From Beneath You it Devours

by blackeyedgurl

AU Buffy 7 Angel 4 Spike needs help to get out of Africa, Buffy needs direction, it eats you starting with your bottom, better summary in first chapter

9. Pure & Simple

Authors Note: Thanks for all the reviews! I just want to clarify a few things. Timeends here are your concerns: #1, this is an Alternate Universe in the sense that this is loosely based one what happened the last season, but that it is not what happened at all. #2 I figured that in all reality if Buffy cleansed the house after he tied her up, it was pretty likely she did the same after an attempted rape, even if she didn't I could figure Xander, Dawn and Giles would take care of it when Willow was done trying to destroy the world. They are protective like that. I recently rewatched 'Beneath You' the other day, and you're right he didn't need to be reinvited in, but again this is my world. #3 Spike calling Giles, Giles instead of Rupert, most of the time, I noticed that in the last season Spike didn't overly call him Rupert. Regardless, I am using Spike's use of the name 'Giles' as a way of him trying to work within the Scooby system, in a sense trying to be one of the gang. #4 Hey the Jehovah's Witnesses still come to my house! #5, I'll keep an eye out for my overusage of the word 'fine' I didn't realize I was, so I will definately keep an eye out for it now. LoganAlpha30: Oh this story is only starting out as a Spike/Buffy thing, Faith, Angel, Willow, and many other characters are going to be worked in. Faith is one of my favorite Buffy-verse people so once I get her into the picture I promise some reconciling (and it won't be like it was on Angel last year cos I thought the Wes/Faith this was a bit contrived), and a romantic interest for her, who I will not tell you yet. Also sorry about the spelling errors, I am reformatting this story in Front Page Express and thye don't have a spell-check feature. Not only am I reformatting by I am changing the POV so if there are any inconsistencies I appologize, I will go back and fix them as soon as I can. One other note on the Buffy & Spike characterizations: In my AU Buffy is desperately in love with Spike, but Buffy is emotionally adolescent, she doesn't know how to express her feelings towards him in any way other than the physical way which she has communicated with him before. Thus she comes off a bit skanky. Also I wanted to show Buffy growing up, she may still be the vampire slayer but she's also trapped at a dead-end job, she's a parent in a sense to Dawn, and she has had to become a bit more on the domestic tip, which when it happens, can be exceptionally lonely, and can make one over anxious for human contact. So that's why Buffy seems desperate, emotionally hungry. Spike I am trying to show as picking up some of William's presumed Victorian modesty, also his soul gives him a conscious which although Spike was conscientious before the soul, he still really didn't feel guilt the way say Angel does. The guilt of 126+ years of killing can't leave him the same old Spike. It's got to take its toll on him, but instead of it making him some sort of poncy Nancy-boy, I'm having it mature him, so he will make adult decisions, and not just look at how something works out for him, he has genuine concern for Buffy & Co., but at the same time he and Buffy will sometimes regress into what they once were. Buffy & Spike are two characters that throughout the series no matter how much they 'grew' they were both still very immature, now I am giving them a chance to mature without Buffy becoming a royal bitch or Spike becoming pansy of the century. Buffy is a story about growing up, so I'm trying to create a story where 2 pivotal characters do, arguably in the final season Joss & Co. did their best to do this, but I'd like to do it without making Spike an insane killer/wuss and Buffy the kind of figure who's friends would kick her out. -Please keep reviewing, and reading and all that rot! I don't care if you love it or hate it, just let me know! and now on with the show! -Adrianna

