Chapter 7
"Let's not panic, he's in a strange city and has no funds that we know of, so he can't have got far," reasoned Giles.
"I could do a locator spell," said Willow helpfully.
"Please Willow, I have to find him, it's my fault I should never have fallen asleep," said Buffy.
Giles went to one of his shelves of books and tore a page from a local street plan and handed it to Willow.
"Candles?" asked Willow.
Dawn disappeared into her room and came back with a couple of candles. Buffy arched her eyebrow at Dawn.
"What the seventeen year old kid can't be trusted with matches?" Asked Dawn sarcastically.
Willow sat down in the middle of the room and Dawn lit the candles. As she worked the spell, a small glowing light appeared on the map.
"Ooh, I know where that is, it's the Southpark Mall," said Dawn excitedly.
"Well let's get down there then," said Buffy grabbing her coat impatiently.
"Southpark, Is that like Kenny and Cartman?" said Andrew trailing after the others.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Giles pulled to a stop just outside the parking lot of the Southpark shopping mall, the vehicle had barely stopped before Buffy leapt out.
"We'll spilt up, Giles you take Willow and Andrew, Dawn come with me," said Buffy marching off in the direction of the main entrance.
They entered the busy mall. Buffy looked around the place, it was huge and maze like. She looked at Dawn hoping for guidance.
"Help me here Dawnie, if you were a vampire where would you go?" asked Buffy.
"Gap?" asked Dawn.
"Okay, let's try again, where would you go if you were Spike?" asked Buffy.
Dawn thought real hard.
"Ah, Wilson's Leather on the second floor," said Dawn
They hurried into the glass elevator and rode it up to the second floor. They emerged from the elevator just in time to see Spike coming out of Wilson's. Buffy launched herself at Spike, knocking him to the ground; she landed on top of him.
"Oof, Buffy love, I'm pleased to see you too," he said.
"Are you two gonna stop making out in public and get off the floor?" asked Dawn in a bored voice.
Buffy scrambled off of Spike and put out her hand to help him up.
"Spike, why'd you just disappear like that, didn't you think I'd worry?" she demanded.
Spike looked guiltily at her.
"Sorry, I didn't think, the sun was shining the birds were tweeting, had to get me a piece of that and these," he said grinning and holding up several clothing bags.
"Thought you didn't have any money," said Buffy.
"I don't, but Giles does," said Spike, holding out a credit card.
"I think I'll take that," said Giles, coming up behind him and snatching his card back.
Spike shrugged.
"And you'll pay me back, every penny," said Giles
"Of course I will.not," said Spike finished quietly.
Buffy snatched Spike's bags off of him and shoved them at Dawn.
"You guys get home, Spike and I, will make our own way back," said Buffy.
She grabbed Spike by his shirtsleeve.
"Hey wait a minute," said Spike.
He took one of the bags out of Dawn's hand and pulled a black leather coat from it, he put it on. Andrew stared at him in awe, the whole scene playing in his mind in slow motion.
"Cool!" said Andrew.
"What you bleeding staring at?" asked Spike, noticing Andrew's presence for the first time.
Spike shook his head and walked off to join the increasingly impatient Buffy.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
They walked along in silence for a while, exiting the mall and walking out into the bright sunshine. Buffy looked at him, still unable to get used to seeing him in the sun, the last time she had seen him in daylight they had been too busy trying to kill each other.
"You okay, no pain from being in daylight?" she asked.
"I'm fine really, Buffy you don't need to worry about me," said Spike.
"I don't need to worr..I give up!" said Buffy throwing her hands up in despair and marching off angrily.
Spike ran after her, some things never seemed to change, it seemed to him he spent most of his time running after her in one way or another. He caught up with her and spun her around, she quickly wiped away the angry tears that were running down her face.
"You're crying," he stated.
Buffy hated showing her weaker side to anyone, especially Spike right now.
"Well what do you expect? It's been an emotional time, I finally know how it feels to be the living dead, to have nothing left inside of you, Angel left me, I got over that, the kiss you witnessed meant nothing, I already told you that, but when I woke up this morning and you were gone I thought that you'd," said Buffy.
"Left you?" Where would I go? The only place I want to be, have ever wanted to be, is by your side," finished Spike.
"Funny way of showing it," she replied.
"Well I had to get out of these Angel cast offs, ruin a guy's image, besides he goes for the dark broody look, that's just not me love, besides they smell of hair gel," said Spike trying to get a smile out of her and succeeding.
They walked along the street together, it seemed the most natural thing in the world, when their hands brushed against each other and their fingers entwined. Like once before, Buffy gasped.
"What is it?" asked Spike.
"I can feel it?" she replied.
"You can feel what?" he asked.
