Chapter IX: Accords.
She's lying in bed, in sheer bliss. Her body at peace. Her mind at ease. She's been sleeping for hours after an evening of passion. She turns in the bed, expecting her lover to cuddle with her, but she finds herself alone. She opens her eyes, softly and sits up. She gently rubs her eyes and looks at the balcony. He sits at the lounge chair looking at the stars. To his side there's a broadsword, intricately allocated by his fingertips.
She walks towards him and feels his despair. He's nervous. Fearful that he will not come out alive. She closes her eyes and remembers the loving words he softly whispered into her ears mere hours ago. She feels his hand meticulously caressing her figure. She feels his lips as they travel along her skin, from her lips down her neck. She opens her eyes and sighs in relief and satisfaction.
Lindsey: "What're you doing up, babe?"
Eve: (startled) "Sorry. What are you doing out here?"
Lindsey: "Just thought I'd take a breather to cough up the strength to walk into Wolfram & Hart."
Eve: (walks over to his side) "Do you trust him?"
Lindsey: (looks over to her and sees her standing there in bare skin) "Babe?"
He stands up and walks her inside the apartment. He grabs the bed sheets and puts it across her, covering her entire body. He rubs her arms and smiles into her eyes.
Lindsey: "Better?"
Eve: (looks nervous) "No. I-I, um, I--"
Lindsey: "No."
Eve looks at him as he walks away from her. He steps into the balcony and bends over to pick his sword. He swings it about slowly, twirling it around the hilt. She walks slowly towards him and he turns around, facing her. He walks inside the apartment ignoring her as she grasps for his hand. He walks into the kitchen and sets the sword on the counter.
Eve: (walks in and reclines on the door) "Why are you doing this?"
The words resonate in his ears. He turns around and sees her standing there, looking so frail. He opens the door of the refrigerator and takes out a carton of Orange Juice. He opens it and faces her again.
Lindsey: "I don't know." (drinks from the carton)
Eve: "Then let's go. We can leave L.A. now."
He stares into her eyes. He puts the carton in the nearby counter and walks towards her. He holds her gently by the waist, drowning in her light stare.
Lindsey: "I can't leave. Not yet."
Eve: "They'll kill you. You do realize that, don't you?"
Lindsey: (turns around and walks towards the counter) "If they wanted to do that, they would've done so already."
Eve: "And how do you know that Angel won't betray you?"
Lindsey: "Because he's the good guy and, apparently, so am I." (he grabs his sword and walks out) "Everything will be fine. Should anything happen I want you to get out of here. Go as far as possible and lay low."
He enters his room and picks up his shoes. He sits down on his bed and ties them up.
Eve: (from the doorway) "Lindsey."
Lindsey: "Look, I know this whole thing looks like the plot of some cheesy disaster movie or something, but I'm serious." (stands up and walks out of the room again) "I'll need to know that you'll be safe if I want to get through this in one piece."
He turns and faces her once more.
Lindsey: (cont.) "I'll look for immediately after this is done. I'll find you."
Eve looks away and combs her hair behind her ears. Lindsey sees her heartbroken and walks up to her.
Lindsey: (cont.) "I'll come for you. I give you my word. I'll make it through this and we'll get away from this."
Eve: (voice breaking) "Just hurry up and do it."
Lindsey: (smiles) "I love you, babe."
Eve: "If you die I'll kill you."
Lindsey smiles and brushes her hair away from her face with his right hand. She grabs it and kisses his fingers. He leans over and softly kisses her lips. She doesn't respond to it at first but after a couple of moments she grabs his face with both hands and they kiss passionately. Their hands run across their bodies, feeling their skin, their blood pumping through their veins. He drops his sword and walks with her towards the couch in the living room, still engrossed in the moment. Their bodies fall in unison, their lips and hands still connected to one another. They feel each other, savoring this moment as if it were their last night on Earth.