Nighttime slows, raindrops splash rainbows
Perhaps some one you know, could sparkle and shine
As daydreams slide to color from shadow
Picture the moon glow, that dazzles my eyes, and I love you
Just lying smiling in the dark. Shooting stars around your heart
Dreams come bouncing in your head. Pure and simple every time
Dream of sights, of sleigh rides in seasons
Where feelings not reasons, can make you decide
As leaves pour down, splash autumn on gardens
As colder nights harden, their moonlit delights, and I love you
Just lying smiling in the dark. Shooting stars around your heart
Dreams come bouncing in your head. Pure and simple every time
Now you're crying in your sleep. I wish you'd never learnt to weep
Don't sell the dreams you should be keeping. Pure and simple every time
Look at me with starry eyes. Push me up to starry skies
There's stardust in my head. Pure and simple every time
Fresh and deep as oceans new; shiver at the sight of you
I'll sing a softer tune. Pure and simple over you
If love's the truth then look no lies
And let me swim around your eyes
I've found a place I'll never leave
Shut my mouth and just believe
Love is the truth I realize
Not a stream of pretty lies
To use us up and waste our time
-I. Broudie

Tijuana, Mexico

"Jonathan, wouldn't it be cool if we stopped at some bordello and had to fight the vampires until the dawn? You know, like Antonio Banderas and George Clooney?" Andrew wondered out loud.

"Yeah, that'd be cool, very Robert Rodrigez. From Dusk 'til Dawn was a very highly underrated movie. I'm definitely Antonio"

"No you aren't, I'M Antonio!"

Andrew hit Jonathan. They were walking through the vegetable market in Tijuana. Both were wearing their ponchos, sombreros and sandals, 'undercover' as they believed. Instead they stuck out like a sore thumb, no one really dressed like that. They were heading back to their meager, efficiency apartment. Andrew was thankful that Jonathan had stashed away $1,000.00 of their 'let's take over the world' money, hid it from Warren. This thousand afforded them the ability to eat and have a roof over their heads.

Mexico was cheap though. Jonathan had started doing small amounts of magick on the side. Simple little things, love spells, locater spells, the possession of a rival's goat by evil spirits, that sort of thing. Andrew hadn't found a huge calling for demon raisers, so he was working at a corner taco stand, mainly as the English speaker to lure in the American tourists. They had finally stopped fighting about the Warren situation. Jonathan felt betrayed by his long time friend, Andrew was always looking for someone to follow, Warren just happened to be there. Andrew felt guilty, he could tell that Jonathan didn't trust him, he knew that Jonathan kept a knife in his bag, next to the bed, just in case Andrew lashed out at him.

"I don't feel good" Andrew whined as they entered the single room apartment.

"That's because you keep eating those tacos at work.You know they are probably made of dog. Since that stand went up there has been a noticeable decline in strays."

"You're sick, they don't eat dog." Andrew knew that Jonathan was probably right and went to the bathroom to purge his lunch.

When Andrew returned to the room, both boys sat on the edge of the bed, flipping through the channel on their black and white TV.

"I can't believe we only get 1 station and the X-files isn't even on it, it's like living in the stone age." Andrew bounced on the bed as he spoke.

"I know, I am going through serious withdrawal, haven't they heard of syndication down here?"

"Mulder loves me, I mean I love Mulder, he's so cool, all Mac Gyver like."

"It's depressing, all we get is Baywatch and that creepy show with the fat man in cartoon shirts." Jonathon lamented.

"Yeah, I think that's like the Mexican version of Passions, I don't speak Mexican but I can tell that it's weird."

"Andrew, they speak Spanish, not Mexican."

"Whatever, I don't care."

"Fine."

It was getting dark. Andrew ate chips in bed, he was always getting crumbs everywhere, irritating Jonathan. The past few nights had been bad. Neither wanted to sleep. They had dreams, similar dreams, but both ending the same way with death and total destruction. The only thing they had in this world was each other, and now they even weren't sure that would last due to apocalypse.

"Hey Jonathan, what did that guy say to you in your dream last night, I mean in English"

"I think it was something like 'It eats you starting with your bottom'."

"The Klingon who was kicking my, I-I-I mean who's ass I was kicking said like the same thing, only it was more like 'Your ass will be eaten from the ground.' Thats weird right, having the same dream?"

"Yeah, its weird. Did yours take place in Sunnydale?"

"Actually I was in Sunnydale, but I was on the USS Enterprise, original version not the newer one. It was like parked at the mall, but no other crew members were around, except me and I had this awesome uniform..." Jonathan stared at him. "Yeah I was in Sunnydale."