"Your soul, it was like electricity passing through me, Spike what's going on with you, I don't understand, not really, Willow seems to think you're evolving in some way," She said frowning.
"I think Red maybe right, although I was almost delirious when Angel found me, I remember flashes of my return, it hurt like hell, not unlike when I burnt up," Spike replied
"Oh God, " she said paling.
"What?" he asked
He realised his admission of the agony he suffered had been the cause of her distress.
"It's okay Buffy, it's done and dusted, well I was anyway," he said wryly.
"Don't make a joke of it, what you did, no one ever did for me, oh I know you didn't just die for me, you really did love this world at the end didn't you?" she asked.
"Yes, but not nearly as much as knowing you were safe in it, you and Dawn, I know the nibblet can't ever forgive me for what I did to you, but that that never stopped me caring for her," he said regretfully.
"Spike, why do you think you were returned to earth?" she asked.
"I don't know, I guess time will tell," he sighed.
"Well I for one don't care why you are here, I am just glad that you are," she replied.
"How was that normal life working out for you?" he asked.
"It was as boring as hell...without you," she said quietly.
"I always dreamed of this when we were together for that brief time, walking in the sun with you, I know I was always prattling on about how you belonged in the dark with me, but I never believed that, not truly," Spike said.
She touched his pale face tenderly.
"I'll wonder if you'll tan, or freckle even," she said remembering his words from long ago.
"Do you remember everything I ever said?" he asked.
"A lot more than I ever realised, I had three months to think of nothing else," she said.
Spike touched the dark circles under her eyes.
"Is that what caused those?" he asked.
Buffy looked into his eyes, seeing the concern in them for her, he never missed anything where she was concerned.
"Maybe, look we'd better be getting back to the apartment before they send out a search party for the both of us this time, I think they are still a little cautious of you right now," she said.
They walked to the bus stop, both deep in thought.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Spike is so hot, er I mean cool," said Andrew, quickly amending his statement.
"Ewww, obvious much" said Dawn, looking at Andrew in disgust.
"Leave him alone Dawnie, he's going through a very confusing time at the moment, ain't ya," grinned Willow.
"I really don't know what you guys are talking about," said Andrew innocently.
"Look why don't you get us some coffee, the only member of the Spike appreciation society," said Willow.
"Oh, I can definatley say there are two members of that society, Buffy slept in Spike's arms last night," said Dawn.
Willow raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Lucky bitch," mumbled Andrew, his hand absentmindedly touching the little scars on his neck that were courtesy of his idol.
"What was that?" asked Willow.
"Clever witch," admonished Andrew quickly.
"Thought that's what you said," grinned Willow.
"Coffee, Andrew?" Dawn reminded him.
"I'm not making it, Xander pays my salary, not you," Said Andrew petulantly.
Giles extracted several large tomes from the bookshelves.
"Look, can we stop the petty squabbling about who is making what and can someone help me with the research?" snapped Giles.
"Sorry," the other three said in unison as they sat down at the table.
A few moments, Spike and Buffy entered the apartment, it was so quiet, that they wondered if the others had decided to go to Xander's, Spike's hearing picked up the low murmur of voices through the door.
"They're home," said Spike opening the door to the lounge.
"Spike next time you decide to go walk about, do you think you could inform us?" asked Giles frostily.
"It's okay Giles, already given him the third degree," said Buffy
"I could murder a drink," said Spike.
Andrew instantly shot up out of his chair.
"Let me get it for you," said Andrew eagerly disappearing into the kitchen.
Buffy and Spike were still unconsciously holding hands, a fact of which they suddenly became aware of when they saw where Willow, Dawn and Giles glances were all trained. Spike noticed it too and started to pull out of her grip, she just held on to him tighter and gave him a reassuring smile.
Andrew hummed to himself, while he waited for the microwave to do its job. It pinged and he took the mug out, he looked at the dark liquid curiously. What if he took a little sip, he thought, he raised the mug to his lips and tasted the contents.
"Ewww!" exclaimed Andrew as he spat out the blood.
Some things about being a vampire were definatley not as cool as they looked, Andrew decided, as he walked backing the lounge and handed the mug to Spike.
"What's sodding wrong with you? You look like you're about to puke," said Spike as he took the mug.
Spike took the mug, about to drink from it, he sniffed the contents.
"I'm not drinking this, the boy here has been having a free sample," said Spike handing it back to the red faced Andrew.
"Andrew!" said Buffy shocked.
"Bloody Hell!" said Giles.
"Hey that's my line," said Spike.
"What is it?" said Buffy.
Giles handed the volume he had been reading from, to Buffy.
"It's all in here, It's to do with that pendant Spike wore to defeat the first," said Giles.
