A/N- This takes place in season seven, so if you haven't seen it, and
are the type of person who makes a hit list of people who spoil
television shows, be warned. (And if this description fits you, seek
help now)
Title: The 'In Between'
Author: Alycat
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Joss owns all. This makes me sad. *****************************************************************
The 'In Between'
"William! Stop it!" the girl giggled. William continued to tickle her despite her protests. "William! Please!" she was able to say through gasps of laughter.
"Aww, Laney, I just can't help myself. You're bloody adorable when you laugh," William whispered into her ear, making Laney giggle again at the touch of his lips to her skin. "I wrote something for you this morning," he cooed softly.
"Oh William, another poem is it? Do read it to me."
William reached into the pocket of his button down shirt and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. He unfolded it to read, but spoke the words into her heart. He knew all to well what was on the sheet of paper, but needed it to hide behind in case she thought his poem was distasteful. He spoke: "A bluebird shines with the light of morning, sun dripping slowly upon my cheek, as I dream of my love. Her hair auburn with elegance, her eyes youthful with innocence, her lips lush with passion. And as the song of my bluebird breaks the silence of the morn, I dream only of she, my love." William lifted his head from behind the paper, daring to look into her eyes.
The color in her cheeks turned rosy, but she took his hand and looked into his searching eyes. "Oh, William. That was beautiful." He carefully took a strand of her auburn-red hair and tucked it behind her ear before leaning in and kissing her lips gently. As he pulled away, he felt his heart melt, and he opened his eyes. Laney gave him a shy smile of contentment and opened her mouth to say something-- but couldn't-- a gust of icy wind shot by them and Laney's body turned blue. William could only see her in flashes, darkness surrounding them both. Laney's body was now dripping with blood, some black with age, the rest of it red, ripe as an apple. Her hair now wiry and tangled with pain instead of lacey with life. And upon her neck, two teeth marks could be seen, blood constantly flowing from them.
"Nooooo!" William yelled until his own voice became but a distant echo.
Laney was dead.
********************************* *********************************
Spike awoke suddenly, chills running down his spine. "Bloody Hell," he said to the empty basement that surrounded him. He sat in the darkness for a moment before feeling the need to be someplace else. anyplace else.. just NOT here. He got up from his bed and walked up the stairs into Buffy's kitchen. He went to the fridge to get some blood, but realized that, at the moment, blood was the last thing he wanted to see. Spike didn't know where else to go, so he went to the only person who would understand: Buffy. Spike walked upstairs quietly, being sure not to wake any of the SIT's who were scattered about the Summers' home. When reached Buffy's room, he silently opened the door and entered. Her room was the only place in the house not filled with bloody SIT's. Spike took a rocking chair from the corner of her room and placed it by the foot of her bed. He sat in it gently, careful not to make noise, and stared over to the Slayer he loved. Just looking at her eased his fears about what the dream he'd just had meant. If there was one thing in the world Spike found was constant, it was Buffy. He hoped she wouldn't be mad if he just sat there for the rest of the night and watched her sleep, because that was exactly what he planned on doing.
***
"Spike. Spike. Spike!" Buffy yelled, finally getting Spike awake on her third attempt.
"Mm, uhh, uhh, what?" Spike asked groggily, his eyes not yet open.
"Spike, get up! The sun's about two inches away from incinerating your thumb!" Buffy said, irritated at his slow movements. The idea of losing a thumb got Spike up in a hurry. "What are you doing in here? You don't just walk into my room and decide to stay here the night! How am I going to explain you walking out of here first thing in the morning to my friends? They aren't going to get the right idea!" Buffy whispered to Spike in a hushed tone, not wanting the quietness of 'sleeping SIT's' to end.
Spike was back into full awareness, and a little hurt that Buffy was so adamant about him not being in her room. "I'm sorry, love, but I had this awful dream last night and I couldn't think of anywhere else to go," he explained honestly, realizing how dumb this sounded.
