Souls Found
None of these characters are mine; all credit goes to the writers of BtVS. If you wish to share, this work with someone be my guest just give me credit.
If you want background - read Lost Souls.
Chapter 3
He can face no more. The sound of Dru's taunting, the sight of Buffy and Spike - it is too much. Without coherent thought, he reaches out to Dru and snaps her neck plunging the room into silence.
By the time that Spike and Buffy look up to see the confusion, Dru's body is already turning into so much insubstantial dust and mist. Reminiscent of the soul-holding fog, this mist that was Dru floats directly to where Buffy and Spike are on the bed. It settles over them for a split second before it is seemingly absorbed into their skin.
Only briefly dazed, Spike's first impulse is to immediately attack - sire or no sire but he is halted by the screams coming from the girl in his arms. At first, the screams are more animal than human but slowly words do form.
"Murderer, murderer." She shirks. Looking toward Angel. She sounds reminiscently like Dru and for a moment, Spike wonders if Angel will disperse with her just as easily.
The thought of the Slayer's death distresses him more than he can imagine and Spike quickly puts his body in front of hers, just in case Angel charges. Surprisingly, the Slayer holds tight to his back as he faces his sire.
For several long moments, Angel looks at the pair on the bed trying to make sense of the last minutes and what has gone terribly wrong. He fights his urge to pull Spike away from Buffy. More than anything else, it is his inner tie to Buffy that persuades him to back away that she is terrified of him, of herself. For whatever damnable reason she is finding some solace with Spike.
The thought of Spike with Buffy terrifies and saddens him. Spike, who was raised up as a vampire by Angelus himself, is a bloodthirsty killer with two slayers under his belt in the span of one hundred years. And here he hunches, ready to fight for this Slayer while mourning his own mate.
Angel thinks about the irony of the whole situation. He has taken Spike's mate but it seems as if Spike may have taken his. Perhaps it was some sort of odd justice?
Angel realizes that he must leave, he just needs to leave this room. Try to get a hold on himself. He turns quickly and leaves. Xander follows only steps behind.
With a glance toward Buffy and Spike, Willow takes her books and leaves too.
**********************
Spike sits with his arms around the girl trying to make sense of it all. An hour ago, Dru was here. His dark princess, ever the dark star in his sky. And now, now, she was gone after one hundred and fifty years, she is simply gone. Not in battle, not by her own mad hand, but by her sire.
It strikes him that he should be more upset, more enraged. Instead, there is a quiet emptiness and there is this Slayer. In his arms. Not bloody likely he would have guessed this. He acknowledges that he should be figuring out a way to bend these strange circumstances to his own benefit and so he begins to make a plan as the Bit continues to cry in his arms.
*********************
Angel is making his way outside by the time Xander and Willow catch up with him.
Hearing their calls, he finally turns to them.
"Just let me be!"
Willow cannot help but act on her feminine instincts to reach out to him. "Angel, stop! Whatever is going on, we can fix it. Just come back."
He shakes his dark head, "No I destroyed Dru - a long time before this night - and I'm doing a damn fine job doing the same to Buffy. Not to mention you two. If it wasn't for me, damn it, none of this would have happened."
Stopping a second he looks at them, "If there was any way, I could go back and .".
Again, Xander suddenly finds himself in the strange position of wanting to give comfort to the man that has both killed him and sired him. Xander pushes down the conflicting feelings and approaches Angel. "Angel, I don't believe I'm saying this but hey, this seems like it's better than that. I mean, whatever is up, we need to face it now for Buffy's sake."
Feeling more confident, he approaches Angel, bracing his hands on his arms, shaking him lightly. "She's in there with a killer, Angel. She is in there with a soulless monster and that is what you need to destroy - not yourself."
***********************
Spike's shirt is wet from the Slayer's blood red tears. Reaching down, he pulls the white tee shirt - now pink - off and quickly put in arms back around the girl. Now the Bit's cheek is up against his bare chest. No complaints at this. Her crying continues unabated. Hell, she's giving Dru a run for her money on hysteria.
Her firm little bottom is quite a nice treat too. More curvy than Dru for sure and fits just right if he doesn't say so himself. Schooling himself to not be distracted by her physical attributes, he closes his eyes and focuses on delving into that mind of hers to see if anyone's home.
He sighs in frustration, with Dru around, there was little need to master the finer arts of mumbo-jumbo. Still, he knew a trick or three.
"Com' on Pet, look at Spike." Gently grasping her chin, the empty hazel eyes gaze out at him. "OK, here goes nothing" he murmurs to himself.
As he looks into Buffy's eyes, he slowly becomes less and less conscious of the external world as falls into another reality.
In the landscape of her mind, she is also huddled in a small ball, rocking back and forth, tears running down her cheeks. She looks up at him.
"Spike?"
