Chapter 32
"Ok, guys, find me some evidence that he did this." Faith said. She was at Buffy's house with Willow, Anya, Conner, and Dawn in the dining room.
"Really? Are you sure that's what you want." Anya asked.
"Find me the proof that he didn't."
"You only think Spike is turning people cause that vampire told Buffy so, right? But that night we were all told things that weren't true." Dawn said.
"Maybe." Willow said.
"Maybe? What maybe?"
"Well, just because those weren't the spirits of, you know, our people.. just because it was some evil thing, doesn't mean what they said can't be true."
"I used to tell the truth all the time when I was evil." Anya said.
"Look, we can't assume anything. We need hard facts." Faith said.
"Well, if Spike is biting people again, should there be more dead people with neck trauma? Right? We can find that." Conner said.
"No." Willow answered.
"No, we can't find that? But that's easy. That computer's a moron." Anya intoned.
"I mean, no, there's not really an increase in neck injuries, but.."
"But what?" Faith asked.
"Oh. Missing people. Eight, maybe. Oh, ten of them. No bodies, they're just missing. Mostly young. Lots of girls."
"So, it's true? What that vampire told mom turned out to be true." Conner asked.
"Maybe. But it still doesn't prove that it's Spike. Right now, he's the only one who knows for sure." Faith said.
"You think we should call mom and dad?"
"No. Not right now. I'm sure that they're busy up there in LA since they haven't called." The phone rang. "Or maybe that's them now."
Willow picked up the phone. "Hello? No, this is Willow. Faith? Ok, hold on." She held out the phone to the dark haired Slayer. "He wants to talk to you."
"Hello?" Faith asked, taking the phone from Willow and putting it to her ear.
"Faith, we have a slight problem. Maybe." Willy the Snitch said.
"What? What's wrong?"
"Spike. He's gone."
"What's wrong with your voice?"
"He hit me. My mouth is a little swollen."
"He hit you?"
"Knocked me out. He's been gone at least half an hour."
"Any idea where he's headed?"
"No clue. You could try his usual haunts."
"Ok. Good." Faith hung up and grabbed her coat.
"Where're you going?" Dawn asked.
"To find Spike."
"Willy let him go?" Conner asked.
"No. Spike escaped. He punched Willy and ran."
"I'm going with you."
"No. You're staying here. I've fought your mother before and I don't want to get the shit beat out of me again."
"Faith, please?"
"No." Faith walked out and slammed the door.
"Someone should follow her, just in case." Conner said to the others.
"Not you." Willow said. "Buffy would kick all our asses if we let you go out there alone."
"None of you are as stealthy as me. I could follow Faith and she wouldn't even know I was there. Please?"
"Conner...."
"I'm seventeen. Mom was boinking dad and staying out all night when she was my age!"
"True."
"So then why can't I? I'm as strong as mom and dad put together! I'm pretty good in a fight. I was trained by the best."
"Conner, if something were to happen to you, Buffy and Angel would be devestated. They were a complete train wreck when they lost you as a baby. Now, to know the man your becoming and lose you, they would never be the same."
"I know. That's why nothing's going to happen."
"You can't know that. Conner...." Willow was interuppted by the phone.
Conner got to it first. "Hello? Fred? No. Are you serious? Are mom and dad ok? Where are they? Where are you? They're not answering? Any of them? No, we've got problems to deal with here. No, not the Apocalypse right now. We'll be here." Conner hung up. "It's raining fire in LA."
"What?" Dawn stood up. "Are Buffy and Angel ok?"
"Fred doesn't know. She's stuck at a cafe that she and Gunn go to all the time. The last she heard from them was when Gunn left a message on her voice mail. He said they were going out to fight some big demon and they would be back later."
"When was the message left?" Willow asked.
"Right before they left at eight thirty." Conner said sadly. "He also said that mom's scar opened and started bleeding. Apocalypse stuff."