Wes is standing in the doorway of Spike's room. He looks at him, marveling at how incredibly worried he is for him. He walks in and closes the door behind him as quietly as he can. He grabs a chair and sits down beside the bed holding a small copper-colored book in his hand.
Spike: "Come to sing me lullaby?"
Wes: (smiling) "How're you feeling?"
Spike: "How do you think?"
Wes: "Point taken."
Spike: "Where the hell am I?"
Wes: "Fairfield Clinic."
Spike looks around without moving his neck much.
Wes: (cont.) "It's a hospital funded by Wolfram & Hart."
Spike looks at him sharply. Wes suddenly feels cold and uncomfortable from the stare.
Wes: (cont.) "After you disappeared I asked Lindsey to help in the search."
Spike: "And he complied that easily?"
Wes looks at him and sighs. He stands up and walks towards the door. He looks through the small window and suddenly, without turning his gaze, he yanks the electrical chord of the back of the video camera taping them.
Spike: (nervously) "What are you--? What are you doing?"
Wes: (turns towards Spike) "Spike."
Spike looks at him and calms down.
Wes: (cont.) "I need you to tell me what happened the night you disappeared."
Spike: (pauses, then stammering) "I, uh, I was following these vamps. They weren't really anything big, just wanna-be-overlords-of evil. I followed them into an alley. I fought them, dusted the bastards and sat on a garbage can to grab a smoke."
Wes: "Then, what happened?"
Spike: "I heard a loud roar. It sounded like when you grind metal. It--" (he closes his eyes and quivers fearfully from the memories) "I, uh, I--"
Wes: "Spike?"
Spike: "I'm... I'm sorry."
Wes: "Don't worry. What happened next?"
Spike: "I got off the garbage can and I walked down the alley. Then--"
Spike trails off. Wes looks at him intently.
Spike: (cont.) "Then he--"
Wes: "Spike."
Spike: (looks at him) "I couldn't move. I couldn't--"
Wes: "Did you happen to notice any identifiable characteristics?"
Spike: "I, uh, ahem he had tattoos all over his face. He looked like that Nightcrawler guy from the movie."
Wes raises his eyebrows, clearly missing the point.
Spike: (cont.) "The movie. The one with the guy with cla-- He had tattoos all over his body. ahem They looked like scars, but they were ritual tats."
Wes: "Anything else?"
Spike: "I couldn't move."
Wes: "He paralyzed you?"
Spike: "No. He was too fast. Didn't give me a chance to even flick one of his hairs."
Wes: (looks around and stands up) "That's, um, I'll see what I can do with this."
Spike: "Wesley?"
Wes: "Yes?"
Spike: "Is there something you're not telling me?"
Wes: (pauses, then sharply) "Yes."
Spike looks at him with curiosity.
Wes: "When I'm ready you'll be the first to know."
Spike: "And how do you expect me to trust you till then?"
Wes: "You're just going to have to."
Wes and Spike look at each other's eyes once more. Wes turns around and walks out towards the door. He stops.
Wes: "They'll take care of you until you're better. I suggest you rest as much as you can. We're going to need you in order to fight this thing."
He looks at Spike and he notices that he's looking at the roof. Wes walks out of the room and leaves.
Lindsey MacDonald's at his office. Wolfram & Hart is characteristically dark at this hour, but tonight it feels colder and more somber than usual. He signs contracts and awards petitions in his office. He puts the pen down and reclines on his chair, resting his feet in his desk while stretching his fingers. He closes his eyes, wanting nothing more than to sleep when the phone rings. Startled, he slowly picks it up after allowing it to ring several times.
Lindsey: "This is Lindsey."
He listens to the person on the other end of the line intently, without responding.
Lindsey: "I, uh, I understand. Thanks. I, uh..."
He hangs up the phone and sits back staring at it. Then, standing from his chair, he picks up his jacket from the desk and walks over to the elevator. Its doors open and he steps in.
