After the Storm
Chapter 16
By Vixen
Spike dipped down into the crystal clear waters of the lake, enjoying the solitude. The others were off practicing, training, doing the hero thing. He'd gotten the day off to relax, and taking a cool bath was the only thing on his mind. The waters parted as his naked body sank deeper into the serenely calm waves. The lake was about a mile from camp, far enough to risk some skinny-dipping without fear of interruptions or any of his new groupies finding him in various stages of undress.
The cool lake water lapped at his stomach, and he walked further in, sinking his toes into the sandy bottom. Once it reached his shoulders, Spike dived into the water headfirst, swam out a few feet, and surfaced a little farther away. The water ran through his hair, which was longer now, the length where it started getting curly. Roots were also showing, brown like his natural color. It's been a long time since he'd had a chance to dye it, since he'd been in Los Angeles.
The double suns beat down on the land, washing the purple hills with a warm reddish glow. Spike barely thought about going out in the sun anymore, or how strange it was that a vampire could be outside during the day, it had becoming commonplace. If he ever returned to Los Angeles, he wondered if he'd just forget about not being able to go outside and accidentally burn up some day. Better to burn up than out at least.
There was movement in the bushes by the shore. It caught Spike's eye and he stopped swimming and put his feet back on the sandy ground again. Annoyed, he kept look out for any more signs someone was watching him. If it turned out to be one of the young girls from the tribe again, trying to catch him while he was undressed, they'd have one angry Spike on their hands. At first it was nice, everyone acting like he was the hero, fawning over him and following him around. It got old real fast though; his frisky fans were one thing he didn't know how to handle.
After the first minor incident with one of the women, Angel had warned him not to go around having casual affairs with them. Spike had scoffed at that, figuring the poof was just upset he couldn't get any without going all evil and losing his soul. Though when his fan base had grown along with the amount of girls gawking at him like he was a sex symbol, it did get a bit unnerving. Of course Spike didn't blame them, he thought himself devilishly handsome after all. But they did the weirdest things, like trying to sneak into his bedroom late at night or that one time when they stole all his clothes while he was bathing. Like rabid little bunnies, they were.
The waters stirred as Spike walked towards the shoreline, stopping right when the water was at his waist. If it was one of the girls, they weren't going to get a show from him. The tall grass swayed as a figure stood up; straightening up to it's full height. Blond hair cascades off her shoulders, flowing straight down past her curvaceous breasts. Her pouting eyes starred longingly at him, startling Spike.
Buffy.
But how could she be here? He looked up at the suns, wondering if he'd been outside too long, maybe vampires didn't burn up in this dimension but instead went crazy. Spike felt his forehead; it was wet to the touch but only from the swimming not from a fever. He could barely get a hold of his senses long enough to croak out a few words, "Buffy?"
He wanted it to be her, and yet at the same time was petrified that it might just be. She was the one thing in his life he'd never been able to face head on, directly and confidently. The power she had held against him while they were in their own dimension was so strong it kept him away when he became corporal again, even though she was the one thing he wanted after escaping the amulet. Now, here in a world that was not his own, he wanted to take comfort in her beauty, her touch. Some impossible twist of luck had brought her here, and he didn't care why. They were together again.
Buffy just smiled and giggled, saying nothing before shimmying out of her sheer white skirt and tossing her tank top over the tall weeds. Spike starred with needlessly bated breath, watching her peal away pieces of clothing, throwing them aside unthinkingly. It had to be a dream; Buffy would never have gotten naked so quickly, and with such a smile on her face. Still, a dream was better than nothing. He had to take advantage of this illusions produced by his subconscious while it lasted, before waking up alone again.
"Spike, I've missed you," The slayer said, dipping the tips of her toes in the water, testing the temperature and testing him. "You should have come back to me."
The vampire's eyes never left her shape, smooth and naked. Her tan skin looked healthy and pure in the sunlight, he hadn't seen her in the sun since he'd stolen the ring of Amarra, and he hadn't been interested in her back then. Well, interested yes.. but he had only wanted to kill her, not sleep with her. Not caress her warm bare skin, like he did now. When she knew she had gotten his attention, she slipped into the lake, walking in up to her knees.
She bent down and touched the water with her hand, and then splashed him with it. Giggling, she walked closer to him, running a hand across his dripping wet chest, tracing spirals and swirls along his skin, "We belong together, you know."
Their lips met, but it didn't feel the same as when he had kissed her times before. Spike wanted to believe that this was real, or at least a dream, which he'd never wake up from, but his senses had picked up something. He took a step back, breaking from the tender kiss, and growled, "Illyria! What the blood hell are you playing at?"