Faith walked up to the club that she and Spike went to every now and then. The bouncer looked new. He wouldn't know her, but if Spike had been coming here lately, he would definitely know him.
He opened the door for her as she walked up. "Hey, sweetheart. If you wanna go in, go ahead."
"Oh, uh, actually, I need some help. I'm looking for this guy. Bleach- blonde hair, leather jacket, British accent? Kind of sallow, but in a hot way?" Faith asked.
"Yeah, yeah, I know the guy. Billy Idol wannabe?"
"Actually, Billy Idol stole his look from.... never mind. Has he been here?"
"This guy your boyfriend or something?"
"No, technically not.... I-I just.... I need to find him, as soon as possible."
"Yeah, he comes in here a lot lately. Every night leaves with a different girl. Chicks like Billy Idol."
"How many girls?" Faith asked, a little jealous and upset.
"Look, this guy.... this not your boyfriend guy.... if I were you, I'd lose him. He's a real player."
Faith looked at the guy. "Do you know where he went?"
"No. I'm sorry. If you need a shoulder to cry on, I got two."
Faith was about to retort with her usual smart-ass-ness, but her cell phone ringing stopped her.
Spike stood at the Bronze dialing Buffy's cell phone number for the ninth time. Everytime the operator got on and said that her cell phone service was down in that area. He was starting to get worried about her. He was already worried about himself. Spike dialed Faith's cell phone that he had gotten her. There was a click and then it rang.
"Hello? It's me. I'm seeing.... I think I'm remembering. I think I've done some very bad things." he said.
"Where are you?" Faith asked.
"I need.... I need to see you. There's a house. 634 Hoffman Terrace."
"I'll meet you there."
Faith hung up and breathed a sigh of relief. She started to walk off, but the bouncer grabbed her arm.
"Hey baby, the night is young. I get off in a few minutes."
"Yippy for you." She turned and punched him in the jaw. His head whipped around and his grip on her arm was gone. Faith hadn't killed him, or knocked him out. He stared after her as she ran off.
Spike waited outside of the house he said he'd be at. Faith ran up and, forgetting herself and the anger and hurt at the memory of their fight that had ended badly, hugged Spike tightly. She didn't let him go for a good five minutes. Spike let her because when he was in her arms nothing could touch him. He loved her more than he had ever loved anything else. Now that he had his soul, that love was even more intense. Suddenly, Faith stiffened and drew away. Spike grunted a little and looked away.
"Sorry." Faith said. "I was just.... worried."
"Follow me." Spike said, leading her into the house. He moved to some stairs and headed down. "Down here." Faith hesitated at the top of the stairs. Spike looked up at her. "You won't come down? I understand. It's a risky proposition." Spike turned and found himself blocking his way.
"There's an order. The slayer's not in order. But it can't hurt to play. Get your claws in the mouse, you know?" he said.
"You are not here."
Faith looked at him confused and concerned. "All right. What do you want to show me?" She walked down the stairs.
"I've been remembering. The girl. I walked her home. The one you saw. And the one before that. And I think I killed her. And I think I-I think I killed the lady who lived here. And there might be others." Spike said to her.
"Oh God."
He moved to the middle of the room. "Here. I-I think I buried them here."
"Spike, why?"
"Well, I don't know, do I? I don't even know how. Shouldn't be able...." Spike stopped. The second Spike that seemed to be only visable to Spike was humming. Then he began to sing.
"Early one morning, just as the sun was rising, I heard the fair maid sing in the valley down below. Oh, don't deceive me. Oh never leave me. How could you use a poor maid so?"
Faith looked at Spike. He was staring off into space. His expression was distracted, almost mesmerized. "What? What is it? Spike!"
Spike vamped out and attacked Faith. She had a stake pointed at him, but he wrenched it out of her hand and threw it away behind him, shattering nearby bottles. Faith threw him across the room.
"What are you doing!?" Faith asked. He grabbed a shard of glass and swung it at her, cutting her shoulder. "AH!" Spike attacked again and Faith wrestled him to the ground. "Spike, listen to me, you don't want to do this." He shoved her away.