He kneels next to her, "Yes, Pet - Spike".
Laying her head on her knees, she speaks softly, "Dru said that you would take care of me".
Not shocked, knowing ol' Dru, he answers her. "She did now? Now, when did you see ol' Dru?"
"She was here, she said you'd be coming and that we were --- we were supposed to take care of each other."
Somewhat taken aback by Dru's pronouncement, Spike changes subjects less he can distracted and break the bloody link. "Last time I saw you, Pet, you were doin' the slayer deal. What gives?"
"Angel --- the curse --- his soul --- has this clause --- if he had a moment of true happiness then the curse would be broken."
"And let me guess, you and he ---."
"Uh, yes." She says looking down. "He, umm, Angelus turned me. Then, he killed my watcher and then we turned my best friends and then, --- and then --- he --- we --- killed my mother." She ends her tale with a sob.
Looking up into Spike's face, "How could he do that? Kill my mother? And I laughed. I watched television with her body growing cold in the hallway."
Cocking an eyebrow, Spike asks, "Seem awful sorry for a Vamp, you know".
Buffy nods in agreement, "Will --- Willow --- she --- Ahhh --- somehow she restored our souls. I'm a little fuzzy on the particulars. But --- but when I came to and realized what I had done --- what I had become ---." Again, the Slayer Bit breaks out into sobs, that affect him more than he'd wish.
Getting back on target again, he asks, "And Angelus. It's his fault, huh? He should have known about the bloodly curse, he'd had it long enough! Always was a selfish, son of a ----"
Buffy interrupts Spike's words with her own, "Just kill me, please. I know you can. I mean, I know you want to. You've killed two slayers, now hurry kill me and you'll have a third."
The request seems to have increased her level of upset and seems begins to wail. Just as in the outside world, he pulls her to him on this plain and begins to rock her again.
"Suush, Pet. We'll have none of that. Course' I won't kill you. Not' a bloody slayer anymore 'way I see it bein' a vamp and all. Even with a soul. 'Sides Dru told me to take care o' you and you o' me. 'Way I see it, I've got my marchin' orders - you too. You don't turn down ol' Dru. Don't want her hauntin' you for sure'. She'd drive you bleedin' crazy."
The talk to Dru, the emotion of the past few hours, and the Slayer in his arms coalesce to drive Spike's overwhelming urge to claim her. His need even supercedes his usual desire to best Angel. Though, the fact that both aims can be accomplished at once would only sweeten the pot if Spike could think that clearly.
"Now, Pet, let's see what we can do to help you feel better? What would you say if I told you that I could help you get Angelus out of that pretty little head o' yours? Just nip that tie. Won't hurt a bit. What you say, Luv?"
The potential of severing her tie with Angel reaches Buffy. Given her current state of mind, the prospect appeals to her. It will be killing him in a sense. Separating herself from the one whom created this terror. She hopes that the madness might retreat without her sire and mate in the back of her head at all times.
She gives little thought to the man holding her. She knows him, knows of him. The taste of him is like lighting - the Witch was right.
Angelus had destroyed the Witch too and everything that was precious to her, including her sanity and now she felt the Witch bolstering her to be rid of 'Daddy.' 'Daddy will lie, Daddy will leave you, Daddy will leave you broken, the dead Witch's voice rings in her head.' The Witch is pushing her toward this Spike, this William.
He is also a killer her slayer side whispers but another part of her whispers yes, but not your killer, your mother's killer. The vampire side of her is a social animal, it will not let her do away with herself, it will fight to keep a mate - if one is discarded, it will seek out another strong male.
Both the female and the vampire in her gravitate toward this man. The slayer in her appreciates his skill, his prowess; it knows him as a worthy opponent. All sides point to a male whose strength matches her own and whose age and wisdom can securely navigate her through this new life.
Spike measures the acquiescence in her eyes wishing to make his move carefully. In a voice like dark velvet, he murmurs to the girl in his arms. "Now Pet, listen to me and I'll make it all better. Just relax now and look at me. That's it, Good Girl."
He fights now the urge to smirk; this is like taking candy from a baby. Ol' Ang is going to be surprised when he realizes his 'boy' has a few tricks of his own.
Trying to be as soothing as he can be, he continues. "Now, I want you to look inside yourself, to where it's hurting. Do you feel it? The place inside of you that's tied to Angelus".
With wide eyes, the girl nods. "Now think of a big shiny knife. Can you see it, Luv?"
The girl nods again, "Now, make that knife slice right through that connection to Angelus. See it in your mind, Pet. Cut him right out of your heart, make the hurtin' stop."
Buffy does as he has prompted her. See envisions a sharp silver knife in her hand, cutting through the magical cord that runs between her and Angel. She is desperate to make the hurt stop. The knife is raised and it cuts.
