Disclaimer: I own nothing
Spike was in the Bronze when Adam and his entire gang approached him, surrounding him. He looked at them, a puzzled look on his face.
"So you're the newest member of the Geek Gang." Mocked Adam.
"Sod off." Said Spike, taking another drink.
"I heard today you helped the big geek herself beat up the Vampires." Said Adam. "Not that I don't admire somebody who beats Vampires, but you can't seem to get it through your thick skull that you pick a side."
Spike picked up the flowering onion. "This is brilliant, you know?" He munched on it. "And you gits can't seem to get it through your head what I am." He stood up, wishing he had his leather duster on. It was so much easier to intimidate with it on.
Adam took a step back, suddenly unsure.
"I'm the Big Bad." Said Spike. "You lot think you know gangs because you snort drugs?" He sneered, moving closer. "The gangs I've been with would eat you alive."
Adam punched him, knocking him back into the table. Spike frowned, then laughed, throwing his head back.
He was still sore from his last fight, but fighting was fun. It was what he did.
He launched himself forward, grabbing Adam, and slammed his knee into the other boy's gut. When Adam doubled over he used the other knee, this time into Adam's head.
The other Demon's piled on, slamming fists and feet into him. As he went down under their combined weight, his last coherent thought was 'ow.'
**
Giles examined Spike. "Seems to me they didn't do a very professional job of it." He noted.
Spike sulked, rubbing his bruised face. "It was a downright brawl." He said. "I barely got out of there by the skin of my teeth."
"Mm. And according to the bartender, you left a path of injured children behind you." Said Giles. Spike rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I'm bad, sorry, can we have this discussion later?" He asked petulantly.
"No." Said Giles. "I'm pulling you out of this school. It's, it's. . ." He sighed, taking his glasses off to wipe them. "It's just a little too much. It's a bad influence on you. You're violent enough without. . .without being here."
Spike grunted. "Can't say I'm surprised. But not just yet." He added quickly. "I can't go out like a whipped cur. First I need a little bout of revenge."
There was a knock at the door. Giles got up, moving to it. "I'm not expecting anybody." He noted. "Friends of yours?"
"I haven't made any friends." Said Spike. "I doubt it."
Giles opened it, revealing Willow standing there. She gave a tiny jump, surprised to see him. "Hi!" She chirped. "I'm a friend of Spike's!"
Giles stared at her for a long moment, leaving her fidgeting. "Can I come in?" She asked.
"Please do." Said Giles, shooting a glare at Spike.
"If it isn't one of the expendable sidekicks!" Said Spike sarcastically. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I was the only one who knew where your house was." Said Willow. "And Buffy. . .well, she didn't want me to come alone, but I did." She glanced at Giles. "M-mister Giles is your father?"
"Uncle." Said Giles. "And I take no credit whatsoever for his upbringing."
Spike scowled. "Sod off." He suggested.
"Watch your tongue." Suggested Giles. He glanced to Willow, whose eyes were very wide. "Yes, what did you want, miss. . .?"
"Rosenberg." She said. "Willow Rosenberg. Well, Buffy heard you got beat up at the Bronze tonight."
"The Bronze?" Said Giles sharply. "That would be the other name for the library?"
"N-no, the club, downtown." Said Willow, confused.
Spike groaned, dropping his face into his hands. "Oh, just shoot me!" He begged.
Giles glared at him. "I just might." He warned.
"B-buffy was, um, well, she was hoping for a meeting. With you." Said Willow. Spike gave her an odd look.
"You mean, like in a spy movie? Where we all creep around in black leather, sit around a table, and look like we're about to fight?"
Willow nodded. "Without the black leather." She added.
Spike smirked. "Speak for yourself, pet." He stepped to the coatrack, retrieving his duster. As he slid it on the smirk settled into his face, transforming into a grin.
"Hold it." Said Giles, grabbing a tweed jacket. "You're not leaving this house without me."
Spike sighed. "Fine. We're ready, Leaf."
"That's Willow." Said Willow automatically.
"I know. It's this thing I do, with cute or nasty nicknames." Said Spike, a bit sharply. "You prefer Red? I'll go with Red, so there's no confusion. Lead on, Red."
**
Buffy sat with Xander, waiting nervously. Actually, Xander was nervous. Buffy practiced whipping her nunchuks out of her waistband.
"Why isn't Riley here?" Asked Xander. "I mean, he's all with the muscle, which is important."
"I'm here." Said Buffy. "Riley thinks this is stupid."
"What, meeting the bad boy after school, in the dark dark place?" Xander looked around. "Why is it so dark on the football field?"
Buffy stood, coming up off the grass. "They have someone with them." She said.
Xander focused on the three people coming through the darkness towards them. "Maybe he was intimidated by the thought of three of us, and wanted backup?"
As they closed, Buffy realized that the third was the new librarian. She snapped her mouth closed, frowning. He must have caught them coming out. . . this was bad. The principal HATED her already. This could get her expelled.
"All right." Said Giles. "Let's do this." He put his hands in his pockets, setting his feet about two feet apart. Standing there, he reminded her of a movie she'd seen. A very bad gangster movie. "And make it fast, it's a school night."
