Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine...at least I think it's mine...
A/N: Thanks for the lovely supportive reviews – you are all so sweet! I've been giving this story a lot of thought now I've decided to keep writing it but nothing is set in stone so feel free to keep giving me suggestions – they're very helpful!
Chapter 3: Silent conversation
As the girl smiled Spike felt the breath catch in his throat. How was she affecting him like this? He knew nothing about her. True she was one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever laid eyes on, but Spike had seen a lot of beautiful girls in his life – he had cable after all! He couldn't understand what this reaction he had to her was and he wasn't sure he liked it. He hated not feeling like he was in control, and this girl struck him dumb with nothing more than a smile! Willow making him blush was one thing – he'd known her for years, but a girl he'd spent no more than half an hour in the presence of had no right doing this to him.
Despite the conflicting emotions warring within him however, he knew it wasn't her fault. She didn't force him to act like a pre-pubescent fourteen year old. She was still looking at him, the fear having left her eyes as the orderlies had left the room. Now she was just looking at him with such curiosity and wonder, as if she was trying to decide if he were really there or not. Spike was vaguely aware of the nurse mumbling something about leaving him to it and telling him to hit the emergency buzzer should she lash out again. There was silence in the room as they studied each other, and Spike was pleased to see that she had more colour to her face now, her eyes looking a little less sunken. When they had been there for a good five minutes Spike realised he should probably say something.
"Hi." Was all he seemed able to manage but she didn't appear to mind. She kept the small smile on her face and raised her hand slightly in greeting. Spike frowned slightly at the gesture but didn't give it much thought. Instead he looked around the room to see where the chair had gone. He chuckled when he saw it lying on its back in the corner of the room. "Your work?" He asked with a smile. 'Jane' looked away from him then, her eyes down cast as she nodded. Now Spike was really puzzled. For a girl who not ten minutes ago had been as good as beating up a couple of men twice her size she seemed unusually meek. Walking over to the chair he carried it back to the bedside and straddled it backwards, his head resting on his arms across its back. She nervously glanced in his direction but did not meet his eyes as he watched her. She began to fiddle with the sheets around her as if she were nervous.
"I'm Spike." He said at last, when the silence became too much for him. She did look up at him then and tilted her head, a silent question in her eyes. For some reason he once again could not explain, Spike knew exactly what she was asking. "It's a nickname." He told her. "My real name is William. I just prefer Spike."
'Jane' nodded. She preferred Spike too!
"What's your name?" he asked. He really hated thinking of her as Jane, it just didn't seem right.
The girl opened her mouth as if to speak, but closed it so quickly Spike was sure he heard her teeth knock together. She made an apologetic gesture, seemingly quite upset once more.
"Can't you talk?" Spike asked. At least that explained why they still didn't know who she was, as why she was so silent.
I said be quiet stupid little bitch! Want me to come over there and make you shut up?
She shook her head sadly, looking up into his eyes once more, her own wet with unshed tears, begging him to understand. "Hey, don't cry." Spike told her gently. "It's ok, there's no need to get upset." She looked so confused right then that Spike was sure his heart would break for her, it was as if his was not the only voice she could hear and she had no idea which to listen to!
"Guess I'll have to stick to calling you Jane Doe for now then." he sighed. 'Jane' stuck her tongue out in response – she found the name as ill fitting as he did. "Sorry ducks, can't call you by name if I don't know it!"
He decided it was probably a good idea to change the topic of...well conversation didn't seem like a fitting word...change topic of whatever this was they were having.
"Do you know where you are?" He asked, surely that was a safe enough question. 'Jane' shook her head. She didn't have a clue where she was.
"You're in a town called Sunnydale." Spike told her. "Ever heard of it?" Another shake of her head and Spike chuckled. "I'm not surprised – you're as close to nowhere as you can get in California. This place is tiny! I mean in the whole town there's only one decent club! How pathetic is that? I miss London!" He sighed wistfully lost in his memories for a few moments. When he came back to reality he saw her watching him intently, waiting for him to continue, as if she were hanging off his every word. "Want me to tell you about London?" He asked, and was rewarded with an enthusiastic nod and a smile...God that smile...
"...pretty sight if you can see it when it's not raining!" Spike finished an hour later. He hadn't talked that much...well ever! But she had been listening so attentively that he couldn't help but continue. It was so rare that people actually wanted to hear what he had to say. Sure he spoke to his friends, but that was normal everyday stuff, he couldn't go into a long speech about the place he still sometimes thought of as home without boring everyone to tears...and he never usually felt the need to say so much around them anyway – he considered himself the strong, silent type. However being silent around a person who can't talk doesn't make a very interesting conversation. "You'll have to see it one day." He said, thinking how cute a tiny thing like her would look bundled up against the harsh London winters.