"Do you think we should go back? I mean I can feel something is going on, something's not right. The requests for farm animal possessions have had a sharp incline this week, and someone asked me to locate a dead person because they were seeing that person in their house."

"Wow, just like the Sixth Sense."

"Yeah. Maybe we should take the rest of the money and head back."

"But we're wanted men. We're on the lamb, we're men with a price on our heads!"

"Stop being dramatic. I doubt they would want us back in jail after what happened last time. Plus it's not like the FBI is after us, its the Sunnydale PD, like the only thing they do is take mysteriously dead bodies to the morgue and send slime samples into the crime lab."

"Yeah. Ooo Ooo Ooo We could go in disguise. I could be a wealthy business man from a distant land and you could be my dwarf."

"Fuck you Andrew."

"What? Oh yeah, the short jokes, sor-ry. Won't Buffy and Darth Rosenberg and the rest of her creepy squad come after us? I mean we didn't leave on the best of terms, and like the slayer is supposed to stop stuff like this."

"I didn't think about that. We'll keep low for a few days, I'll go and talk to her. Tell her about what we've been seeing. The dead girls are in your dream too right?"

"I think so, I mean the Enterprise is a very expansive ship, so I can't be positive, but I think there was a dead girl in the mall parking lot."

"You are so weird. Anyways, they are pretty good with this sort of stuff. Remember when they blew up the High School?"

"Yeah, that was cool. What if they blow us up?"

"They won't blow us up. If we offer to help, explain we are on a road of redemption, you know doing the good fight, that sort of thing. I mean they let that vampire hang around, and Anya, who's apparently some sort of demon now, they are reformed evil, and if Willow didn't kill them all they are probably still hanging out with her."

"Yeah Anya's a vengeance demon. D'Hoffryn, her boss, totally offered me a job after the whole Warren flaying, saying I had a reason to be mad, blah blah blah, I told him that his benefits package was unacceptable. But he told me about her, she's pretty wicked with the scorned women. Anyways I didn't need to be a demon, cos I can just call them anyways. I don't think we should go back yet."

"I think we have to."

They both laid in bed, Jonathan turned off the sound, only the half static images of Pamela Anderson and David Hasslehoff bouncing down a sunny beach could be seen.

"You know David Hasselhoff is a huge pop star in Germany." Andrew announced.

"I'm going to sleep.

Jonathan turned off the TV, and the light next to his bed. It was the only light in the whole room. He rolled to his side and put his back to Andrew. Andrew continued eating chips and crinkling the bag.

"Damnit Andrew, stop it. I want to sleep."

"And I want to eat corn chips and think about David Hasslehoff joining my band and touring Germany with me."

"What band? You don't have a band! Well can you think and eat more quietly cos you are inhibiting my ability to sleep."

"Whatever. You are just jealous."

"Jealous of what? Your ability to eat with your mouth open? Maybe your strange new obsession with David Hasslehoff?"

"Fine! I'll stop."

Andrew threw the bag of chips on the floor, and then dramatically threw himself at his pillow. He was such an attention getter, so desperate to be the center of attention, but also so eager to follow.

"Jonathon?"

"What?"

"If you have one of those dreams again, wake me up okay? I'll wake you up if I have one, cos I mean, it'll be easier to understand them if we do."

"Okay..."

"I mean it'll make me feel better if I don't have to be awake and alone, cos they're kinda scary."

"Yeah I know."

Both boys pulled the blankets up close to their faces, dreading sleep, but desperately needing it. It didn't take long before both were passed out cold. They had been so tired and self absorbed that they hadn't noticed the presence in the room. Warren's shape watched them from the shadows. He was calculating just how these two, who were so reliant on each other, could be pitted against each other again. There was always a way. Going back to Sunnydale wasn't in his plans, but he could work around it. Plans were always fluid, subject to change. "From beneath you it devours boys, from beneath you" he whispered before disapearing.

Tomorrow morning they would wake up, pack their things, and buy a car. Tomorrow they would leave for Sunnydale.