Spike smirked, moving closer to Buffy. "Heard you missed me, love." He said.
Giles coughed.
"I heard that the Demons and Vampires both want to tear a piece of your face off." Said Buffy nonchalantly.
"Let them try." Said Spike. Giles cleared his throat.
"How would you like to really stick it to those guys?" Asked Buffy. Willow retreated behind her, so that she was flanked by her two friends.
"Really stick it to them?" Asked Spike.
"Take their gangs apart, get them expelled, get them in trouble with the law." Clarified Buffy. "Cut off the flow of drugs into this school." She added. She glanced at the librarian. "I know what you're going to say." She said.
"You d-do?" He stuttered.
"You're going to tell me that it's a matter for grownups, for the police. But that never, ever works out. They do nothing, and the drugs keep coming in."
Giles nodded. "Nunchuks." He noted coolly. "Formally known as nunchaku. Do you know how to use them?"
Buffy put her hand on the nunchuks. "Pretty well." She said nonchalantly.
"Show me." Said Giles.
The nunchuks came out and spun by his ear, coming to rest in a very professional grip in her hands. Spike chuckled.
"May I?" Asked Giles. She handed him the nunchuks, and he spun them by his hears in a series of quick movements. They lacked the grace that Buffy had shown, but clearly this was not the first time he'd held the weapon. He handed it back. "I'm afraid I'm a bit rusty." He apologized.
Buffy's eyes had narrowed. "You're not going to tell me to get the cops involved."
He sighed. "Much as it pains me to encourage the further delinquentment of children, I've spoken to the police, and they've proved ineffective. I know that I'm hardly welcome here, no more than my nephew." He glanced to Spike. "But I want to be a part of this. I don't know that you can trust me enough -- but I would ask that you give me the benefit of the doubt."
Buffy smiled. "Anyone who wants to kick butt, can."
Spike stepped back, putting a hand on his chin. "I have a condition." He said.
"Oh?" Said Buffy. Giles turned, joining the semi-circle behind her.
"Yeah. We do this, we get this done, and I want a chance at you. A fight. You and me, clean." He grinned. "Cause every time we get in a fight, we get interrupted by some jerk. Demons, Vampires, whatever. I want a rematch with you. You give me that, and you can count on me."
"Actually, you can't." Said Giles. "He's highly unreliable, but he's very, very good."
"Not as good as me." Said Buffy confidently.
Spike grinned. His mind was whirling with scenarios. Most of them involved him double-crossing Buffy and Giles, but, then, that was what he did.
Spike was in the Bronze when Adam and his entire gang approached him, surrounding him. He looked at them, a puzzled look on his face.
"So you're the newest member of the Geek Gang." Mocked Adam.
"Sod off." Said Spike, taking another drink.
"I heard today you helped the big geek herself beat up the Vampires." Said Adam. "Not that I don't admire somebody who beats Vampires, but you can't seem to get it through your thick skull that you pick a side."
Spike picked up the flowering onion. "This is brilliant, you know?" He munched on it. "And you gits can't seem to get it through your head what I am." He stood up, wishing he had his leather duster on. It was so much easier to intimidate with it on.
Adam took a step back, suddenly unsure.
"I'm the Big Bad." Said Spike. "You lot think you know gangs because you snort drugs?" He sneered, moving closer. "The gangs I've been with would eat you alive."
Adam punched him, knocking him back into the table. Spike frowned, then laughed, throwing his head back.
He was still sore from his last fight, but fighting was fun. It was what he did.
He launched himself forward, grabbing Adam, and slammed his knee into the other boy's gut. When Adam doubled over he used the other knee, this time into Adam's head.
The other Demon's piled on, slamming fists and feet into him. As he went down under their combined weight, his last coherent thought was 'ow.'
**
Giles examined Spike. "Seems to me they didn't do a very professional job of it." He noted.
Spike sulked, rubbing his bruised face. "It was a downright brawl." He said. "I barely got out of there by the skin of my teeth."
"Mm. And according to the bartender, you left a path of injured children behind you." Said Giles. Spike rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I'm bad, sorry, can we have this discussion later?" He asked petulantly.
"No." Said Giles. "I'm pulling you out of this school. It's, it's. . ." He sighed, taking his glasses off to wipe them. "It's just a little too much. It's a bad influence on you. You're violent enough without. . .without being here."
Spike grunted. "Can't say I'm surprised. But not just yet." He added quickly. "I can't go out like a whipped cur. First I need a little bout of revenge."
There was a knock at the door. Giles got up, moving to it. "I'm not expecting anybody." He noted. "Friends of yours?"
"I haven't made any friends." Said Spike. "I doubt it."
Giles opened it, revealing Willow standing there. She gave a tiny jump, surprised to see him. "Hi!" She chirped. "I'm a friend of Spike's!"
Giles stared at her for a long moment, leaving her fidgeting. "Can I come in?" She asked.
"Please do." Said Giles, shooting a glare at Spike.