"And it's just about to get fun." Spike 2 said.
Vampires started rising from the basement floor, coming for Faith.
"Shit!" Faith yelled.
Spike hung back on the stairs watching her fight. Spike 2 siad next to him. "You know what I want you to do." Faith continued to fight the vampires, but they managed to get a hold on her, one on each arm, holding her up for Spike. "They're waiting for you. Take her, taste her, make her weak." Spike stood and walked toward Faith menacingly.
"Spike!" Faith said.
Spike put his face near hers, on each side of her neck, but opted to suck from her open shoulder wound he created earlier by cutting her with the glass. As he mouthed her, he flashed back to all the things he'd done. Killing, burying, and all the rest. "I remember."
Spike was horrified. His face was one of complete shock and disbelief that he could have actually done those things. He recoiled from Faith, staggering back to the far end of the room. Faith fought her way free of the vampires' grip. She used the wooden handle of a garden tool to stake the vampires. Meanwhile, Spike was hiding in a cubbyhole at the back end of the basement, covering his head with his hands. Spike 2 was crouched near him, talking to him.
"You failed them. Now she's gonna kill you. You lose, mate."
Faith staked the last of the vampires and walked over to Spike, still carrying the wooden handle. She stood in front of him. He looked at her, knowing his fate, and scooted out of the cubbyhole he was hiding in. He held open his shirt. He was crying.
"Do it fast, ok? He said you'd do it." Spike said to her.
"Who said?" Faith asked.
"Me. It was me. I saw it. I was here the whole time, talking and singing. There was a song."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I don't know. Please, I don't remember. Don't make me remember." Spike looked over at something that wasn't there. "Make it so I forget again! I did what you wanted!"
"There's something here?" Faith asked, throwing the makeshift stake away.
"Oh, God, no, please. I need that. I can't cry the soul out of me. It won't come. I killed, and I can feel 'em. I can feel every one of them." Spike said, sobbing.
"There's something playing with us. All of us." Faith said, crouching in front of Spike and stroking his face.
"What is it? Why is it doing this to me?"
"I don't know."
"Will you.... Help me. Can you help me?"
"I'll help you." Faith helped Spike to stand. Something clicked in her and she knew that she was going to be able to forgive Spike in time.
Spike was sitting in the living room wrapped in a blanket that Faith had provided. Faith and the others were in the dining room talking.
"And you believe him?" Anya asked.
"You didn't see him down there. He really didn't know what he'd done. It wasn't in his control." Faith said.
"Oh, an out of control serial killer. You're right, that is a great houseguest." Conner said.
"Wait, is he.... is he staying here?" Dawn asked.
"I don't know. But I'm not letting him out of my sight, that's for sure." Faith said.
"Faith, he's been feeding.... on human blood. That's gotta do stuff." Willow said.
"I'm not keeping him around just to help him. I think there was something there, talking to him, making him do things."
"Something like what was talking to us?"
"Maybe. But if it was, it's been screwing with Spike big time."
"So, you want him around because....?" Conner asked.
"Look, there's something evil working us, and if we are ever gonna have a chance to fight it, we need to learn everything we can about it. This thing has been closer to Spike than any of us."
"And if you want to understand it...." Willow said, catching on.
"I'm gonna have to get close to Spike."
"It's too dangerous." Conner said.
"I don't have a choice. Whatever this thing is, from beneath us, it's bad, and it's only getting worse. And who knows what Buffy and Angel are fighting in LA. Speaking of, what's the word?"
"Nothing." Conner said sadly. "Fred called after you left. She said it was raining fire in LA and the last she heard of them was Gunn's message on her voice mail. He said they were going out to fight some big demon guy. And mom's scar opened up and started bleeding."
"That's not natural."
"Apcalypse stuff."
Faith stared at him in disbelief. Things were getting bad in Sunnydale and now LA. Things were definitely looking bad for the side of good.
