Chapter 3
Giles replaced the handset of the phone and slumped back down in his chair, Xander and Giles just looked at each other for a few moments.
"Not big on the understanding right now, Spikes alive, thought he'd gone all dusty," said Xander confused
"Willow said she would tell us more when she got here, she's flying in with him tonight, he's had to be sedated, apparently Angel has had him at Wolfram and Hart for over a month," explained Giles
"Does she want collecting from the airport? Doesn't sound too good," said Xander.
"Yes, her flight gets in about 4:00am tomorrow morning," said Giles
"I'll be there, when are you gonna break the news to Buffy? Still don't get the how, people seem to have a real problem staying dead around here; mystical deaths definatley a grey area," replied Xander.
Dawn came out of the bedroom; they both fell silent. She looked at the both of them.
"Something secret going down again, the old everyone stops talking when I enter the room thing, it's a classic," said Dawn.
"Dawn…." Giles began.
"It's no big, I'm late for the mall, who's going to give me a ride?" she asked hopefully.
"Come on, guess it's down to me," said Xander
"We'll talk later, I'll stop by your apartment this evening," said Giles.
Dawn was already on the steps of their apartment,
"Xander," she said impatiently.
"Oh, and Xander, not a word to Buffy and Dawn, we need to figure out how to break the news to them, especially to Buffy," said Giles quietly.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Buffy, I have to go out for awhile, you'll be okay here?" asked Giles though the bedroom door.
"Sure, I'll be fine," said Buffy.
Buffy waited until she heard the click of the front door closing behind him, she came out her bedroom checking that she was really alone, she had Andrew's rucksack over one shoulder, she took it over to the table and spilled the contents all over it's surface. She rummaged through a couple of Star Wars action figures and a stack of trading cards from various shows, some packs of gum, she picked up a heavy brown envelope. It had the word "Spike" scrawled across it, she ripped it open, not caring about Andrew's privacy issues.
She peeked inside the envelope; the boy had been busy, collecting his little Spike shrine together, the others had joked that Andrew's obsession with Spike had been more than hero worship, she was starting to think, that maybe they were right. There were a couple of cigarette butts in a little plastic bag, almost like evidence. Another little bag containing what looked like hair, she opened her mouth in amazement, she would know those bleach blonde locks anywhere. She would have loved to know how Andrew got close enough to get some, although Spike hadn't had a reflection to work with, she knew his one vanity had been his hair and she couldn't imagine Spike giving it up freely to anyone.
She smiled as her hand closed over Spike's lighter, remembering his frustration the night before "It" happened, when they were in the basement together and he'd wanted a cigarette and he couldn't find it, he had accused her of keeping it again, like last time. She flicked the lid open and closed it a couple of times, absentmindedly. At the bottom of the envelope were more videotapes, one labelled "He speaks" and a little doodled loveheart next to it. Buffy raised her eyebrows at it.
"Oh well, each to their own," she sighed.
Buffy took the tape and knelt down beside the coffee table feeling underneath it for the camera, she hooked it back up to the TV, taking the other one out she put the tape in. As it started up, she couldn't help, but laugh to herself as Andrew introduced himself, dressed in his own leather duster and he tried to do a poor imitation of an English accent. Buffy rolled her eyes; she really should have given Andrew more to do, it was obvious he's had too much time on his hands.
She sat cross-legged in front of the TV, the scene switched to Spike in the basement; he was looking at the camera and frowning.
***The Video***
"I thought I told you to piss off with this bloody camera, yet here you are again with that thing in my face. Would you sod off before I rip your throat out and eat…. Said Spike
Andrew interrupted him.
"Ok, Spike the light was kinda behind you,""Oh, right, Uh, what? Said Spike shifting around "Is this better then?"
Spike went back to looking annoyed"I thought I told you to piss off with that bloody camera, yet here you are with that thing in my face. Would you sod off…?
"That's a wrap, thanks Spike, turning it off now," said Andrew.
There were some muffled noises and the picture jolted about as Andrew rested the camera on some surface or other in the basement. Andrew hadn't turned it off. Probably hoping to get some illicit footage of Spike, thought Buffy. She watched as Spike walked over to the fridge in the corner.
"Sod this, I need a beer, want one boy?" asked Spike to Andrew.
"Oh I don't know, I'm not twenty one yet it's illegal," said Andrew nervously.
Spike laughed at him,
"You and your little nerds tried to take over Sunnydale, and you're worried about a beer?" asked Spike in disbelief.
"I tried champagne once, it made me throw up," said Andrew.
Spike handed him a beer.
"Come on Andrew, you're not a man until you've tried your first beer,"
Andrew took it uncertainly, sniffing at it suspiciously, and took a small taste of it. Spike took his pack of smokes out of his jacket, he took a cigarette out of the packet and put it in his mouth, he offered a cigarette to Andrew, he took it desperately wanting to look as cool as his idol. Spike lit his own cigarette then lit Andrew's. Andrew took a deep drag on it, instantly choking, Spike grinned as the boy coughed and retched. He slapped him on the back and handed him his beer; Andrew gulped it down gratefully. After that they just sat there in silence, Spike finished his beer and got his silver hip flask from his Jacket and started drinking from that. Andrew kept looking at Spike, when he thought the vampire wouldn't notice.
"Why'd you stay Spike, after you know all your problems with the first?" asked Andrew, feeling brave after his alcohol consumption.
"None of your bleeding business," snapped Spike.
A look of hurt appeared on Andrew's face. Spike sighed,
"Because she asked me to, I would have gone, but she said she needed me, Buffy never needs anyone that's what made me stay," Spike admitted.
"You still love her?" asked Andrew.
"Silly bloody question if you ask me, but yes I still love her, in fact I think I always have, but she doesn't want me, I'm just her little bit of cold comfort when things aren't going her way," said Spike sadly.
"That's harsh," said Andrew.
"That's life boy, better get used to it," said Spike.
there was a beeping noise,
"What's that?" asked Spike suspiciously.
"Oh, the camera is on standby, battery must getting low," said Andrew nervously.
A hand came towards the camera and then it went black.
Buffy stared at the blank screen for a moment and then it switched off, she turned seeing Giles standing behind her holding the remote.
"How long have you been standing there?" she asked.
"Long enough, had to come back forgot my books, got a couple of blocks away before I realised," said Giles.
"Oh," was all Buffy could think of to reply.
Giles looked at her for a moment.
"Buffy I have to tell you something, but I think you need to sit down," he said seriously.
Buffy got up off the carpet and sat down on the sofa.
"What is it Giles, problems on the Cleveland hell mouth? Cos it's been pretty quiet around here compared to Sunnydale," she said flippantly.
"Willow's coming to stay with us for awhile, she's bringing someone with her," said Giles.
"Kennedy? Can't say I'm that keen on her, but I'll try for Willow's sake, one brat is quite enough in this place," said Buffy thinking of her sister.
"No not Kennedy, someone you thought you'd never see again, Buffy there's no easy way to tell you this so I am going to just come right out with it, It's er Spike," said Giles.
Buffy paled.
"Giles if this your idea of some kinda sick joke, then please tell me now," she said.
"No I am deadly serious," said Giles.
TBC