Escape
Chapter Eight: Crushed
"Spike?" Fred repeated, wrinkling her nose. "Funny name."
"I'm sure he'd say the same about you," Lilah replied and tossed Wesley a blanket she seemed to have plucked from thin air. "Here. Make him decent before you move him. I'll leave you to your work. The exit's this way when you're ready."
And with a final glance at Wesley, Lilah turned and walked away, slowly fading into the whiteness.
"Bloody hell," Spike said again, starting to heave himself into a sitting position.
Wesley dropped the blanket over Spike's waist and crouched down beside him, one hand on his shoulder.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"I've just fallen God knows how many feet only minutes after getting my body back after being burnt from the inside out," he clutched his head. "So, no. No, I'm not all soddin' right. Who the bloody hell are you two anyway?" he asked, staring in disbelief at Fred and Wesley. "And where the hell am I?"
"To answer your first question, I'm Wesley Wyndham-Pryce and this is Fred Burkle."
"And you're in the White Room at Wolfram and Hart in LA," Fred finished. "Now, do you want to come downstairs with us? We could get you a mug of warm blood or something…?"
She glanced at Wesley when she realised Spike was ignoring her and muttering to himself as he stared at the floor.
"LA," he said, raising his voice. "LA? Don't tell me you're Angel's bleedin' cronies?"
"Afraid so," Wesley nodded. "Though I think 'cronies' is a little -"
"Buffy," Spike snapped suddenly. "Do you know what happened to her? Did she get out ok?"
"She's fine," Fred said, touching Spike's shoulder to calm him. "She's here. You saved the world!"
"I want to see her," Spike said immediately.
"I'm afraid that's impossible," Wesley answered quickly, shooting Fred a warning look. "Buffy's gone to Cleveland. She'll be back in a couple of days," Spike sank back a little, staring at the floor again. Fred twisted her fingers together, looking at Wesley beseechingly. He frowned at Spike. "Did you want that blood then?" he asked after a moment's silence.
Spike didn't answer, just sat quietly for a minute before standing up. Fred blushed and averted her eyes, becoming fascinated by the white middle distance. Wesley glanced at her before meeting Spike's eyes.
"Perhaps you'd like to make yourself decent before we leave?" he asked.
Spike grabbed the blanket from the floor and wrapped it round his waist.
"'S'all right now, love, you can look," he told Fred who smiled back, pretending not to have noticed.
"Right then," she said. "Blood!" she stepped to one side and indicated the right direction for Spike before falling into step behind him with Wesley. She lowered her voice to a hiss and tiptoed to whisper in Wesley's ear. "And you'd better call Buffy and Angel while I distract him."
It was half an hour later before Fred finally convinced Spike to go with her to find some clothes. She didn't think Wolfram and Hart had a clothing department, but they had to have someplace she could find clothes for him.
"All right," Spike groaned. "I'll go with you. Give me a minute to adjust my sarong though, eh?"
"There's a bathroom there," Wes said, pointing to the door on the left.
Spike went in, closing the door after him. Fred jumped out of her chair so she could lean toward Wesley.
"I'll distract him, you call Buffy, ok?" she whispered.
"I think it's best she's told in person, don't you? After all, this will be a shock. It's not exactly something I'd want to hear over the phone."
"You're right. I'll keep him busy. But what do I do with him after?"
"I-" Wesley stopped when Spike opened the door of the bathroom. "I'll call you. You'll be ok?"
"She'll be just fine with me, Percy," Spike said, offering him a winning smile that made Wesley uneasy.
"C'mon, Spike," Fred said. "I'll see you later, Wesley."
"Yes, see you, Fred. Spike."
Wesley watched them leave and waited a moment before grabbing his jacket and running from the office, pushing past various employees to get to the elevator.
Buffy was alone in the lobby, curled on a couch, flicking idly through a magazine. She jumped when Wesley burst in, eyes scanning the lobby before falling on Buffy.
"Buffy," he said, coming toward her. "I have to talk to you."
"Why?" she asked, immediately defensive. "What's wrong?"
"Fred and I have been working at Wolfram and Hart."
"On the contracts, I know."