The Buffy-look-alike frowned, her game ended. Pausing for a moment, she looked up at the sky and let changed back into normal form, the one that looked more like Fred then the slayer. Cold blue eyes replaced warm green ones, her hair shifted back to its blue shade, and her skin became paler with a bluish tint. The change wasn't only a physical one, but the way she held herself changed as well. Movements became sharp and mechanical, inhuman.
Spike watched the transformation take place, annoyed that he had let his guard down. She had looked so much like the girl he once loved; he had wanted it to be her so much it now hurt. The look of wounded disappointment Illyria now possessed did nothing to bring about pity from the vampire, instead he pushed her downwards at full strength.
Her still naked body fell backwards into the water. Illyria landed on her elbows, remaining silent in her defeat, preferring not to watch as Spike stomped out of the land, grumbling British curses that were unfamiliar to her ears. She could have easily beaten him back, and Spike wondered momentarily why she didn't. He would have welcomed a fight right then, anger tearing at him.
When she finally met him at the shore, he was shoving his pants on. The tight red catsuit and boots she usually wore reformed out of nothingness and the own power contained in her mind. Meanwhile, he grabbed his shirt and finished buckling the belt.
When he was fully dressed, he rounded on her. She appeared helpless, crying, and he could do nothing to hide his astonishment but yell, "Think it's funny to dress up as other people, do you? Was it a good laugh for you, huh?"
Wet hair hung in clumps around her head, while the tears fell from her eyes. Spike had never seen her this upset, showing emotions. It was not like her. Something had to be wrong, but he didn't care what it was. He turned to leave, but she grasped onto his arm, "I have never felt such grief. The emotions this shell can experience are.. unbearable." Her voice shook in impatience, "I was trying to replace the human, is that not what you are expected to do when someone dies. I was Fred's replacement, but I cannot find any being able to fill.. his place."
"How about your little followers from this tribe? Why don't you toddle off and beat them about the head. You always enjoyed that," Spike was in no mood to make conversation or to comfort her. She was a god, what the hell did she need a vampire for except to be a prospective companion for her anguish. That was a role he couldn't fill, and honestly didn't want to.
"I ingested their foul ale, it filled my head with ache when the suns rose. It did nothing to destroy these feelings. My new followers have called me goddess, divine, rare, as I should be and have been. They have sprung up to bow down before my superiority," Her eyes were shadowy as she walked beside the vampire, unusual emotions flickering behind them. For the most part, he ignored her attempt to follow him. "They have offered me companions of every sort.. and still I think of him. You existed on the same plane as he, the same dimension, you will make an acceptable substitution."
He cocked his head towards her, "Here's what you're not getting Blue: I. Don't. Care. Go find some other toy, I'm done with this."
The sadness left her eyes, fury replacing it. Illyria crossed her arms and stuck out her chin, "You should feel honored I have chosen you to be the human's replacement. To be my companion is a job worthy of honor and respect, but I see you are capable of receiving none of that."
Spike pointed wildly at the shell, unable to contain the irritation her flippant attitude was causing him. "Trouble with you is you think replacing people is so easy," Thinking back to the time Drusilla had left him, he remarked, "It never is. Can't just take one and pretend it's another."
"Your leader replaced his son," Illyria pointed out. Even though she did not understand the depths of human, or vampire, emotions the bond that had formed between Angel and Terrin in the past weeks was evident.
"What are you jabbering on about?" Spike's confused face gaped at her, "Leader.. Angel? Do you mean Angel? He never had a son."
"He had one, Connor," Illyria delighted in breaking the news, letting the truth slip out. The resulting conflict her words would cause between the two half-breeds would be fun to watch, and would get them out of her hair. Then she would not have to think about this one and the way he twisted the shell's dying emotions in knots. "He attempted to camouflage the truth, hiding it in lies and shadows, but when the spell shattered I received the memories that were true to the shell."
Spike scoffed. Although Illyria rarely lied, he would not believe it, "Not bloody likely. Especially not a eunuch like him."
Before walking away, Illyria starred at him with her unfeeling eyes, "I speak the truth, half-breed. If you are too much of a fool to listen to me, then go converse with your leader. Ask him and you will see."
Spike growled as Illyria walked away, she had a nasty habit of always getting the last word. Throwing on his t-shirt, Spike decided to go check out this story on his own. He hated listening to Illyria's suggestions, especially when she referred to Angel as his leader, didn't she know Spike was his own man. Just because the poof had gone back to wanting to play the hero, didn't mean Spike had to obey him. Didn't work like that. Still, despite it being Illyria's suggestion, he had to get to the bottom of this.
It didn't make sense, but she wasn't known for making up stories.. except when it concerned the days of yore when she was great and powerful and blah, blah, blah.. Spike could never pay attention to her ego-enhanced stories long enough to get to the end of them. But if she wasn't lying about him having a son.. the possibilities boggled the mind. It would at least give Spike something new to tease Angel about.
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Thanks for all the great feedback everyone's been giving me. You guys are the best!