---

Sunnydale, California

The last heat of summer was radiating from her windows. Summer was winding down, and like an animal, vampires could feel when seasons were turning. Soon it would turn colder, leaves may fall, frost in the morning, the world would slow down. Not right now though. Right now he was laying in this bed, with the woman he thought would cause his heart to beat again, right now he was content. It was day, at least 9 am, probably later. He could hear the TV downstairs, Dawn flipping the channels between music videos and bombing runs. A pile of clothes was in front of Buffy's closet, and a bag of them too. Dawn had been in there, seen this. She would know, she would think things that were not true.

He had been awake for hours. He couldn't rip himself from her, he couldn't leave, because he feared that at any moment she would change her mind, kick him out, abandon him. She was so warm and soft. He traced her spine with his fingers, watched her chest rise and fall with breath, touched her hair, her gorgeous head of spun gold. Occasionally she murmured something, or moaned. She tossed a lot in her sleep. He had held her down most of the night. Apparently not even in sleep could a slayer rest.

It finally dawned on him that last night he hadn't been tortured, hadn't been teased and abused by the spirits, and hadn't taken the sleeping pills. Maybe his redemption was moving forward, maybe he was getting over it, or maybe it was just the completeness he felt here, with her, that made them disappear.

He could feel the hunger building in him. Since the soul he didn't eat nearly as often as he should. Even with the chip he had 3 warm meals a day not to mention the Buffalo wings, blooming onions and large quantities of alcohol. All of them not providing nourishment, just a sense of humanity. That was all Spike really wanted, to be one of them, to be like them, to have a second chance at a mortal life. It could never be, and he knew it.

The phone rang downstairs, Spike could hear Dawn leap from the couch to the portable phone. Soon he heard her climbing up the steps, skipping every other one, something she must have picked up from him.

"Yeah, hold on I'll wake her up" Dawn walked through the door. "Hey Spike, wake up sleeping beauty there, it's Wesley, he called last night but I think she was already in bed, the message was on the machine when I got home."

"Buffy? Buffy wake up, Wesley's on the phone." He was shaking her. She started to wake up. Dawn handed the phone to Spike and left the room. "Wesley? Yeah, this is Spike, just wait a minute she'll be right with you, she's a deep sleeper." Buffy started to sit up and Spike handed her the phone, "It's Wesley" her face lit up with recognition of what she forgot to do.

"Wes? Yeah this is Buffy."

"Buffy, Lorne told me you called yesterday. I tried ringing you back, but I only got your machine, so I tried back this morning."

"Yeah, sorry I went to bed early."

"Apparently, why is Spike in your bedroom?"

"It's a long story Wes, and one I don't want to explain over the phone. Here's the deal. Giles is coming in tomorrow from England, he wants you here in Sunnydale. He has something very important to tell you regarding Faith and me."

"Faith? Has she gotten loose?"

"No, I guess he contacted her in prison or something. I am guessing something really bad is about to happen, not just big bad-y more like Oh My God Run For Your Life Bad-y."

"Really? When is he coming in?"

"I'm not sure he just said for you to meet him here at my house. He has something he needs to go over with you. He wasn't big on the details. All I know is he will be here on Saturday, with three, but possibly more girls, he can't tell me what's going on over the phone, I am not to patrol until he gets here, and Spike is supposed to be my guardian or something."

"Well, that's peculiar."

"Seriously Wesley, he was wiggin' out on me. I don't know what's going on, but he's got me plenty freaked out. So will you come up?"

"Yes, I will pack my things and head up immediately, I can be there in about 4 hours, I just have a few things to finish up here, and I'm gone."

"You don't need to come until tomorrow, but if you want, you can stay here, we have plenty of room, and left over spaghetti, YUM!"

"Yes, lovely. I will see you later today. Please listen to Giles. I know he wouldn't warn you like that if it wasn't important."

"I know Wesley, see you later."

Buffy hung up the phone. While she was talking Spike had gotten up and got dressed. Looking through the pile of things Dawn brought, he found the old familiar clothes he missed so much.