"You mean you weren't in here last night to sneak a peek at me in underwear?" Buffy asked, feeling her cheeks redden slightly at the proposal of the idea. She was acting so immature. After all, it wasn't like he hadn't seen her in panties before. or less. Plus, Spike meant something to her. Her feelings for him were more than that of a close friend, but she wasn't sure she was ready to open these floodgates of emotion again. Not with the First at war with her.
"No!" Spike said quickly. Was that all she thought of him? He wasn't some stalker-type-obsessive-sick-minded vampire. anymore, at least. "Last night, I had this dream, well, it wasn't really a dream. It was one of those memories, you know? The ones you said Angel used to have, where he saw people he'd killed, except, mine was different. There was this girl from my past. Back when I was human. I don't even remember anything other than what the dream told me. But the end was wrong. We were talking and suddenly she became only flashes of a dead corpse."
Buffy could see how much this had shaken Spike, and she wanted so badly to tell him everything would be alright. "Spike, don't worry, we'll figure out what's haunting you. Tell me, who was this girl?"
Spike looked into Buffy's eyes.
"She was my first love."
******************************** *******************************
".Yea, but still, why do praying mantis girls kill praying mantis guys after they mate? I mean, did they ever think about the children? Imagine the dysfunctional childhood that would happen when the conversation of 'Mommy, why did you kill daddy?' occurs?" Dawn said babbling as she finished her Cheerios.
"Dawny, could we lay off the praying mantis talk? I've come a little too close to death-by-female-bug to be able to enjoy my breakfast while discussing it," Xander said as he shivered at the memory of Miss French. "So Buff, what's on today's agenda? The Research Crew of Dawn, Will, and myself are free for the day."
"Research Crew, huh?" Buffy said smiling.
"I'm Vice President! But Will promised if she ever went blackey evil again, I can take over her position as Pres.," Dawn piped in.
"And I of course remain at the neutral position of Treasurer," added Xander.
"Well, as thrilled as I am that you guys have this whole go-team- go thing working for you, there's not much that needs researching. We basically know all there is to know about the First, which unfortunately helps us only in the Zilch department." Buffy sighed. She considered asking them about Spike's dream, but really, there wasn't much anyone could do until it at least happened a second time. "Have you guys seen where Spike went?"
"Well, last I saw he was zonked out on the couch," Xander said, gesturing towards the family room.
"Already? I mean, he didn't get much sleep last night, but he's only been up for a half hour," Buffy added.
"I'd be more than glad to wake him up for ya. What do you say, a little ice water on the head sound fun?" Xander said, laughing at his own idea.
Buffy smiled. "Actually, I think we should just let him rest." Buffy turned her head and watched Spike as he slept. Very slowly, he started shivering, until it looked as though his entire body was shaking.
***
"Allana! Allana! Are you here?" a woman called out into an empty room. "I swear, if I could only keep track of that girl!"
From the ceiling above, William snickered. "Shh, William! Mother will hear us! If she found us up here together. well, I don't even want to imagine that!" Laney said, as the couple lay beneath the covers of an old bed in the attic.
"Oh, but Allana, your mother does like me so," William said teasingly, knowing her mother did not permit Laney to date boys without an escort.
Laney giggled, "Don't call me that!" She put her head on his chest as he stroked her hair. "So, do you feel different?"
"Not like I thought I would. I feel complete with you Laney," William whispered.
"As do I with you."
William stopped stroking her hair for a moment, and Laney looked up at him, a soft warmth in her face. "Laney, I love you."
And with those three words spoken, Laney closed her eyes, her body turning cold and blue upon William once more. The blood returned, there was more of it now. And Laney's fingers wrinkled with age and anger. Suddenly, with fury, her eyes darted open revealing red pupils surrounding her green colored eyes. Her hair remained youthful and flowing around her dead body. William jumped out of the bed in pure horror at the sight of his love, but the body of Laney sat up and stared at him with crimson eyes.
And from her pale blue lips she murmured with rage the single word, "You!"
***
Buffy hurried over to Spike, who was now shaking uncontrollably. "Spike! Spike, wake up!" she yelled, trying to hold him down and keep him still. All at once his eyes shot open and his body finally stopped its shaking fit. "Spike, can you hear me? Are you all right?"