"Ok, guys, find me some evidence that he did this." Faith said. She was at Buffy's house with Willow, Anya, Conner, and Dawn in the dining room.
"Really? Are you sure that's what you want." Anya asked.
"Find me the proof that he didn't."
"You only think Spike is turning people cause that vampire told Buffy so, right? But that night we were all told things that weren't true." Dawn said.
"Maybe." Willow said.
"Maybe? What maybe?"
"Well, just because those weren't the spirits of, you know, our people.. just because it was some evil thing, doesn't mean what they said can't be true."
"I used to tell the truth all the time when I was evil." Anya said.
"Look, we can't assume anything. We need hard facts." Faith said.
"Well, if Spike is biting people again, should there be more dead people with neck trauma? Right? We can find that." Conner said.
"No." Willow answered.
"No, we can't find that? But that's easy. That computer's a moron." Anya intoned.
"I mean, no, there's not really an increase in neck injuries, but.."
"But what?" Faith asked.
"Oh. Missing people. Eight, maybe. Oh, ten of them. No bodies, they're just missing. Mostly young. Lots of girls."
"So, it's true? What that vampire told mom turned out to be true." Conner asked.
"Maybe. But it still doesn't prove that it's Spike. Right now, he's the only one who knows for sure." Faith said.
"You think we should call mom and dad?"
"No. Not right now. I'm sure that they're busy up there in LA since they haven't called." The phone rang. "Or maybe that's them now."
Willow picked up the phone. "Hello? No, this is Willow. Faith? Ok, hold on." She held out the phone to the dark haired Slayer. "He wants to talk to you."
"Hello?" Faith asked, taking the phone from Willow and putting it to her ear.
"Faith, we have a slight problem. Maybe." Willy the Snitch said.
"What? What's wrong?"
"Spike. He's gone."
"What's wrong with your voice?"
"He hit me. My mouth is a little swollen."
"He hit you?"
"Knocked me out. He's been gone at least half an hour."
"Any idea where he's headed?"
"No clue. You could try his usual haunts."
"Ok. Good." Faith hung up and grabbed her coat.
"Where're you going?" Dawn asked.
"To find Spike."
"Willy let him go?" Conner asked.
"No. Spike escaped. He punched Willy and ran."
"I'm going with you."
"No. You're staying here. I've fought your mother before and I don't want to get the shit beat out of me again."
"Faith, please?"
"No." Faith walked out and slammed the door.
"Someone should follow her, just in case." Conner said to the others.
"Not you." Willow said. "Buffy would kick all our asses if we let you go out there alone."
"None of you are as stealthy as me. I could follow Faith and she wouldn't even know I was there. Please?"
"Conner...."
"I'm seventeen. Mom was boinking dad and staying out all night when she was my age!"
"True."
"So then why can't I? I'm as strong as mom and dad put together! I'm pretty good in a fight. I was trained by the best."
"Conner, if something were to happen to you, Buffy and Angel would be devestated. They were a complete train wreck when they lost you as a baby. Now, to know the man your becoming and lose you, they would never be the same."
"I know. That's why nothing's going to happen."
"You can't know that. Conner...." Willow was interuppted by the phone.
Conner got to it first. "Hello? Fred? No. Are you serious? Are mom and dad ok? Where are they? Where are you? They're not answering? Any of them? No, we've got problems to deal with here. No, not the Apocalypse right now. We'll be here." Conner hung up. "It's raining fire in LA."
"What?" Dawn stood up. "Are Buffy and Angel ok?"
"Fred doesn't know. She's stuck at a cafe that she and Gunn go to all the time. The last she heard from them was when Gunn left a message on her voice mail. He said they were going out to fight some big demon and they would be back later."
"When was the message left?" Willow asked.
"Right before they left at eight thirty." Conner said sadly. "He also said that mom's scar opened and started bleeding. Apocalypse stuff."