"If it isn't one of the expendable sidekicks!" Said Spike sarcastically. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I was the only one who knew where your house was." Said Willow. "And Buffy. . .well, she didn't want me to come alone, but I did." She glanced at Giles. "M-mister Giles is your father?"
"Uncle." Said Giles. "And I take no credit whatsoever for his upbringing."
Spike scowled. "Sod off." He suggested.
"Watch your tongue." Suggested Giles. He glanced to Willow, whose eyes were very wide. "Yes, what did you want, miss. . .?"
"Rosenberg." She said. "Willow Rosenberg. Well, Buffy heard you got beat up at the Bronze tonight."
"The Bronze?" Said Giles sharply. "That would be the other name for the library?"
"N-no, the club, downtown." Said Willow, confused.
Spike groaned, dropping his face into his hands. "Oh, just shoot me!" He begged.
Giles glared at him. "I just might." He warned.
"B-buffy was, um, well, she was hoping for a meeting. With you." Said Willow. Spike gave her an odd look.
"You mean, like in a spy movie? Where we all creep around in black leather, sit around a table, and look like we're about to fight?"
Willow nodded. "Without the black leather." She added.
Spike smirked. "Speak for yourself, pet." He stepped to the coatrack, retrieving his duster. As he slid it on the smirk settled into his face, transforming into a grin.
"Hold it." Said Giles, grabbing a tweed jacket. "You're not leaving this house without me."
Spike sighed. "Fine. We're ready, Leaf."
"That's Willow." Said Willow automatically.
"I know. It's this thing I do, with cute or nasty nicknames." Said Spike, a bit sharply. "You prefer Red? I'll go with Red, so there's no confusion. Lead on, Red."
**
Buffy sat with Xander, waiting nervously. Actually, Xander was nervous. Buffy practiced whipping her nunchuks out of her waistband.
"Why isn't Riley here?" Asked Xander. "I mean, he's all with the muscle, which is important."
"I'm here." Said Buffy. "Riley thinks this is stupid."
"What, meeting the bad boy after school, in the dark dark place?" Xander looked around. "Why is it so dark on the football field?"
Buffy stood, coming up off the grass. "They have someone with them." She said.
Xander focused on the three people coming through the darkness towards them. "Maybe he was intimidated by the thought of three of us, and wanted backup?"
As they closed, Buffy realized that the third was the new librarian. She snapped her mouth closed, frowning. He must have caught them coming out. . . this was bad. The principal HATED her already. This could get her expelled.
"All right." Said Giles. "Let's do this." He put his hands in his pockets, setting his feet about two feet apart. Standing there, he reminded her of a movie she'd seen. A very bad gangster movie. "And make it fast, it's a school night."
Spike smirked, moving closer to Buffy. "Heard you missed me, love." He said.
Giles coughed.
"I heard that the Demons and Vampires both want to tear a piece of your face off." Said Buffy nonchalantly.
"Let them try." Said Spike. Giles cleared his throat.
"How would you like to really stick it to those guys?" Asked Buffy. Willow retreated behind her, so that she was flanked by her two friends.
"Really stick it to them?" Asked Spike.
"Take their gangs apart, get them expelled, get them in trouble with the law." Clarified Buffy. "Cut off the flow of drugs into this school." She added. She glanced at the librarian. "I know what you're going to say." She said.
"You d-do?" He stuttered.
"You're going to tell me that it's a matter for grownups, for the police. But that never, ever works out. They do nothing, and the drugs keep coming in."
Giles nodded. "Nunchuks." He noted coolly. "Formally known as nunchaku. Do you know how to use them?"
Buffy put her hand on the nunchuks. "Pretty well." She said nonchalantly.
"Show me." Said Giles.
The nunchuks came out and spun by his ear, coming to rest in a very professional grip in her hands. Spike chuckled.
"May I?" Asked Giles. She handed him the nunchuks, and he spun them by his hears in a series of quick movements. They lacked the grace that Buffy had shown, but clearly this was not the first time he'd held the weapon. He handed it back. "I'm afraid I'm a bit rusty." He apologized.
Buffy's eyes had narrowed. "You're not going to tell me to get the cops involved."
He sighed. "Much as it pains me to encourage the further delinquentment of children, I've spoken to the police, and they've proved ineffective. I know that I'm hardly welcome here, no more than my nephew." He glanced to Spike. "But I want to be a part of this. I don't know that you can trust me enough -- but I would ask that you give me the benefit of the doubt."
Buffy smiled. "Anyone who wants to kick butt, can."
Spike stepped back, putting a hand on his chin. "I have a condition." He said.
"Oh?" Said Buffy. Giles turned, joining the semi-circle behind her.
"Yeah. We do this, we get this done, and I want a chance at you. A fight. You and me, clean." He grinned. "Cause every time we get in a fight, we get interrupted by some jerk. Demons, Vampires, whatever. I want a rematch with you. You give me that, and you can count on me."
"Actually, you can't." Said Giles. "He's highly unreliable, but he's very, very good."
"Not as good as me." Said Buffy confidently.
Spike grinned. His mind was whirling with scenarios. Most of them involved him double-crossing Buffy and Giles, but, then, that was what he did.