"Love, make it stop. Please, just make it stop," he whispered to her before collapsing back onto the couch in exhaustion.
Title: The 'In Between'
Author: Alycat
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Joss owns all. This makes me sad. *****************************************************************
The 'In Between'
"William! Stop it!" the girl giggled. William continued to tickle her despite her protests. "William! Please!" she was able to say through gasps of laughter.
"Aww, Laney, I just can't help myself. You're bloody adorable when you laugh," William whispered into her ear, making Laney giggle again at the touch of his lips to her skin. "I wrote something for you this morning," he cooed softly.
"Oh William, another poem is it? Do read it to me."
William reached into the pocket of his button down shirt and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. He unfolded it to read, but spoke the words into her heart. He knew all to well what was on the sheet of paper, but needed it to hide behind in case she thought his poem was distasteful. He spoke: "A bluebird shines with the light of morning, sun dripping slowly upon my cheek, as I dream of my love. Her hair auburn with elegance, her eyes youthful with innocence, her lips lush with passion. And as the song of my bluebird breaks the silence of the morn, I dream only of she, my love." William lifted his head from behind the paper, daring to look into her eyes.
The color in her cheeks turned rosy, but she took his hand and looked into his searching eyes. "Oh, William. That was beautiful." He carefully took a strand of her auburn-red hair and tucked it behind her ear before leaning in and kissing her lips gently. As he pulled away, he felt his heart melt, and he opened his eyes. Laney gave him a shy smile of contentment and opened her mouth to say something-- but couldn't-- a gust of icy wind shot by them and Laney's body turned blue. William could only see her in flashes, darkness surrounding them both. Laney's body was now dripping with blood, some black with age, the rest of it red, ripe as an apple. Her hair now wiry and tangled with pain instead of lacey with life. And upon her neck, two teeth marks could be seen, blood constantly flowing from them.
"Nooooo!" William yelled until his own voice became but a distant echo.
Laney was dead.
********************************* *********************************
Spike awoke suddenly, chills running down his spine. "Bloody Hell," he said to the empty basement that surrounded him. He sat in the darkness for a moment before feeling the need to be someplace else. anyplace else.. just NOT here. He got up from his bed and walked up the stairs into Buffy's kitchen. He went to the fridge to get some blood, but realized that, at the moment, blood was the last thing he wanted to see. Spike didn't know where else to go, so he went to the only person who would understand: Buffy. Spike walked upstairs quietly, being sure not to wake any of the SIT's who were scattered about the Summers' home. When reached Buffy's room, he silently opened the door and entered. Her room was the only place in the house not filled with bloody SIT's. Spike took a rocking chair from the corner of her room and placed it by the foot of her bed. He sat in it gently, careful not to make noise, and stared over to the Slayer he loved. Just looking at her eased his fears about what the dream he'd just had meant. If there was one thing in the world Spike found was constant, it was Buffy. He hoped she wouldn't be mad if he just sat there for the rest of the night and watched her sleep, because that was exactly what he planned on doing.
***
"Spike. Spike. Spike!" Buffy yelled, finally getting Spike awake on her third attempt.
"Mm, uhh, uhh, what?" Spike asked groggily, his eyes not yet open.
"Spike, get up! The sun's about two inches away from incinerating your thumb!" Buffy said, irritated at his slow movements. The idea of losing a thumb got Spike up in a hurry. "What are you doing in here? You don't just walk into my room and decide to stay here the night! How am I going to explain you walking out of here first thing in the morning to my friends? They aren't going to get the right idea!" Buffy whispered to Spike in a hushed tone, not wanting the quietness of 'sleeping SIT's' to end.
Spike was back into full awareness, and a little hurt that Buffy was so adamant about him not being in her room. "I'm sorry, love, but I had this awful dream last night and I couldn't think of anywhere else to go," he explained honestly, realizing how dumb this sounded.
"You mean you weren't in here last night to sneak a peek at me in underwear?" Buffy asked, feeling her cheeks redden slightly at the proposal of the idea. She was acting so immature. After all, it wasn't like he hadn't seen her in panties before. or less. Plus, Spike meant something to her. Her feelings for him were more than that of a close friend, but she wasn't sure she was ready to open these floodgates of emotion again. Not with the First at war with her.