Chapter 16
By Vixen
Spike dipped down into the crystal clear waters of the lake, enjoying the solitude. The others were off practicing, training, doing the hero thing. He'd gotten the day off to relax, and taking a cool bath was the only thing on his mind. The waters parted as his naked body sank deeper into the serenely calm waves. The lake was about a mile from camp, far enough to risk some skinny-dipping without fear of interruptions or any of his new groupies finding him in various stages of undress.
The cool lake water lapped at his stomach, and he walked further in, sinking his toes into the sandy bottom. Once it reached his shoulders, Spike dived into the water headfirst, swam out a few feet, and surfaced a little farther away. The water ran through his hair, which was longer now, the length where it started getting curly. Roots were also showing, brown like his natural color. It's been a long time since he'd had a chance to dye it, since he'd been in Los Angeles.
The double suns beat down on the land, washing the purple hills with a warm reddish glow. Spike barely thought about going out in the sun anymore, or how strange it was that a vampire could be outside during the day, it had becoming commonplace. If he ever returned to Los Angeles, he wondered if he'd just forget about not being able to go outside and accidentally burn up some day. Better to burn up than out at least.
There was movement in the bushes by the shore. It caught Spike's eye and he stopped swimming and put his feet back on the sandy ground again. Annoyed, he kept look out for any more signs someone was watching him. If it turned out to be one of the young girls from the tribe again, trying to catch him while he was undressed, they'd have one angry Spike on their hands. At first it was nice, everyone acting like he was the hero, fawning over him and following him around. It got old real fast though; his frisky fans were one thing he didn't know how to handle.
After the first minor incident with one of the women, Angel had warned him not to go around having casual affairs with them. Spike had scoffed at that, figuring the poof was just upset he couldn't get any without going all evil and losing his soul. Though when his fan base had grown along with the amount of girls gawking at him like he was a sex symbol, it did get a bit unnerving. Of course Spike didn't blame them, he thought himself devilishly handsome after all. But they did the weirdest things, like trying to sneak into his bedroom late at night or that one time when they stole all his clothes while he was bathing. Like rabid little bunnies, they were.
The waters stirred as Spike walked towards the shoreline, stopping right when the water was at his waist. If it was one of the girls, they weren't going to get a show from him. The tall grass swayed as a figure stood up; straightening up to it's full height. Blond hair cascades off her shoulders, flowing straight down past her curvaceous breasts. Her pouting eyes starred longingly at him, startling Spike.
Buffy.
But how could she be here? He looked up at the suns, wondering if he'd been outside too long, maybe vampires didn't burn up in this dimension but instead went crazy. Spike felt his forehead; it was wet to the touch but only from the swimming not from a fever. He could barely get a hold of his senses long enough to croak out a few words, "Buffy?"
He wanted it to be her, and yet at the same time was petrified that it might just be. She was the one thing in his life he'd never been able to face head on, directly and confidently. The power she had held against him while they were in their own dimension was so strong it kept him away when he became corporal again, even though she was the one thing he wanted after escaping the amulet. Now, here in a world that was not his own, he wanted to take comfort in her beauty, her touch. Some impossible twist of luck had brought her here, and he didn't care why. They were together again.
Buffy just smiled and giggled, saying nothing before shimmying out of her sheer white skirt and tossing her tank top over the tall weeds. Spike starred with needlessly bated breath, watching her peal away pieces of clothing, throwing them aside unthinkingly. It had to be a dream; Buffy would never have gotten naked so quickly, and with such a smile on her face. Still, a dream was better than nothing. He had to take advantage of this illusions produced by his subconscious while it lasted, before waking up alone again.
"Spike, I've missed you," The slayer said, dipping the tips of her toes in the water, testing the temperature and testing him. "You should have come back to me."
The vampire's eyes never left her shape, smooth and naked. Her tan skin looked healthy and pure in the sunlight, he hadn't seen her in the sun since he'd stolen the ring of Amarra, and he hadn't been interested in her back then. Well, interested yes.. but he had only wanted to kill her, not sleep with her. Not caress her warm bare skin, like he did now. When she knew she had gotten his attention, she slipped into the lake, walking in up to her knees.
She bent down and touched the water with her hand, and then splashed him with it. Giggling, she walked closer to him, running a hand across his dripping wet chest, tracing spirals and swirls along his skin, "We belong together, you know."
Their lips met, but it didn't feel the same as when he had kissed her times before. Spike wanted to believe that this was real, or at least a dream, which he'd never wake up from, but his senses had picked up something. He took a step back, breaking from the tender kiss, and growled, "Illyria! What the blood hell are you playing at?"
The Buffy-look-alike frowned, her game ended. Pausing for a moment, she looked up at the sky and let changed back into normal form, the one that looked more like Fred then the slayer. Cold blue eyes replaced warm green ones, her hair shifted back to its blue shade, and her skin became paler with a bluish tint. The change wasn't only a physical one, but the way she held herself changed as well. Movements became sharp and mechanical, inhuman.
