Fade Away
Megan@Midnight
Spoilers for episode three of Angel season five and obviously Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Eighth in the Blue series, sequel to Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know.
Spike is around less and less now. He still comes around spends the night, but he's rarely there when Sands wakes up. If he stays the night or fades out or walks away, Sands isn't sure. He doesn't asks. He sees the look on Spikes face when he's faded back in every time he looks in the mirror. He sees it less on his face and more on the blonde vampire's as the days pass.
It's been three nights since Spike's returned to the apartment and Sheldon has to tell himself he doesn't care. That he hasn't stayed up a little longer than he would have had the dead vamp come back. Home. Sands doesn't think the word home. He won't consider this place, his place, Spike's home. He won't.
On the fourth night Agent Sheldon Sands goes out walking. He goes past Wolfram and Hart twice before he realizes he's stalking the place, and walks on. He tell himself he's not running search patterns, that he isn't looking for a bleached blonde vampire ghost. It doesn't make him believe it. But he tries. He tries very hard.
It's around one when he encounters the dark haired woman. She's a beauty but Sands is more wary of beauty than he used to be. When she walks but to him, his hands tighten, one on his gun, the other on his stake. He's run into enough vampires in L.A. to be careful and go for both now.
Drusilla says nothing for a long moment. She reaches toward Sands but he takes a quick step back. She frowns at him. "Shh… Don't want them."
"What?"
Drusilla taps her face just under her eyes. "Don't want them. Not like her. Took your pretty eyes right out of your head."
Sheldon flinches and glares. "How do you know that?" His gun is out in his right hand.
She laughs. "Don't need that, pretty blue eyes. But it's wrong, brown for blue and you don't know you."
"Okay then." Sands takes another step back, but this time Drusilla follows. The hand with the gun comes up. "No. Stay."
Her voice is dreamy as she presses her forehead to the barrel. "Don't want you, brown for blue. My boy, I want him. My Spike."
"You want Spike." Sands isn't sure if a bullet through the head will hurt a vampire but he's real close to trying it out.
"He's lost. He's lost, and dead and it's on her head. My poor boy, now they're taking him away, and he'll be gone and lost forever." Drusilla rolls her head back and forth on the gun barrel.
"Who? Who's taking him?" Sands can't believe he's still here talking to madwoman, but then he's a little mad himself.
"He doesn't want to go. He wants to come back and stay. With you." She looks up at Sands. "Why does he want to stay with you?" She sounds honestly bewildered.
Sands shrugs. He's like to know that himself. "I don't know."
"He's all over you. I can see it." She tries to touch Sands hair but he backs up again.
"I'm leaving. You go somewhere else."
"Where?"
"Fuck off."
Sands walks backward until he reaches a corner, then turns and runs as soon as she can't see him. He's to his building in under five minutes, up the stairs and to the door in less than one. Drusilla is waiting for him.
"My Spike is gone. He's on you." Sands doesn't even try to get his keys. He's got a pretty good idea what she is, if not who. She grabs his left arm. "You'll be so much more. No fear, no guilt, all be gone." Sands pulls, the arm comes loose and he kicks his front door in while Drusilla is still staring in shock at the black clad detachable arm in her hands. He's through and clear before she comes out of it. She lunges and hits the barrier hard. Drusilla wails.
"I'm good, fuckwit." Sands smirks at her though the doorway. She leans against the barrier staring hard.
"Look into my eyes, Be in me…" She yelps as Sands slams the door hard.
"Need to get a new lock tomorrow, pet." Spike steps through the bedroom wall.
"Friend of yours?" Sands indicates the closes door. The area around the lock needs some serious repair but the hinges hold.
"Long story." Spike says. He looks tired and see through.
"You've looked better."
"Thanks, mate. Knew I came back here for a reason."
Sheldon refrains from asking.