I don't need you: Welcome.
"I need help."
He whispered it so helplessly that Higgy almost felt her heart shudder at the emotion. It just wasn't right for a vampire to feel this way.
"I know." She answered just as quietly. "And I'm going to help you. Come in." she stood aside as he slowly crept in as if afraid to be there. "We'll talk about it tomorrow, right now, you look like you need some sleep." She led him over and watched him lay on the sofa. Covering him with a nearby blanket and putting a pillow under his head, she whispered, "if you need me, I'm in that room there." She pointed across to her door before leaving his side to go through it.
* * * * *
Wiping sleep from her eyes, Amy trudged into the kitchen. God it was boring being normal. She longed for the days back home, when Higgy, Chezza and her would just hang around the mansion for hours on end. Higgy training her tiger, Cheryll playing with her Jack Russell and her riding her horse. Many hours were lost to them, just being themselves. But coming back to civilisation...boring.
At least at the mansion they could have space to themselves and be with other people if they wanted, she mused as she poured herself a bowl of some scabby American cereal. But here, eurgh. In a cramped flat, with barely enough room for any of her stuff. She hated always being on the move. True it was fun at first, moving from place to place, not really having a home. But now...now it was just annoying. But she had been sworn to help protect the vampire carer, and protect her she would.
She took her bowl and moved to the couch; maybe some telly would help her get her mind away from the past. She lowered herself to find something already there...
"Higgy!"
"Actually, it's Spike." The lump replied. "And would you mind not screaming? Vampire senses you know."
Making a frustrated noise she leapt up and stormed into the blonde's room. Pulling back the covers she revealed a frizzy haired Higgy. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked in the most patient voice she could manage.
"Well I was sleeping." She replied while attempting to grab the covers back. Unfortunately, Amy was used to this game by now and was holding them way out of reach. Reluctantly she gave up and flopped back onto her pillows, hands examining her hair.
"Oh, and here was me thinking you'd invited a vampire into our home, without asking...Again!"
"Shh. Keep it down DL." Higgy grabbed a hairbrush and began taming the tangle. "He's in a bad place right now. Don't make him feel unwelcome he needs us. Please?"
Amy sighed. Head in hands, she peeked out through her fingers to see Higgy's pleading look. "What do you want me to do?"
Grinning insanely Higgy began bouncing on the bed. "Thanks. Could you help me explain everything to him? Like the rules and what's going to happen and everything?"
"Sure." Amy replied. She also grinned at the blonde's enthusiasm, it would be gone within a few days she could tell. It always started like this. And every time they played this little game, and every time she said she would help, it was kinda like a ritual to them. But for the time being, Higgy was happy and she was planning to try and keep it that way. "I'll get changed and go blood shopping, then I'll come home and we'll get talking to Fangy."
"Thank you Dl. Oh and while you're there, could you get..." Higgy was cut off by a doglike yelp and a squeal from the other room.
"And Cheryll's awake."
* * * * *
"Bloody hell woman, not so high pitched. Were you a dog in your previous life?" Spike groaned and uncovered his ears. Okay he needed help, but he didn't sign on for this as well.
"Higgy!" the potential whined, still seated on the vampire. "He got in my way, come and punish him!" she grinned inwardly when she felt the vampire tense slightly.
Punish? No way. Help was needed, not yelling. It would be just like Angelus otherwise, and he did not need all that again. "I didn't do anything." He yelled to the blonde coming out of her room, fully dressed. "She's lying." He pointed at Cheryll, showing whom it was to Higgy and Amy who was slipping out of the door, sighing and muttering something about vampires as she went.
Higgy chuckled, maybe this vampire was different, and he didn't seem to act so tough as the others. It usually took them around 2 days to come to her, but Spike had come in less than a day. That really was unusual.
"Don't worry Spike, it's just a thing she does. Jumping on the sofa, no matter who's on it at the time." She busied herself in the kitchen waiting for Amy to return with the blood. "You'll get used to it, eventually. Now Red be good and get off the vampire."
"But he's comfy. Better than Angel, he was all bony and didn't like me." She pouted. "I was only ever nice to him." Higgy grinned as she remembered when Red had almost beheaded the mentioned vampire causing the slight dislike of the girl.
"I'm sure Spike doesn't want to be crushed by your big arse Red."
Cheryll opened her mouth in mock horror. "Oh you'll pay for that Blondie."
"Blonde but natural. Unlike some people."
This was received with a growl from Red and she promptly jumped off the confused vampire and pounced on Higgy, pulling her up from the chair, before throwing a barrage of punches and hits in the Carer's direction. She deflected them all and took no time in knocking the younger's feet out from beneath her, catching her before she could hit the floor. "Lesson number 12 Red. Don't take on anything you can't handle." Pulling the potential to her feet she grinned and went to sit by the confused vamp. "First rule of our home. Always be ready for a fight. With me being a Carer, Red a potential and DL a descendant of the spi..."
"Higgy!"
Higgy was cut off just in time. She thought about what she'd just said and tried to correct herself. "I mean with DL being a friend of ours, we have to always be ready. Hence the weapons around the room, except for the stakes which are not left lying around."
"Why?" asked Spike, clearly deciding which weapon to try first.
"Just in case one of my charges gives up. Stakes are kept well away. The punch bag is in the cupboard so if you ever get bored just take it out and hook it up over there," she indicated a hook in the far corner, "And throw a few punches."
"Okay. I think I'm going to like it here."
"You will, oh and if you don't mind, you'll be helping to train Red on a regular basis to help keep your mind off of things. Or if she's not here, just ask me or Amy and we'll throw a few punches." Higgy grinned when she saw the vampire's shocked face.