-- Teleute.
She's lying in bed, in sheer bliss. Her body at peace. Her mind at ease. She's been sleeping for hours after an evening of passion. She turns in the bed, expecting her lover to cuddle with her, but she finds herself alone. She opens her eyes, softly and sits up. She gently rubs her eyes and looks at the balcony. He sits at the lounge chair looking at the stars. To his side there's a broadsword, intricately allocated by his fingertips.
She walks towards him and feels his despair. He's nervous. Fearful that he will not come out alive. She closes her eyes and remembers the loving words he softly whispered into her ears mere hours ago. She feels his hand meticulously caressing her figure. She feels his lips as they travel along her skin, from her lips down her neck. She opens her eyes and sighs in relief and satisfaction.
Lindsey: "What're you doing up, babe?"
Eve: (startled) "Sorry. What are you doing out here?"
Lindsey: "Just thought I'd take a breather to cough up the strength to walk into Wolfram & Hart."
Eve: (walks over to his side) "Do you trust him?"
Lindsey: (looks over to her and sees her standing there in bare skin) "Babe?"
He stands up and walks her inside the apartment. He grabs the bed sheets and puts it across her, covering her entire body. He rubs her arms and smiles into her eyes.
Lindsey: "Better?"
Eve: (looks nervous) "No. I-I, um, I--"
Lindsey: "No."
Eve looks at him as he walks away from her. He steps into the balcony and bends over to pick his sword. He swings it about slowly, twirling it around the hilt. She walks slowly towards him and he turns around, facing her. He walks inside the apartment ignoring her as she grasps for his hand. He walks into the kitchen and sets the sword on the counter.
Eve: (walks in and reclines on the door) "Why are you doing this?"
The words resonate in his ears. He turns around and sees her standing there, looking so frail. He opens the door of the refrigerator and takes out a carton of Orange Juice. He opens it and faces her again.
Lindsey: "I don't know." (drinks from the carton)
Eve: "Then let's go. We can leave L.A. now."
He stares into her eyes. He puts the carton in the nearby counter and walks towards her. He holds her gently by the waist, drowning in her light stare.
Lindsey: "I can't leave. Not yet."
Eve: "They'll kill you. You do realize that, don't you?"
Lindsey: (turns around and walks towards the counter) "If they wanted to do that, they would've done so already."
Eve: "And how do you know that Angel won't betray you?"
Lindsey: "Because he's the good guy and, apparently, so am I." (he grabs his sword and walks out) "Everything will be fine. Should anything happen I want you to get out of here. Go as far as possible and lay low."
He enters his room and picks up his shoes. He sits down on his bed and ties them up.
Eve: (from the doorway) "Lindsey."
Lindsey: "Look, I know this whole thing looks like the plot of some cheesy disaster movie or something, but I'm serious." (stands up and walks out of the room again) "I'll need to know that you'll be safe if I want to get through this in one piece."
He turns and faces her once more.
Lindsey: (cont.) "I'll look for immediately after this is done. I'll find you."
Eve looks away and combs her hair behind her ears. Lindsey sees her heartbroken and walks up to her.
Lindsey: (cont.) "I'll come for you. I give you my word. I'll make it through this and we'll get away from this."
Eve: (voice breaking) "Just hurry up and do it."
Lindsey: (smiles) "I love you, babe."
Eve: "If you die I'll kill you."
Lindsey smiles and brushes her hair away from her face with his right hand. She grabs it and kisses his fingers. He leans over and softly kisses her lips. She doesn't respond to it at first but after a couple of moments she grabs his face with both hands and they kiss passionately. Their hands run across their bodies, feeling their skin, their blood pumping through their veins. He drops his sword and walks with her towards the couch in the living room, still engrossed in the moment. Their bodies fall in unison, their lips and hands still connected to one another. They feel each other, savoring this moment as if it were their last night on Earth.