TBC
None of these characters are mine; all credit goes to the writers of BtVS. If you wish to share, this work with someone be my guest just give me credit.
If you want background - read Lost Souls.
Chapter 3
He can face no more. The sound of Dru's taunting, the sight of Buffy and Spike - it is too much. Without coherent thought, he reaches out to Dru and snaps her neck plunging the room into silence.
By the time that Spike and Buffy look up to see the confusion, Dru's body is already turning into so much insubstantial dust and mist. Reminiscent of the soul-holding fog, this mist that was Dru floats directly to where Buffy and Spike are on the bed. It settles over them for a split second before it is seemingly absorbed into their skin.
Only briefly dazed, Spike's first impulse is to immediately attack - sire or no sire but he is halted by the screams coming from the girl in his arms. At first, the screams are more animal than human but slowly words do form.
"Murderer, murderer." She shirks. Looking toward Angel. She sounds reminiscently like Dru and for a moment, Spike wonders if Angel will disperse with her just as easily.
The thought of the Slayer's death distresses him more than he can imagine and Spike quickly puts his body in front of hers, just in case Angel charges. Surprisingly, the Slayer holds tight to his back as he faces his sire.
For several long moments, Angel looks at the pair on the bed trying to make sense of the last minutes and what has gone terribly wrong. He fights his urge to pull Spike away from Buffy. More than anything else, it is his inner tie to Buffy that persuades him to back away that she is terrified of him, of herself. For whatever damnable reason she is finding some solace with Spike.
The thought of Spike with Buffy terrifies and saddens him. Spike, who was raised up as a vampire by Angelus himself, is a bloodthirsty killer with two slayers under his belt in the span of one hundred years. And here he hunches, ready to fight for this Slayer while mourning his own mate.
Angel thinks about the irony of the whole situation. He has taken Spike's mate but it seems as if Spike may have taken his. Perhaps it was some sort of odd justice?
Angel realizes that he must leave, he just needs to leave this room. Try to get a hold on himself. He turns quickly and leaves. Xander follows only steps behind.
With a glance toward Buffy and Spike, Willow takes her books and leaves too.
**********************
Spike sits with his arms around the girl trying to make sense of it all. An hour ago, Dru was here. His dark princess, ever the dark star in his sky. And now, now, she was gone after one hundred and fifty years, she is simply gone. Not in battle, not by her own mad hand, but by her sire.
It strikes him that he should be more upset, more enraged. Instead, there is a quiet emptiness and there is this Slayer. In his arms. Not bloody likely he would have guessed this. He acknowledges that he should be figuring out a way to bend these strange circumstances to his own benefit and so he begins to make a plan as the Bit continues to cry in his arms.
*********************
Angel is making his way outside by the time Xander and Willow catch up with him.
Hearing their calls, he finally turns to them.
"Just let me be!"
Willow cannot help but act on her feminine instincts to reach out to him. "Angel, stop! Whatever is going on, we can fix it. Just come back."
He shakes his dark head, "No I destroyed Dru - a long time before this night - and I'm doing a damn fine job doing the same to Buffy. Not to mention you two. If it wasn't for me, damn it, none of this would have happened."
Stopping a second he looks at them, "If there was any way, I could go back and .".
Again, Xander suddenly finds himself in the strange position of wanting to give comfort to the man that has both killed him and sired him. Xander pushes down the conflicting feelings and approaches Angel. "Angel, I don't believe I'm saying this but hey, this seems like it's better than that. I mean, whatever is up, we need to face it now for Buffy's sake."
Feeling more confident, he approaches Angel, bracing his hands on his arms, shaking him lightly. "She's in there with a killer, Angel. She is in there with a soulless monster and that is what you need to destroy - not yourself."
***********************
Spike's shirt is wet from the Slayer's blood red tears. Reaching down, he pulls the white tee shirt - now pink - off and quickly put in arms back around the girl. Now the Bit's cheek is up against his bare chest. No complaints at this. Her crying continues unabated. Hell, she's giving Dru a run for her money on hysteria.
Her firm little bottom is quite a nice treat too. More curvy than Dru for sure and fits just right if he doesn't say so himself. Schooling himself to not be distracted by her physical attributes, he closes his eyes and focuses on delving into that mind of hers to see if anyone's home.
He sighs in frustration, with Dru around, there was little need to master the finer arts of mumbo-jumbo. Still, he knew a trick or three.
"Com' on Pet, look at Spike." Gently grasping her chin, the empty hazel eyes gaze out at him. "OK, here goes nothing" he murmurs to himself.
As he looks into Buffy's eyes, he slowly becomes less and less conscious of the external world as falls into another reality.
In the landscape of her mind, she is also huddled in a small ball, rocking back and forth, tears running down her cheeks. She looks up at him.
"Spike?"