Faith walked up to the club that she and Spike went to every now and then. The bouncer looked new. He wouldn't know her, but if Spike had been coming here lately, he would definitely know him.
He opened the door for her as she walked up. "Hey, sweetheart. If you wanna go in, go ahead."
"Oh, uh, actually, I need some help. I'm looking for this guy. Bleach- blonde hair, leather jacket, British accent? Kind of sallow, but in a hot way?" Faith asked.
"Yeah, yeah, I know the guy. Billy Idol wannabe?"
"Actually, Billy Idol stole his look from.... never mind. Has he been here?"
"This guy your boyfriend or something?"
"No, technically not.... I-I just.... I need to find him, as soon as possible."
"Yeah, he comes in here a lot lately. Every night leaves with a different girl. Chicks like Billy Idol."
"How many girls?" Faith asked, a little jealous and upset.
"Look, this guy.... this not your boyfriend guy.... if I were you, I'd lose him. He's a real player."
Faith looked at the guy. "Do you know where he went?"
"No. I'm sorry. If you need a shoulder to cry on, I got two."
Faith was about to retort with her usual smart-ass-ness, but her cell phone ringing stopped her.
Spike stood at the Bronze dialing Buffy's cell phone number for the ninth time. Everytime the operator got on and said that her cell phone service was down in that area. He was starting to get worried about her. He was already worried about himself. Spike dialed Faith's cell phone that he had gotten her. There was a click and then it rang.
"Hello? It's me. I'm seeing.... I think I'm remembering. I think I've done some very bad things." he said.
"Where are you?" Faith asked.
"I need.... I need to see you. There's a house. 634 Hoffman Terrace."
"I'll meet you there."
Faith hung up and breathed a sigh of relief. She started to walk off, but the bouncer grabbed her arm.
"Hey baby, the night is young. I get off in a few minutes."
"Yippy for you." She turned and punched him in the jaw. His head whipped around and his grip on her arm was gone. Faith hadn't killed him, or knocked him out. He stared after her as she ran off.
Spike waited outside of the house he said he'd be at. Faith ran up and, forgetting herself and the anger and hurt at the memory of their fight that had ended badly, hugged Spike tightly. She didn't let him go for a good five minutes. Spike let her because when he was in her arms nothing could touch him. He loved her more than he had ever loved anything else. Now that he had his soul, that love was even more intense. Suddenly, Faith stiffened and drew away. Spike grunted a little and looked away.
"Sorry." Faith said. "I was just.... worried."
"Follow me." Spike said, leading her into the house. He moved to some stairs and headed down. "Down here." Faith hesitated at the top of the stairs. Spike looked up at her. "You won't come down? I understand. It's a risky proposition." Spike turned and found himself blocking his way.
"There's an order. The slayer's not in order. But it can't hurt to play. Get your claws in the mouse, you know?" he said.
"You are not here."
Faith looked at him confused and concerned. "All right. What do you want to show me?" She walked down the stairs.
"I've been remembering. The girl. I walked her home. The one you saw. And the one before that. And I think I killed her. And I think I-I think I killed the lady who lived here. And there might be others." Spike said to her.
"Oh God."
He moved to the middle of the room. "Here. I-I think I buried them here."
"Spike, why?"
"Well, I don't know, do I? I don't even know how. Shouldn't be able...." Spike stopped. The second Spike that seemed to be only visable to Spike was humming. Then he began to sing.
"Early one morning, just as the sun was rising, I heard the fair maid sing in the valley down below. Oh, don't deceive me. Oh never leave me. How could you use a poor maid so?"
Faith looked at Spike. He was staring off into space. His expression was distracted, almost mesmerized. "What? What is it? Spike!"
Spike vamped out and attacked Faith. She had a stake pointed at him, but he wrenched it out of her hand and threw it away behind him, shattering nearby bottles. Faith threw him across the room.
"What are you doing!?" Faith asked. He grabbed a shard of glass and swung it at her, cutting her shoulder. "AH!" Spike attacked again and Faith wrestled him to the ground. "Spike, listen to me, you don't want to do this." He shoved her away.