"Yes, but we were… distracted."
"Ooohh," Buffy nodded knowingly and guided a bewildered Wesley to the couch and pushed him down before sitting beside him. "I see. You and Fred got distracted, huh? Really, Wesley, and I thought you were a gentleman. I guess you want my advice, right? Well, clichéd as it sounds, candle-lit dinner is the safest option and -"
"Buffy, what on earth are you talking about?" Wesley asked, staring at her.
"You and… Fred. The… distraction? What are you talking about?" she asked slowly with a frown.
"There's a room at Wolfram and Hart called the White Room. It's a place you go for answers, as far as I know. However, today Fred and I found that there was another use for it."
"What?" Buffy asked, staring at him, suddenly on edge.
"It's a… receiver," he said delicately.
"Receiver?" Buffy frowned. "Wesley, I don't know what you're talking about. What do you mean it's a receiver, what did it receive?"
"A person," Wes shifted uncomfortably and lowered his eyes. "I don't know how… Buffy, it's… Spike. He's back."
"Back?" Buffy blinked. "Back how? As in, here, alive?"
"Yes."
"Where is he?" she asked urgently.
"At Wolfram and Hart, Fred's keeping an eye on him. I told him that you were in Cleveland and would be back in a couple of days. I thought that would be easier than him charging in here demanding to see you. And it's bought you some time before you have to see him."
"I want to see him," Buffy said quietly, almost in a daze.
"Now?" Wes frowned. "It is late and don't you, um, want to talk to the others? Giles, Willow, Xander? Uh, Angel perhaps?"
"Yes," she nodded. "Of course. But I'll see him tomorrow, first thing, tell him that?"
He nodded, stood and patted her hand before pulling his cell phone out of his pocket and calling Fred to tell her to organise a place for Spike to stay the night.
He didn't see Angel watch him go before fixing his gaze on a silent, pale and trembling Buffy.
Willow cast a final glance at Kennedy, who rolled her eyes and jutted her chin in Buffy's direction. Buffy was bent over an axe, polishing it furiously. Tentatively, Willow came round the counter and approached her friend.
"Are you trying to rub a hole in it?" she asked, a hesitant laugh in her voice.
"What?" Buffy looked up sharply and Willow sank onto the couch beside her.
"You ok?" Willow asked. "It's just… You've been a little distracted since Wesley dropped by. Is everything ok? Do we have to go to Cleveland now or something?"
"It's not that," Buffy shook her head and stood to put the axe back into the weapons cabinet before flopping back down onto the couch beside Willow. "Wesley came to give me some… news."
"News?" Willow frowned. "Good or bad?"
"Can't you guess?" Buffy asked with a rueful smile.
"Bad?" Willow offered, reaching for Buffy's hand.
"No," Buffy squeezed Willow's hand and frowned in thought. "I don't suppose it is. It's just… complicated things. Will," her voice dropped to a low whisper. "It's me and Angel. We… kissed."
"You did?" Willow beamed, then rearranged her features into a serious expression. "I mean, you did?"
"Yeah," Buffy smiled wistfully. "And we're thinking that we're gonna take it slow. There's a lot to work out. We need to see if we're still good together, if the same problems we had before are still there and if we can get over them. So, we're going slow… Just in case."
"So why the long face?" Willow asked. "What's Wesley's news got to do with anything? Where's the complications?"
"Wes and Fred were at Wolfram and Hart when something happened…" Willow waited silently for Buffy to continue. "There's this room at Wolfram and Hart. It gives answers or something. And it's some kind of receiver."
"Buffy, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Willow said gently, rubbing Buffy's arm.
"No, it's ok. I need to tell someone. I've got to tell Angel and I don't know how. It's just so… It's Spike, Willow. He's back. Wes and Fred found him in the White Room. He's back. He's alive."
Willow froze, staring at Buffy. Her fingers stiffened in Buffy's hand Buffy was momentarily distracted by Willow's reaction.
"Hey, Will, you ok? Willow?"
"I, uh, I have to…" Willow tugged her hand free from Buffy's and stood up from the couch, stumbling backward. "I have to go. I'm sorry, Buffy. I just… I can't. I have to go."