She sighed silently and shook her head. That was never going to happen.
You're not going anywhere! Never! Your place is here! Quit those stupid daydreams of yours!
Spike saw such resignation in her eyes right then and he really wished he knew what had put it there, he wished she could tell him. He was about to try and launch another conversation when the ever-present nurse stuck her head around the door startling them both.
"Visiting hours are over I'm afraid." She announced sympathetically.
Spike shrugged his shoulders, unhappy that he had to leave but knowing he had little choice. "Right-o" he sighed, rising from his seat. "Guess I'll come back tomorrow."
He was about to walk out of the door when he heard 'Jane' clapping behind him, trying to get his attention. He turned to face her and saw she was near tears once more. She glanced quickly in the direction of the nurse then shot her worried gaze back to him. The message was clear – 'Please don't leave me alone here."
"I'm sorry." He told her sincerely. "Look no one is going to hurt you. They only want to help you." She looked as if she wanted to protest but instead slumped her shoulders in defeat. Spike couldn't stand to leave her like this. Walking back from the door he sat on the edge of the bed and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. The tender gesture seemed so alien to him, yet so right at that moment. "I'll be back tomorrow." He reassured her once more. When he pulled back he saw the question in her eyes once more. "Promise." He answered...
"Did she speak to you?" The nurse asked once they were outside of the room.
"No." Spike replied. "I don't think she can speak."
"That's a shame." The nurse lamented. "It's going to make this harder."
"Make what harder?" Spike asked curiously.
"Well we can't keep her here once she's all better." She sighed. "But without knowing where she's from we need to find someone who's willing to take her in."
...
"Mom!" Spike yelled as he came through the front door of his house, slamming it behind him as usual. "I need a favour!"
A/N: I know things probably don't really happen like that but call it creative licence and you can get away with anything...almost...I think. Well I hope you're still enjoying this. I know this chapter was kind of short but it's hard writing a one sided conversation – I'm working on it though. Thanks for the lovely reviews – love you all!
A/N: Thanks for the lovely supportive reviews – you are all so sweet! I've been giving this story a lot of thought now I've decided to keep writing it but nothing is set in stone so feel free to keep giving me suggestions – they're very helpful!
Chapter 3: Silent conversation
As the girl smiled Spike felt the breath catch in his throat. How was she affecting him like this? He knew nothing about her. True she was one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever laid eyes on, but Spike had seen a lot of beautiful girls in his life – he had cable after all! He couldn't understand what this reaction he had to her was and he wasn't sure he liked it. He hated not feeling like he was in control, and this girl struck him dumb with nothing more than a smile! Willow making him blush was one thing – he'd known her for years, but a girl he'd spent no more than half an hour in the presence of had no right doing this to him.
Despite the conflicting emotions warring within him however, he knew it wasn't her fault. She didn't force him to act like a pre-pubescent fourteen year old. She was still looking at him, the fear having left her eyes as the orderlies had left the room. Now she was just looking at him with such curiosity and wonder, as if she was trying to decide if he were really there or not. Spike was vaguely aware of the nurse mumbling something about leaving him to it and telling him to hit the emergency buzzer should she lash out again. There was silence in the room as they studied each other, and Spike was pleased to see that she had more colour to her face now, her eyes looking a little less sunken. When they had been there for a good five minutes Spike realised he should probably say something.
"Hi." Was all he seemed able to manage but she didn't appear to mind. She kept the small smile on her face and raised her hand slightly in greeting. Spike frowned slightly at the gesture but didn't give it much thought. Instead he looked around the room to see where the chair had gone. He chuckled when he saw it lying on its back in the corner of the room. "Your work?" He asked with a smile. 'Jane' looked away from him then, her eyes down cast as she nodded. Now Spike was really puzzled. For a girl who not ten minutes ago had been as good as beating up a couple of men twice her size she seemed unusually meek. Walking over to the chair he carried it back to the bedside and straddled it backwards, his head resting on his arms across its back. She nervously glanced in his direction but did not meet his eyes as he watched her. She began to fiddle with the sheets around her as if she were nervous.