TBC
"Let's not panic, he's in a strange city and has no funds that we know of, so he can't have got far," reasoned Giles.
"I could do a locator spell," said Willow helpfully.
"Please Willow, I have to find him, it's my fault I should never have fallen asleep," said Buffy.
Giles went to one of his shelves of books and tore a page from a local street plan and handed it to Willow.
"Candles?" asked Willow.
Dawn disappeared into her room and came back with a couple of candles. Buffy arched her eyebrow at Dawn.
"What the seventeen year old kid can't be trusted with matches?" Asked Dawn sarcastically.
Willow sat down in the middle of the room and Dawn lit the candles. As she worked the spell, a small glowing light appeared on the map.
"Ooh, I know where that is, it's the Southpark Mall," said Dawn excitedly.
"Well let's get down there then," said Buffy grabbing her coat impatiently.
"Southpark, Is that like Kenny and Cartman?" said Andrew trailing after the others.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Giles pulled to a stop just outside the parking lot of the Southpark shopping mall, the vehicle had barely stopped before Buffy leapt out.
"We'll spilt up, Giles you take Willow and Andrew, Dawn come with me," said Buffy marching off in the direction of the main entrance.
They entered the busy mall. Buffy looked around the place, it was huge and maze like. She looked at Dawn hoping for guidance.
"Help me here Dawnie, if you were a vampire where would you go?" asked Buffy.
"Gap?" asked Dawn.
"Okay, let's try again, where would you go if you were Spike?" asked Buffy.
Dawn thought real hard.
"Ah, Wilson's Leather on the second floor," said Dawn
They hurried into the glass elevator and rode it up to the second floor. They emerged from the elevator just in time to see Spike coming out of Wilson's. Buffy launched herself at Spike, knocking him to the ground; she landed on top of him.
"Oof, Buffy love, I'm pleased to see you too," he said.
"Are you two gonna stop making out in public and get off the floor?" asked Dawn in a bored voice.
Buffy scrambled off of Spike and put out her hand to help him up.
"Spike, why'd you just disappear like that, didn't you think I'd worry?" she demanded.
Spike looked guiltily at her.
"Sorry, I didn't think, the sun was shining the birds were tweeting, had to get me a piece of that and these," he said grinning and holding up several clothing bags.
"Thought you didn't have any money," said Buffy.
"I don't, but Giles does," said Spike, holding out a credit card.
"I think I'll take that," said Giles, coming up behind him and snatching his card back.
Spike shrugged.
"And you'll pay me back, every penny," said Giles
"Of course I will.not," said Spike finished quietly.
Buffy snatched Spike's bags off of him and shoved them at Dawn.
"You guys get home, Spike and I, will make our own way back," said Buffy.
She grabbed Spike by his shirtsleeve.
"Hey wait a minute," said Spike.
He took one of the bags out of Dawn's hand and pulled a black leather coat from it, he put it on. Andrew stared at him in awe, the whole scene playing in his mind in slow motion.
"Cool!" said Andrew.
"What you bleeding staring at?" asked Spike, noticing Andrew's presence for the first time.
Spike shook his head and walked off to join the increasingly impatient Buffy.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
They walked along in silence for a while, exiting the mall and walking out into the bright sunshine. Buffy looked at him, still unable to get used to seeing him in the sun, the last time she had seen him in daylight they had been too busy trying to kill each other.
"You okay, no pain from being in daylight?" she asked.
"I'm fine really, Buffy you don't need to worry about me," said Spike.
"I don't need to worr..I give up!" said Buffy throwing her hands up in despair and marching off angrily.
Spike ran after her, some things never seemed to change, it seemed to him he spent most of his time running after her in one way or another. He caught up with her and spun her around, she quickly wiped away the angry tears that were running down her face.
"You're crying," he stated.
Buffy hated showing her weaker side to anyone, especially Spike right now.
"Well what do you expect? It's been an emotional time, I finally know how it feels to be the living dead, to have nothing left inside of you, Angel left me, I got over that, the kiss you witnessed meant nothing, I already told you that, but when I woke up this morning and you were gone I thought that you'd," said Buffy.
"Left you?" Where would I go? The only place I want to be, have ever wanted to be, is by your side," finished Spike.
"Funny way of showing it," she replied.
"Well I had to get out of these Angel cast offs, ruin a guy's image, besides he goes for the dark broody look, that's just not me love, besides they smell of hair gel," said Spike trying to get a smile out of her and succeeding.
They walked along the street together, it seemed the most natural thing in the world, when their hands brushed against each other and their fingers entwined. Like once before, Buffy gasped.
"What is it?" asked Spike.
"I can feel it?" she replied.
"You can feel what?" he asked.
