew what people were like at home? Sometimes he forgot that vampires weren't the only evil lurking out there.
In his concern Xander forgot about the apple until the knife slit the pad of this thumb. Feeling manly he stifled an exclamation of pain.
"No he.he left me for some little slut he met. Didn't even have the balls to tell me himself. Left me a note last week." She laughed. "Not that you need to know this."
Thumb in his mouth, Xander didn't say anything and she went on.
"My friend Sonya? Her husband's been seeing their lawyer. We think they must have finally got what they deserved. It was funny, you know? But now it's been days and I guess it wouldn't be too funny if they were dead. Well, maybe a little funny."
"Maybe," Xander said, agreeing without really thinking about it. He hung up the phone with a horrible feeling. On his way out the door he threw the apple and ribbon of peel in the garbage. He had lost his appetite.
______________________________________________________________________
"I don't get it," Buffy said, looking around at the gang gathered in her living room the evening after her full frontal assault on the Queen. "The thing should have been dead."
"I think I get it," Xander said angrily. "You can't kill the bug. A curse can only be lifted by the vengeance demon that sent it, right Ahn?"
"Well that, or by destroying her pendant," she told them factually.
"Then why don't you lift the curse already?"
"Because, Xander, I didn't curse anyone. I haven't since regaining my powers. D'Hoffryn is quite unimpressed with me at the moment." Anya's voice was matter of fact, but the look she shot Xander was scathing.
"But! But I found the pattern!" he objected. "The men were all cheating on their significant others. Well, two of them were. Could it be Hallie?"
"Two men?" Anya asked. "Out of how many?"
"Twenty-six so far," Willow said.
"Great pattern, Xander," Anya said, clapping her hands in the air and stunning a stray bug that had wormed its way into the house. She tried to imagine the inert blue body on the floor belonged to her ex-fiancé.
"So where does that leave us?" Dawn asked.
"A whole lot of nowhere," Buffy sighed.
______________________________________________________________________
At dusk Spike climbed to the top of his crypt. The cell phone could not get a decent signal inside. Spread out below him Sunnydale was sprawling and ugly. Its low, squat buildings and ragged palm trees could have belonged to any number of interchangeable California towns. To the naked eye it looked dreary and unimportant. Camouflage, Spike supposed, for the Hellmouth. It was all so bloody normal, yet here he was, possibly the most abnormal vampire in history: finally wrested the title from Angel (bloody git.) One soul, no strings attached. Take that grandpa. Being the only one, not belonging anywhere, it had never bothered Spike. What bothered him more was the idea this shit hole had some claim on his affections.
The stupid, happy, hopeful bastard in him sang, "She asked me to come back!" He decided that was the demon, that insipid little voice. The soul cringed at her proximity and longed to be thousands of miles away from Buffy Anne Summers. He didn't know if that was chivalry or cowardice and he didn't care.
Above the still trees the moon was almost full. It's light turned Spike's pale hands silver as he dialed the phone. Best to call Giles now, before doing a sweep of his cemetery. He had promised Buffy he would keep it clean, save them both from unexpected encounters.
"Ah. Spike," Giles complained into the phone. "You do realize there is a time difference between California and England, do you not?"
Spike lay back against the rough stone of the crypt's roof. He wanted to see the stars but they were completely obscured by the ambient light of the town.
"I know the time. Do you want to hear what I've got or not?"
"How is Buffy?"
"I don't know." It was the right answer, and it was true.
"Good," Giles said, relieved. "Then I take it you are calling in regards to the manuscripts?"
"No. I just thought you'd like to have a midnight chat. The sound of your voice, Watcher, it sends me over the edge." He lit a cigarette. Giles obviously refused to respond to his mockery so Spike went on. "The manuscripts prophesize an apocalypse."
"Yes. Of course they do." Giles sighed heavily into the phone.
"If you already know this I'd just as soon free up my time for poker."
"What? No. I only meant it is always something apocalyptic. With us."
"Well we should see this one coming," Spike said. Since he could not see the stars he watched the iridescent insects wing their way around his cemetery. "There will be three warnings."
"What sort of warnings?" Giles sounded more awake now.
"The first is the Host. Sounds like your typical over-run the body and leave an ugly corpse sort of bloke. From what I can tell it should be a collective conscious demon- all parts are the whole, blah blah. Of course there's only about a hundred species of those. I haven't managed to narrow it down yet."
"And the other warnings?"
"I don't know." The frustration sounded in Spike's voice, which frustrated him even more. "This thing is bloody killing me. I can make out something about death, then there will be a period of calm and some sort of rising or lifting. An earthquake maybe?"
"What does Willow think?"
"How the fuck should I know? She's home with Buffy. I can't exactly ring her up." Spike had hoped Willow would call him. He did not use the word hope in his own mind, but acknowledged quietly that hearing from the ex- witch would not be unwelcome.
"Well. I trust you will be will be able to solve this problem on your own."
Trust? Really? Well that was just bloody perfect, Spike thought hanging up the phone.
Lighting another cigarette, Spike briefly entertained burning the manuscripts and letting the world go to hell if that was what it really wanted. Why did he and Buffy waste so much energy stopping the inevitable? Before Spike could think of an answer someone's soft fingers brushed the back of his neck, startling him.
"Jumpy." Tara smiled.
Ballsy witch, Spike thought. She would never have dared to touch him when she had breath. He gave her a feral growl for her trouble.
"I don't think you're really that mad at me," Tara said, looking directly in his face, her hair tucked behind her ears.
"Shows you don't know much about my thoughts," Spike said shortly.
So you say, Tara thought, but his aura was a bright and luminous blue, whorls of light enveloping the darkness. She reached out a hand to see if it felt as soft as it looked and Spike recoiled. Slowly Tara let her hand fall. She could see she was confusing him.
"Don't forget about Willow. Don't get," she rolled her eyes, "distracted by other.things."
Spike didn't know if she meant Buffy or the manuscripts or some other diversion he was not yet aware of.
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TBC