She practically ran through the main doors of the hotel, leaving Buffy staring after her. Kennedy took a few steps around the counter and frowned at Buffy.
"What happened?" she asked.
"He should be ok there for tonight at least," Fred told Wesley. "He was fine once I filled the fridge with blood and beer and plugged the TV in. But I don't think you'll keep him there very long. If he doesn't see Buffy soon, he'll be driving out to Cleveland before we can say stop."
"It shouldn't come to that," Wesley answered. "Buffy wants to see him. She's going to see him tomorrow."
"You think she'll tell Angel?" Fred asked, sitting on the leather couch and yawning.
"I hope so," Wes answered, leaving his chair and settling on the couch at the opposite end to Fred. "I've no doubt she'll tell one of her friends. Willow, Xander or Giles perhaps. But it might be harder to tell Angel. But who knows? He might have been the first person she told."
They sat in silence for a while, with Wesley shifting uncomfortably on the squeaking leather. Fred cast him a glance, but looked away when he looked toward her. He shifted again, turning slightly to face her.
"Fred, I just wanted to say, about earlier -"
He was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door, followed by it slamming open to reveal a flustered Willow. Fred almost sighed in relief, she had known what conversation Wes had been trying to start and was grateful that he was stopped. She didn't want to hear it. She didn't ever want to hear it.
"Hi, Willow," Fred smiled. "What's up?"
"I wondered if I could speak to you?" she asked.
"Sure, I'll leave you two alone," Fred scrambled up from the couch, not looking at Wesley.
"Fred, wait," Wes called weakly, reaching out for her.
But she just waved her hands and left the room. Wes sighed and sank back into the couch. He ran his hands over his hair slowly, then he looked up at Willow.
"Yes, Willow, what can I do for you?" he asked.
She crossed the room and stopped shortly in front of him, fidgeting uncomfortably.
"Buffy told me," she blurted out suddenly.
"Ah."
"Yeah. She said he came back through some place here. The White Room or something?"
"Yes. Fred and I found Spike in the White Room."
"So he's back, right? He's alive? Well, not alive because he's a vampire and, y'know, dead anyway. But he's here?"
"Yes. Willow -"
"This White Room's really powerful, right? It can give answers and it can bring people back from the dead, right?"
Her voice was bordering on hysterical and tears brimmed in her eyes. Wes reached out to grab Willow's fidgeting fingers and draw her rapid movements to a stop.
"Sit down," he said gently, pulling her toward the couch. She sat and took a long breath. "Now. Take a deep breath. What is it you want to know?"
"The White Room can bring people back from the dead," Willow stated in a trembling voice.
"I don't know about that. It was certainly a player in Spike's return, but I don't - what is this about?"
"Do you know about Tara?" she asked.
"I had heard," Wes answered, lowering his gaze in discomfort.
"She was shot," Willow went on in a low voice. "It was an accident. It wasn't supposed to be her. I, uh, I killed the guy that shot her. Did you hear that?"
"Giles mentioned something when he was telling me about the spell you did in Sunnydale," he replied.
"Can this, um, White Room bring anyone back?" Willow asked bluntly, looking Wesley dead in the eye.
Wesley gaped, felt his stomach clench as he realised what she was asking him. He gulped hard before attempting to explain. He opened his mouth, then shut it again at the look on Willow's face. He took a deep breath before trying again.
"The higher powers would have had a hand in Spike's return," he said gently, touching Willow's knee. "They would have wanted Spike to come back for whatever reason."
"And they wouldn't want Tara to come back?" Willow's voice grew shrill and hoarse with tears. To Wesley's horror, tears spilled down her cheeks and she grabbed hold of his jeans and twisted her fingers into the material. She shook her head. "That doesn't make sense. She was so good, Wesley. She was so good and kind. Why wouldn't they want her back? She was everything. She was everything. She was everything I'm not. She was caring, generous, brave, strong," she gave a slightly hysterical laugh. "Strong like an Amazon. Why wouldn't they want her to come back?"
"Willow, I'm so sorry," Wesley whispered, covering her hands with his.