"So, this'll be fun, 3 Brits in one house. You up for that Spike?"

"What?"

"Calling Spike, this is earth, do you read?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking. So this Wesley is coming over?"

"Yeah, I don't think you know him."

"I can't recall, I possibly met him, he sounds pretty unremarkable."

"Yeah he was Faith's watcher. Sort of snobby and a real rule follower, all tweed and corduroy. But I guess now he's all stylin' and cool. Why is it that the second they stop being watchers they get cool?"

"Don't know, pet."

"Spike, I gotta run to the store and get some supplies, sounds like I am going to have a bunch of house guests. So I should get some food and stuff. Do you need anything?"

"A carton of smokes would be nice." He took the last one out of the pack and threw it at her. "Get the ones that look like that, they are pretty good. Oh and here, take this, if I'm going to be staying here I might as well give you my money. Its not much, but it'll help. When I can get back to the crypt I can dig out my stash and give you some more."

"Spike, you don't have to..."

"No, if I am going to live here, I am going to help you pay for things, take it and shut up."

"Wow, if Tara and Willow would have done this I probably wouldn't have had to work at the Doublemeat nightmare."

"Pick up some Guiness too, Giles likes Guiness, and if Wesley has any taste he will too."

"Anything else oh master of all that is grocery?"

"No, that's it. Is there any more blood in the freezer?"

"Um, probably not, I'll stop by the butcher's and stock up."

"You probably shouldn't go alone."

"Spike, nothing ever attacks in Sunnydale during the day. Nothing. You know that."

"Good point, right then. I'll watch the little bit, you go to the store, it'll be grand."

Spike went downstairs. He went for the curio cabinet near the fireplace where the Summers kept their meager book collection. Signs of Willow were still hidden everywhere. When he opened the door, the smell of spoiled mandrake root crept out.

"Yuck! Don't you two ever go in here? Don't you know what happens to Mandrake after a while? God! It smells like someone died in there!"

"What?" Dawn didn't even look up from the TV. Spike dug out the bag of Mandrake as well as several other bags full of odd conjuring plants and threw them out.

A few of Willow's magick books had been stuck in the case when she left. Their collection was nothing special, a random mix of Joyce's art history books, some archaeology, trashy romance novels, and a varied collection of anthologies of short stories, poetry and others. He was looking for the book he was reading when he used to watch Dawn. The book he would read after she had gone to bed and he sat alone in this ghost of a house, a house filled with memories of two women who made him feel more like a man and less like a monster. The house Xander had turned him away from after Joyce died. They didn't realize it, but he visited her grave whenever he could, replacing dead flowers, cleaning the grass clippings off of the headstone. When Buffy was gone he had done the same for her, maintaining his tie with the one Summers woman who was left on this plane, while caring for both after death.

Someone in this house had a thing for Fitzgerald, probably Joyce, Buffy wasn't much of a reader, and if it wasn't in the TV Guide or homework Dawn rarely read herself. He had finished The Great Gatsby, The Beautiful and Damned, and was working on This Side of Paradise when Buffy came back. He never had finished it, and now, being here, with time on his hands he figured he could. He loved Fitzgerald's work, people who had everything, but still had nothing. Men who chased women they would never have, tragic endings, heartbreaking tales, it was everything he remembered the Twenties to be, including the excess and the debauchery. It was a good way to lose an afternoon.

"Guys, I'm going. I'll be back in like an hour. If Wesley calls tell him I'll be right back, same with Giles. If Xander shows up just let him in the basement to fix the dryer. K?"

"Yeah, no problem." Spike didn't even look in her direction.

"Buffy? Could you get me more Dr. Pepper and Pringles, Puh-leeese?"

"Dawn, don't beg, yeah they're on the list. Later"

Buffy left, Dawn zoned out, and Spike found his book. This was the last Friday things would be this simple, this easy, this uncomplicated. Everything felt so domestic, so normal, so not Buffy's world, that it was only a matter of time before things fell apart.