"I'm Spike." He said at last, when the silence became too much for him. She did look up at him then and tilted her head, a silent question in her eyes. For some reason he once again could not explain, Spike knew exactly what she was asking. "It's a nickname." He told her. "My real name is William. I just prefer Spike."
'Jane' nodded. She preferred Spike too!
"What's your name?" he asked. He really hated thinking of her as Jane, it just didn't seem right.
The girl opened her mouth as if to speak, but closed it so quickly Spike was sure he heard her teeth knock together. She made an apologetic gesture, seemingly quite upset once more.
"Can't you talk?" Spike asked. At least that explained why they still didn't know who she was, as why she was so silent.
I said be quiet stupid little bitch! Want me to come over there and make you shut up?
She shook her head sadly, looking up into his eyes once more, her own wet with unshed tears, begging him to understand. "Hey, don't cry." Spike told her gently. "It's ok, there's no need to get upset." She looked so confused right then that Spike was sure his heart would break for her, it was as if his was not the only voice she could hear and she had no idea which to listen to!
"Guess I'll have to stick to calling you Jane Doe for now then." he sighed. 'Jane' stuck her tongue out in response – she found the name as ill fitting as he did. "Sorry ducks, can't call you by name if I don't know it!"
He decided it was probably a good idea to change the topic of...well conversation didn't seem like a fitting word...change topic of whatever this was they were having.
"Do you know where you are?" He asked, surely that was a safe enough question. 'Jane' shook her head. She didn't have a clue where she was.
"You're in a town called Sunnydale." Spike told her. "Ever heard of it?" Another shake of her head and Spike chuckled. "I'm not surprised – you're as close to nowhere as you can get in California. This place is tiny! I mean in the whole town there's only one decent club! How pathetic is that? I miss London!" He sighed wistfully lost in his memories for a few moments. When he came back to reality he saw her watching him intently, waiting for him to continue, as if she were hanging off his every word. "Want me to tell you about London?" He asked, and was rewarded with an enthusiastic nod and a smile...God that smile...
"...pretty sight if you can see it when it's not raining!" Spike finished an hour later. He hadn't talked that much...well ever! But she had been listening so attentively that he couldn't help but continue. It was so rare that people actually wanted to hear what he had to say. Sure he spoke to his friends, but that was normal everyday stuff, he couldn't go into a long speech about the place he still sometimes thought of as home without boring everyone to tears...and he never usually felt the need to say so much around them anyway – he considered himself the strong, silent type. However being silent around a person who can't talk doesn't make a very interesting conversation. "You'll have to see it one day." He said, thinking how cute a tiny thing like her would look bundled up against the harsh London winters.
She sighed silently and shook her head. That was never going to happen.
You're not going anywhere! Never! Your place is here! Quit those stupid daydreams of yours!
Spike saw such resignation in her eyes right then and he really wished he knew what had put it there, he wished she could tell him. He was about to try and launch another conversation when the ever-present nurse stuck her head around the door startling them both.
"Visiting hours are over I'm afraid." She announced sympathetically.
Spike shrugged his shoulders, unhappy that he had to leave but knowing he had little choice. "Right-o" he sighed, rising from his seat. "Guess I'll come back tomorrow."
He was about to walk out of the door when he heard 'Jane' clapping behind him, trying to get his attention. He turned to face her and saw she was near tears once more. She glanced quickly in the direction of the nurse then shot her worried gaze back to him. The message was clear – 'Please don't leave me alone here."
"I'm sorry." He told her sincerely. "Look no one is going to hurt you. They only want to help you." She looked as if she wanted to protest but instead slumped her shoulders in defeat. Spike couldn't stand to leave her like this. Walking back from the door he sat on the edge of the bed and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. The tender gesture seemed so alien to him, yet so right at that moment. "I'll be back tomorrow." He reassured her once more. When he pulled back he saw the question in her eyes once more. "Promise." He answered...
"Did she speak to you?" The nurse asked once they were outside of the room.
"No." Spike replied. "I don't think she can speak."
"That's a shame." The nurse lamented. "It's going to make this harder."
"Make what harder?" Spike asked curiously.
"Well we can't keep her here once she's all better." She sighed. "But without knowing where she's from we need to find someone who's willing to take her in."
...
"Mom!" Spike yelled as he came through the front door of his house, slamming it behind him as usual. "I need a favour!"
A/N: I know things probably don't really happen like that but call it creative licence and you can get away with anything...almost...I think. Well I hope you're still enjoying this. I know this chapter was kind of short but it's hard writing a one sided conversation – I'm working on it though. Thanks for the lovely reviews – love you all!