"And it's just about to get fun." Spike 2 said.
Vampires started rising from the basement floor, coming for Faith.
"Shit!" Faith yelled.
Spike hung back on the stairs watching her fight. Spike 2 siad next to him. "You know what I want you to do." Faith continued to fight the vampires, but they managed to get a hold on her, one on each arm, holding her up for Spike. "They're waiting for you. Take her, taste her, make her weak." Spike stood and walked toward Faith menacingly.
"Spike!" Faith said.
Spike put his face near hers, on each side of her neck, but opted to suck from her open shoulder wound he created earlier by cutting her with the glass. As he mouthed her, he flashed back to all the things he'd done. Killing, burying, and all the rest. "I remember."
Spike was horrified. His face was one of complete shock and disbelief that he could have actually done those things. He recoiled from Faith, staggering back to the far end of the room. Faith fought her way free of the vampires' grip. She used the wooden handle of a garden tool to stake the vampires. Meanwhile, Spike was hiding in a cubbyhole at the back end of the basement, covering his head with his hands. Spike 2 was crouched near him, talking to him.
"You failed them. Now she's gonna kill you. You lose, mate."
Faith staked the last of the vampires and walked over to Spike, still carrying the wooden handle. She stood in front of him. He looked at her, knowing his fate, and scooted out of the cubbyhole he was hiding in. He held open his shirt. He was crying.
"Do it fast, ok? He said you'd do it." Spike said to her.
"Who said?" Faith asked.
"Me. It was me. I saw it. I was here the whole time, talking and singing. There was a song."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I don't know. Please, I don't remember. Don't make me remember." Spike looked over at something that wasn't there. "Make it so I forget again! I did what you wanted!"
"There's something here?" Faith asked, throwing the makeshift stake away.
"Oh, God, no, please. I need that. I can't cry the soul out of me. It won't come. I killed, and I can feel 'em. I can feel every one of them." Spike said, sobbing.
"There's something playing with us. All of us." Faith said, crouching in front of Spike and stroking his face.
"What is it? Why is it doing this to me?"
"I don't know."
"Will you.... Help me. Can you help me?"
"I'll help you." Faith helped Spike to stand. Something clicked in her and she knew that she was going to be able to forgive Spike in time.
Spike was sitting in the living room wrapped in a blanket that Faith had provided. Faith and the others were in the dining room talking.
"And you believe him?" Anya asked.
"You didn't see him down there. He really didn't know what he'd done. It wasn't in his control." Faith said.
"Oh, an out of control serial killer. You're right, that is a great houseguest." Conner said.
"Wait, is he.... is he staying here?" Dawn asked.
"I don't know. But I'm not letting him out of my sight, that's for sure." Faith said.
"Faith, he's been feeding.... on human blood. That's gotta do stuff." Willow said.
"I'm not keeping him around just to help him. I think there was something there, talking to him, making him do things."
"Something like what was talking to us?"
"Maybe. But if it was, it's been screwing with Spike big time."
"So, you want him around because....?" Conner asked.
"Look, there's something evil working us, and if we are ever gonna have a chance to fight it, we need to learn everything we can about it. This thing has been closer to Spike than any of us."
"And if you want to understand it...." Willow said, catching on.
"I'm gonna have to get close to Spike."
"It's too dangerous." Conner said.
"I don't have a choice. Whatever this thing is, from beneath us, it's bad, and it's only getting worse. And who knows what Buffy and Angel are fighting in LA. Speaking of, what's the word?"
"Nothing." Conner said sadly. "Fred called after you left. She said it was raining fire in LA and the last she heard of them was Gunn's message on her voice mail. He said they were going out to fight some big demon guy. And mom's scar opened up and started bleeding."
"That's not natural."
"Apcalypse stuff."
Faith stared at him in disbelief. Things were getting bad in Sunnydale and now LA. Things were definitely looking bad for the side of good.