"It's not fair," she choked. "Good people… It's always good people."
He gulped, remembering something quite similar floating through his mind when Cordelia died. And again when Fred had cried in his arms the night Buffy and the others arrived.
"I know," he said.
Then with a wild sob, Willow pressed against him, hands letting go of his jeans so she could wrap her arms around his neck as she sobbed into his shoulder. He froze for a moment, before easing his arms around her waist and rocking her gently, whispering meaningless comforts as Willow continued to cry.
Gunn jogged down the stairs and glanced around the empty lobby. He crossed to the counter and was about to enter the office when he heard voices. He was about to turn around when he heard Angel's voice muttering angrily through the half open door of his office. Gunn jumped back as Angel stormed out, grunting a greeting before stalking toward the basement and disappearing.
Gunn gave a low whistle. He'd had a feeling that Buffy's arrival would cause friction. He remembered all too well Angel's reaction to her death and her consequent resurrection. He wasn't so much shocked as surprised Angel and Buffy were back together. The way he heard it, they were meant to be. And when Buffy and Angel came back from Wolfram and Hart earlier they had been exchanging sweet smiles and Gunn had got the distinct impression that things were back on track for them.
Guess I was wrong, he thought, wandering into the lobby in time to see Wesley and Fred return with Willow. They were either side of the redheaded witch, Fred had her arm looped through Willow's and Wes was guiding her with his hand on the small of her back. Gunn raised an eyebrow in question at Wes who shook his head and grimaced.
"Willow?" Kennedy ran down the stairs and halted in front of her. "What's wrong? Are you ok?"
"Yeah," Willow nodded. "I'm good. I'm gonna go lay down, I'm pretty tired."
She pulled away from Fred and Wes and made her way slowly up the stairs. Kennedy hesitated.
"Mind if I join you?" she asked softly.
Willow turned slowly, sniffled, then shook her head with a smile.
"I'd like that."
They watched the two walk up the stairs together and then retreated to the couch in the middle of the lobby.
"What's going on?" Gunn asked, watching the two women leave.
"Grief," Wesley answered.
"And love too, I think," Fred added, smiling at Willow and Kennedy.
Gunn nodded and was about to ask how the work was going when he noticed the tension between Wes and Fred. Not them too, he groaned inwardly. Why was it that no one could have a normal relationship? Why was it that it could never be simple?
"Seems you two have got some private issues to discuss," Gunn said, standing up. "And I've got somewhere to be."
Fred gaped at him and sighed as he left.
"So let's talk," she said. "What is it that you keep trying to tell me?"
"That I'm sorry about what happened with Lilah -"
"That -"
"Are you going to let me finish?" he asked with a smile, she nodded, zipping her lips. "I didn't want you to walk in on it. She kissed me and yes, I kissed her back. It was a moment of madness. It's not her I want."
"Ok," she shrugged. "That's all right then. We'll forget about it."
"Yes," he answered slowly. "But, aren't you going to ask me who I want if I don't want her?"
Fred avoided his eyes and blushed.
"Do you want to tell me?" she asked softly.
"I think you already know," he answered.
She looked up sharply at him, lips trembling inches from his. He leaned forward slightly, gaining in confidence when she didn't pull away.
"Oh. Sorry."
They darted apart and looked around to see Xander hesitating on the stairs.
"Xander," Wes greeted. "Good to see you out and about."
"Yeah, I thought maybe I should socialise."
"Great idea," Fred beamed, leaping up from the couch. "We could get a video. I bet Dawn and Andrew would wanna join us. Maybe Giles too? It'll be fun!"
She ran up the stairs to her room to search her DVD collection.
"I interrupted something, didn't I?" Xander said, sitting down beside Wesley.
"I've no idea," he replied as Fred returned with Dawn and Andrew and an arm full of DVDs, carefully avoiding Wesley's eyes.
Gunn hesitated outside the door of the apartment. He turned away from the door, turned back and then away again.
"Get a grip!" he hissed to himself and faced the door.
He lifted his fist to knock when the door swung open. The woman stared at him, eyes wide, gloved hand on hip.
"Hey, Gwen."