He kneels next to her, "Yes, Pet - Spike".
Laying her head on her knees, she speaks softly, "Dru said that you would take care of me".
Not shocked, knowing ol' Dru, he answers her. "She did now? Now, when did you see ol' Dru?"
"She was here, she said you'd be coming and that we were --- we were supposed to take care of each other."
Somewhat taken aback by Dru's pronouncement, Spike changes subjects less he can distracted and break the bloody link. "Last time I saw you, Pet, you were doin' the slayer deal. What gives?"
"Angel --- the curse --- his soul --- has this clause --- if he had a moment of true happiness then the curse would be broken."
"And let me guess, you and he ---."
"Uh, yes." She says looking down. "He, umm, Angelus turned me. Then, he killed my watcher and then we turned my best friends and then, --- and then --- he --- we --- killed my mother." She ends her tale with a sob.
Looking up into Spike's face, "How could he do that? Kill my mother? And I laughed. I watched television with her body growing cold in the hallway."
Cocking an eyebrow, Spike asks, "Seem awful sorry for a Vamp, you know".
Buffy nods in agreement, "Will --- Willow --- she --- Ahhh --- somehow she restored our souls. I'm a little fuzzy on the particulars. But --- but when I came to and realized what I had done --- what I had become ---." Again, the Slayer Bit breaks out into sobs, that affect him more than he'd wish.
Getting back on target again, he asks, "And Angelus. It's his fault, huh? He should have known about the bloodly curse, he'd had it long enough! Always was a selfish, son of a ----"
Buffy interrupts Spike's words with her own, "Just kill me, please. I know you can. I mean, I know you want to. You've killed two slayers, now hurry kill me and you'll have a third."
The request seems to have increased her level of upset and seems begins to wail. Just as in the outside world, he pulls her to him on this plain and begins to rock her again.
"Suush, Pet. We'll have none of that. Course' I won't kill you. Not' a bloody slayer anymore 'way I see it bein' a vamp and all. Even with a soul. 'Sides Dru told me to take care o' you and you o' me. 'Way I see it, I've got my marchin' orders - you too. You don't turn down ol' Dru. Don't want her hauntin' you for sure'. She'd drive you bleedin' crazy."
The talk to Dru, the emotion of the past few hours, and the Slayer in his arms coalesce to drive Spike's overwhelming urge to claim her. His need even supercedes his usual desire to best Angel. Though, the fact that both aims can be accomplished at once would only sweeten the pot if Spike could think that clearly.
"Now, Pet, let's see what we can do to help you feel better? What would you say if I told you that I could help you get Angelus out of that pretty little head o' yours? Just nip that tie. Won't hurt a bit. What you say, Luv?"
The potential of severing her tie with Angel reaches Buffy. Given her current state of mind, the prospect appeals to her. It will be killing him in a sense. Separating herself from the one whom created this terror. She hopes that the madness might retreat without her sire and mate in the back of her head at all times.
She gives little thought to the man holding her. She knows him, knows of him. The taste of him is like lighting - the Witch was right.
Angelus had destroyed the Witch too and everything that was precious to her, including her sanity and now she felt the Witch bolstering her to be rid of 'Daddy.' 'Daddy will lie, Daddy will leave you, Daddy will leave you broken, the dead Witch's voice rings in her head.' The Witch is pushing her toward this Spike, this William.
He is also a killer her slayer side whispers but another part of her whispers yes, but not your killer, your mother's killer. The vampire side of her is a social animal, it will not let her do away with herself, it will fight to keep a mate - if one is discarded, it will seek out another strong male.
Both the female and the vampire in her gravitate toward this man. The slayer in her appreciates his skill, his prowess; it knows him as a worthy opponent. All sides point to a male whose strength matches her own and whose age and wisdom can securely navigate her through this new life.
Spike measures the acquiescence in her eyes wishing to make his move carefully. In a voice like dark velvet, he murmurs to the girl in his arms. "Now Pet, listen to me and I'll make it all better. Just relax now and look at me. That's it, Good Girl."
He fights now the urge to smirk; this is like taking candy from a baby. Ol' Ang is going to be surprised when he realizes his 'boy' has a few tricks of his own.
Trying to be as soothing as he can be, he continues. "Now, I want you to look inside yourself, to where it's hurting. Do you feel it? The place inside of you that's tied to Angelus".
With wide eyes, the girl nods. "Now think of a big shiny knife. Can you see it, Luv?"
The girl nods again, "Now, make that knife slice right through that connection to Angelus. See it in your mind, Pet. Cut him right out of your heart, make the hurtin' stop."
Buffy does as he has prompted her. See envisions a sharp silver knife in her hand, cutting through the magical cord that runs between her and Angel. She is desperate to make the hurt stop. The knife is raised and it cuts.
TBC