"No!" Spike said quickly. Was that all she thought of him? He wasn't some stalker-type-obsessive-sick-minded vampire. anymore, at least. "Last night, I had this dream, well, it wasn't really a dream. It was one of those memories, you know? The ones you said Angel used to have, where he saw people he'd killed, except, mine was different. There was this girl from my past. Back when I was human. I don't even remember anything other than what the dream told me. But the end was wrong. We were talking and suddenly she became only flashes of a dead corpse."
Buffy could see how much this had shaken Spike, and she wanted so badly to tell him everything would be alright. "Spike, don't worry, we'll figure out what's haunting you. Tell me, who was this girl?"
Spike looked into Buffy's eyes.
"She was my first love."
******************************** *******************************
".Yea, but still, why do praying mantis girls kill praying mantis guys after they mate? I mean, did they ever think about the children? Imagine the dysfunctional childhood that would happen when the conversation of 'Mommy, why did you kill daddy?' occurs?" Dawn said babbling as she finished her Cheerios.
"Dawny, could we lay off the praying mantis talk? I've come a little too close to death-by-female-bug to be able to enjoy my breakfast while discussing it," Xander said as he shivered at the memory of Miss French. "So Buff, what's on today's agenda? The Research Crew of Dawn, Will, and myself are free for the day."
"Research Crew, huh?" Buffy said smiling.
"I'm Vice President! But Will promised if she ever went blackey evil again, I can take over her position as Pres.," Dawn piped in.
"And I of course remain at the neutral position of Treasurer," added Xander.
"Well, as thrilled as I am that you guys have this whole go-team- go thing working for you, there's not much that needs researching. We basically know all there is to know about the First, which unfortunately helps us only in the Zilch department." Buffy sighed. She considered asking them about Spike's dream, but really, there wasn't much anyone could do until it at least happened a second time. "Have you guys seen where Spike went?"
"Well, last I saw he was zonked out on the couch," Xander said, gesturing towards the family room.
"Already? I mean, he didn't get much sleep last night, but he's only been up for a half hour," Buffy added.
"I'd be more than glad to wake him up for ya. What do you say, a little ice water on the head sound fun?" Xander said, laughing at his own idea.
Buffy smiled. "Actually, I think we should just let him rest." Buffy turned her head and watched Spike as he slept. Very slowly, he started shivering, until it looked as though his entire body was shaking.
***
"Allana! Allana! Are you here?" a woman called out into an empty room. "I swear, if I could only keep track of that girl!"
From the ceiling above, William snickered. "Shh, William! Mother will hear us! If she found us up here together. well, I don't even want to imagine that!" Laney said, as the couple lay beneath the covers of an old bed in the attic.
"Oh, but Allana, your mother does like me so," William said teasingly, knowing her mother did not permit Laney to date boys without an escort.
Laney giggled, "Don't call me that!" She put her head on his chest as he stroked her hair. "So, do you feel different?"
"Not like I thought I would. I feel complete with you Laney," William whispered.
"As do I with you."
William stopped stroking her hair for a moment, and Laney looked up at him, a soft warmth in her face. "Laney, I love you."
And with those three words spoken, Laney closed her eyes, her body turning cold and blue upon William once more. The blood returned, there was more of it now. And Laney's fingers wrinkled with age and anger. Suddenly, with fury, her eyes darted open revealing red pupils surrounding her green colored eyes. Her hair remained youthful and flowing around her dead body. William jumped out of the bed in pure horror at the sight of his love, but the body of Laney sat up and stared at him with crimson eyes.
And from her pale blue lips she murmured with rage the single word, "You!"
***
Buffy hurried over to Spike, who was now shaking uncontrollably. "Spike! Spike, wake up!" she yelled, trying to hold him down and keep him still. All at once his eyes shot open and his body finally stopped its shaking fit. "Spike, can you hear me? Are you all right?"
"Love, make it stop. Please, just make it stop," he whispered to her before collapsing back onto the couch in exhaustion.