"Your soul, it was like electricity passing through me, Spike what's going on with you, I don't understand, not really, Willow seems to think you're evolving in some way," She said frowning.
"I think Red maybe right, although I was almost delirious when Angel found me, I remember flashes of my return, it hurt like hell, not unlike when I burnt up," Spike replied
"Oh God, " she said paling.
"What?" he asked
He realised his admission of the agony he suffered had been the cause of her distress.
"It's okay Buffy, it's done and dusted, well I was anyway," he said wryly.
"Don't make a joke of it, what you did, no one ever did for me, oh I know you didn't just die for me, you really did love this world at the end didn't you?" she asked.
"Yes, but not nearly as much as knowing you were safe in it, you and Dawn, I know the nibblet can't ever forgive me for what I did to you, but that that never stopped me caring for her," he said regretfully.
"Spike, why do you think you were returned to earth?" she asked.
"I don't know, I guess time will tell," he sighed.
"Well I for one don't care why you are here, I am just glad that you are," she replied.
"How was that normal life working out for you?" he asked.
"It was as boring as hell...without you," she said quietly.
"I always dreamed of this when we were together for that brief time, walking in the sun with you, I know I was always prattling on about how you belonged in the dark with me, but I never believed that, not truly," Spike said.
She touched his pale face tenderly.
"I'll wonder if you'll tan, or freckle even," she said remembering his words from long ago.
"Do you remember everything I ever said?" he asked.
"A lot more than I ever realised, I had three months to think of nothing else," she said.
Spike touched the dark circles under her eyes.
"Is that what caused those?" he asked.
Buffy looked into his eyes, seeing the concern in them for her, he never missed anything where she was concerned.
"Maybe, look we'd better be getting back to the apartment before they send out a search party for the both of us this time, I think they are still a little cautious of you right now," she said.
They walked to the bus stop, both deep in thought.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Spike is so hot, er I mean cool," said Andrew, quickly amending his statement.
"Ewww, obvious much" said Dawn, looking at Andrew in disgust.
"Leave him alone Dawnie, he's going through a very confusing time at the moment, ain't ya," grinned Willow.
"I really don't know what you guys are talking about," said Andrew innocently.
"Look why don't you get us some coffee, the only member of the Spike appreciation society," said Willow.
"Oh, I can definatley say there are two members of that society, Buffy slept in Spike's arms last night," said Dawn.
Willow raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Lucky bitch," mumbled Andrew, his hand absentmindedly touching the little scars on his neck that were courtesy of his idol.
"What was that?" asked Willow.
"Clever witch," admonished Andrew quickly.
"Thought that's what you said," grinned Willow.
"Coffee, Andrew?" Dawn reminded him.
"I'm not making it, Xander pays my salary, not you," Said Andrew petulantly.
Giles extracted several large tomes from the bookshelves.
"Look, can we stop the petty squabbling about who is making what and can someone help me with the research?" snapped Giles.
"Sorry," the other three said in unison as they sat down at the table.
A few moments, Spike and Buffy entered the apartment, it was so quiet, that they wondered if the others had decided to go to Xander's, Spike's hearing picked up the low murmur of voices through the door.
"They're home," said Spike opening the door to the lounge.
"Spike next time you decide to go walk about, do you think you could inform us?" asked Giles frostily.
"It's okay Giles, already given him the third degree," said Buffy
"I could murder a drink," said Spike.
Andrew instantly shot up out of his chair.
"Let me get it for you," said Andrew eagerly disappearing into the kitchen.
Buffy and Spike were still unconsciously holding hands, a fact of which they suddenly became aware of when they saw where Willow, Dawn and Giles glances were all trained. Spike noticed it too and started to pull out of her grip, she just held on to him tighter and gave him a reassuring smile.
Andrew hummed to himself, while he waited for the microwave to do its job. It pinged and he took the mug out, he looked at the dark liquid curiously. What if he took a little sip, he thought, he raised the mug to his lips and tasted the contents.
"Ewww!" exclaimed Andrew as he spat out the blood.
Some things about being a vampire were definatley not as cool as they looked, Andrew decided, as he walked backing the lounge and handed the mug to Spike.
"What's sodding wrong with you? You look like you're about to puke," said Spike as he took the mug.
Spike took the mug, about to drink from it, he sniffed the contents.
"I'm not drinking this, the boy here has been having a free sample," said Spike handing it back to the red faced Andrew.
"Andrew!" said Buffy shocked.
"Bloody Hell!" said Giles.
"Hey that's my line," said Spike.
"What is it?" said Buffy.
Giles handed the volume he had been reading from, to Buffy.
"It's all in here, It's to do with that pendant Spike wore to defeat the first," said Giles.
TBC