Spike watched the transformation take place, annoyed that he had let his guard down. She had looked so much like the girl he once loved; he had wanted it to be her so much it now hurt. The look of wounded disappointment Illyria now possessed did nothing to bring about pity from the vampire, instead he pushed her downwards at full strength.
Her still naked body fell backwards into the water. Illyria landed on her elbows, remaining silent in her defeat, preferring not to watch as Spike stomped out of the land, grumbling British curses that were unfamiliar to her ears. She could have easily beaten him back, and Spike wondered momentarily why she didn't. He would have welcomed a fight right then, anger tearing at him.
When she finally met him at the shore, he was shoving his pants on. The tight red catsuit and boots she usually wore reformed out of nothingness and the own power contained in her mind. Meanwhile, he grabbed his shirt and finished buckling the belt.
When he was fully dressed, he rounded on her. She appeared helpless, crying, and he could do nothing to hide his astonishment but yell, "Think it's funny to dress up as other people, do you? Was it a good laugh for you, huh?"
Wet hair hung in clumps around her head, while the tears fell from her eyes. Spike had never seen her this upset, showing emotions. It was not like her. Something had to be wrong, but he didn't care what it was. He turned to leave, but she grasped onto his arm, "I have never felt such grief. The emotions this shell can experience are.. unbearable." Her voice shook in impatience, "I was trying to replace the human, is that not what you are expected to do when someone dies. I was Fred's replacement, but I cannot find any being able to fill.. his place."
"How about your little followers from this tribe? Why don't you toddle off and beat them about the head. You always enjoyed that," Spike was in no mood to make conversation or to comfort her. She was a god, what the hell did she need a vampire for except to be a prospective companion for her anguish. That was a role he couldn't fill, and honestly didn't want to.
"I ingested their foul ale, it filled my head with ache when the suns rose. It did nothing to destroy these feelings. My new followers have called me goddess, divine, rare, as I should be and have been. They have sprung up to bow down before my superiority," Her eyes were shadowy as she walked beside the vampire, unusual emotions flickering behind them. For the most part, he ignored her attempt to follow him. "They have offered me companions of every sort.. and still I think of him. You existed on the same plane as he, the same dimension, you will make an acceptable substitution."
He cocked his head towards her, "Here's what you're not getting Blue: I. Don't. Care. Go find some other toy, I'm done with this."
The sadness left her eyes, fury replacing it. Illyria crossed her arms and stuck out her chin, "You should feel honored I have chosen you to be the human's replacement. To be my companion is a job worthy of honor and respect, but I see you are capable of receiving none of that."
Spike pointed wildly at the shell, unable to contain the irritation her flippant attitude was causing him. "Trouble with you is you think replacing people is so easy," Thinking back to the time Drusilla had left him, he remarked, "It never is. Can't just take one and pretend it's another."
"Your leader replaced his son," Illyria pointed out. Even though she did not understand the depths of human, or vampire, emotions the bond that had formed between Angel and Terrin in the past weeks was evident.
"What are you jabbering on about?" Spike's confused face gaped at her, "Leader.. Angel? Do you mean Angel? He never had a son."
"He had one, Connor," Illyria delighted in breaking the news, letting the truth slip out. The resulting conflict her words would cause between the two half-breeds would be fun to watch, and would get them out of her hair. Then she would not have to think about this one and the way he twisted the shell's dying emotions in knots. "He attempted to camouflage the truth, hiding it in lies and shadows, but when the spell shattered I received the memories that were true to the shell."
Spike scoffed. Although Illyria rarely lied, he would not believe it, "Not bloody likely. Especially not a eunuch like him."
Before walking away, Illyria starred at him with her unfeeling eyes, "I speak the truth, half-breed. If you are too much of a fool to listen to me, then go converse with your leader. Ask him and you will see."
Spike growled as Illyria walked away, she had a nasty habit of always getting the last word. Throwing on his t-shirt, Spike decided to go check out this story on his own. He hated listening to Illyria's suggestions, especially when she referred to Angel as his leader, didn't she know Spike was his own man. Just because the poof had gone back to wanting to play the hero, didn't mean Spike had to obey him. Didn't work like that. Still, despite it being Illyria's suggestion, he had to get to the bottom of this.
It didn't make sense, but she wasn't known for making up stories.. except when it concerned the days of yore when she was great and powerful and blah, blah, blah.. Spike could never pay attention to her ego-enhanced stories long enough to get to the end of them. But if she wasn't lying about him having a son.. the possibilities boggled the mind. It would at least give Spike something new to tease Angel about.
........................................
Thanks for all the great feedback everyone's been giving me. You guys are the best!