Wes is standing in the doorway of Spike's room. He looks at him, marveling at how incredibly worried he is for him. He walks in and closes the door behind him as quietly as he can. He grabs a chair and sits down beside the bed holding a small copper-colored book in his hand.
Spike: "Come to sing me lullaby?"
Wes: (smiling) "How're you feeling?"
Spike: "How do you think?"
Wes: "Point taken."
Spike: "Where the hell am I?"
Wes: "Fairfield Clinic."
Spike looks around without moving his neck much.
Wes: (cont.) "It's a hospital funded by Wolfram & Hart."
Spike looks at him sharply. Wes suddenly feels cold and uncomfortable from the stare.
Wes: (cont.) "After you disappeared I asked Lindsey to help in the search."
Spike: "And he complied that easily?"
Wes looks at him and sighs. He stands up and walks towards the door. He looks through the small window and suddenly, without turning his gaze, he yanks the electrical chord of the back of the video camera taping them.
Spike: (nervously) "What are you--? What are you doing?"
Wes: (turns towards Spike) "Spike."
Spike looks at him and calms down.
Wes: (cont.) "I need you to tell me what happened the night you disappeared."
Spike: (pauses, then stammering) "I, uh, I was following these vamps. They weren't really anything big, just wanna-be-overlords-of evil. I followed them into an alley. I fought them, dusted the bastards and sat on a garbage can to grab a smoke."
Wes: "Then, what happened?"
Spike: "I heard a loud roar. It sounded like when you grind metal. It--" (he closes his eyes and quivers fearfully from the memories) "I, uh, I--"
Wes: "Spike?"
Spike: "I'm... I'm sorry."
Wes: "Don't worry. What happened next?"
Spike: "I got off the garbage can and I walked down the alley. Then--"
Spike trails off. Wes looks at him intently.
Spike: (cont.) "Then he--"
Wes: "Spike."
Spike: (looks at him) "I couldn't move. I couldn't--"
Wes: "Did you happen to notice any identifiable characteristics?"
Spike: "I, uh, ahem he had tattoos all over his face. He looked like that Nightcrawler guy from the movie."
Wes raises his eyebrows, clearly missing the point.
Spike: (cont.) "The movie. The one with the guy with cla-- He had tattoos all over his body. ahem They looked like scars, but they were ritual tats."
Wes: "Anything else?"
Spike: "I couldn't move."
Wes: "He paralyzed you?"
Spike: "No. He was too fast. Didn't give me a chance to even flick one of his hairs."
Wes: (looks around and stands up) "That's, um, I'll see what I can do with this."
Spike: "Wesley?"
Wes: "Yes?"
Spike: "Is there something you're not telling me?"
Wes: (pauses, then sharply) "Yes."
Spike looks at him with curiosity.
Wes: "When I'm ready you'll be the first to know."
Spike: "And how do you expect me to trust you till then?"
Wes: "You're just going to have to."
Wes and Spike look at each other's eyes once more. Wes turns around and walks out towards the door. He stops.
Wes: "They'll take care of you until you're better. I suggest you rest as much as you can. We're going to need you in order to fight this thing."
He looks at Spike and he notices that he's looking at the roof. Wes walks out of the room and leaves.
Lindsey MacDonald's at his office. Wolfram & Hart is characteristically dark at this hour, but tonight it feels colder and more somber than usual. He signs contracts and awards petitions in his office. He puts the pen down and reclines on his chair, resting his feet in his desk while stretching his fingers. He closes his eyes, wanting nothing more than to sleep when the phone rings. Startled, he slowly picks it up after allowing it to ring several times.
Lindsey: "This is Lindsey."
He listens to the person on the other end of the line intently, without responding.
Lindsey: "I, uh, I understand. Thanks. I, uh..."
He hangs up the phone and sits back staring at it. Then, standing from his chair, he picks up his jacket from the desk and walks over to the elevator. Its doors open and he steps in.
-- Teleute.