"What?" Amy grinned from the doorway. "Did you expect camp Caring? Do what you want just stay out of my room and don't drink all of my J2Os. Your blood is in the fridge. Wanna bag?"
"Sure, that would be great, thanks pet."
Amy grinned and threw one in the microwave. "Higgy?"
"Present."
"Have you told Angel yet?"
"No."
"Can I please be here when you do?"
"Can we phone him now?" Red bounced up and down excitedly. "Please please please?"
Higgy watched in amusement. "Yes you can watch me make a 200 year old vampire beg for forgiveness."
"Can I?"
"Yes Spike you can watch. But afterwards, we have to get explaining all this. Okay?"
"Yep." Came three replies all waiting for the blonde to pick up the phone. Sighing she waltzed over and picked up the receiver and began dialling the number she knew so well.
"I need help."
He whispered it so helplessly that Higgy almost felt her heart shudder at the emotion. It just wasn't right for a vampire to feel this way.
"I know." She answered just as quietly. "And I'm going to help you. Come in." she stood aside as he slowly crept in as if afraid to be there. "We'll talk about it tomorrow, right now, you look like you need some sleep." She led him over and watched him lay on the sofa. Covering him with a nearby blanket and putting a pillow under his head, she whispered, "if you need me, I'm in that room there." She pointed across to her door before leaving his side to go through it.
* * * * *
Wiping sleep from her eyes, Amy trudged into the kitchen. God it was boring being normal. She longed for the days back home, when Higgy, Chezza and her would just hang around the mansion for hours on end. Higgy training her tiger, Cheryll playing with her Jack Russell and her riding her horse. Many hours were lost to them, just being themselves. But coming back to civilisation...boring.
At least at the mansion they could have space to themselves and be with other people if they wanted, she mused as she poured herself a bowl of some scabby American cereal. But here, eurgh. In a cramped flat, with barely enough room for any of her stuff. She hated always being on the move. True it was fun at first, moving from place to place, not really having a home. But now...now it was just annoying. But she had been sworn to help protect the vampire carer, and protect her she would.
She took her bowl and moved to the couch; maybe some telly would help her get her mind away from the past. She lowered herself to find something already there...
"Higgy!"
"Actually, it's Spike." The lump replied. "And would you mind not screaming? Vampire senses you know."
Making a frustrated noise she leapt up and stormed into the blonde's room. Pulling back the covers she revealed a frizzy haired Higgy. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked in the most patient voice she could manage.
"Well I was sleeping." She replied while attempting to grab the covers back. Unfortunately, Amy was used to this game by now and was holding them way out of reach. Reluctantly she gave up and flopped back onto her pillows, hands examining her hair.
"Oh, and here was me thinking you'd invited a vampire into our home, without asking...Again!"
"Shh. Keep it down DL." Higgy grabbed a hairbrush and began taming the tangle. "He's in a bad place right now. Don't make him feel unwelcome he needs us. Please?"
Amy sighed. Head in hands, she peeked out through her fingers to see Higgy's pleading look. "What do you want me to do?"
Grinning insanely Higgy began bouncing on the bed. "Thanks. Could you help me explain everything to him? Like the rules and what's going to happen and everything?"
"Sure." Amy replied. She also grinned at the blonde's enthusiasm, it would be gone within a few days she could tell. It always started like this. And every time they played this little game, and every time she said she would help, it was kinda like a ritual to them. But for the time being, Higgy was happy and she was planning to try and keep it that way. "I'll get changed and go blood shopping, then I'll come home and we'll get talking to Fangy."
"Thank you Dl. Oh and while you're there, could you get..." Higgy was cut off by a doglike yelp and a squeal from the other room.
"And Cheryll's awake."
* * * * *
"Bloody hell woman, not so high pitched. Were you a dog in your previous life?" Spike groaned and uncovered his ears. Okay he needed help, but he didn't sign on for this as well.
"Higgy!" the potential whined, still seated on the vampire. "He got in my way, come and punish him!" she grinned inwardly when she felt the vampire tense slightly.
Punish? No way. Help was needed, not yelling. It would be just like Angelus otherwise, and he did not need all that again. "I didn't do anything." He yelled to the blonde coming out of her room, fully dressed. "She's lying." He pointed at Cheryll, showing whom it was to Higgy and Amy who was slipping out of the door, sighing and muttering something about vampires as she went.
Higgy chuckled, maybe this vampire was different, and he didn't seem to act so tough as the others. It usually took them around 2 days to come to her, but Spike had come in less than a day. That really was unusual.
"Don't worry Spike, it's just a thing she does. Jumping on the sofa, no matter who's on it at the time." She busied herself in the kitchen waiting for Amy to return with the blood. "You'll get used to it, eventually. Now Red be good and get off the vampire."
"But he's comfy. Better than Angel, he was all bony and didn't like me." She pouted. "I was only ever nice to him." Higgy grinned as she remembered when Red had almost beheaded the mentioned vampire causing the slight dislike of the girl.
"I'm sure Spike doesn't want to be crushed by your big arse Red."
Cheryll opened her mouth in mock horror. "Oh you'll pay for that Blondie."
"Blonde but natural. Unlike some people."
This was received with a growl from Red and she promptly jumped off the confused vampire and pounced on Higgy, pulling her up from the chair, before throwing a barrage of punches and hits in the Carer's direction. She deflected them all and took no time in knocking the younger's feet out from beneath her, catching her before she could hit the floor. "Lesson number 12 Red. Don't take on anything you can't handle." Pulling the potential to her feet she grinned and went to sit by the confused vamp. "First rule of our home. Always be ready for a fight. With me being a Carer, Red a potential and DL a descendant of the spi..."
"Higgy!"
Higgy was cut off just in time. She thought about what she'd just said and tried to correct herself. "I mean with DL being a friend of ours, we have to always be ready. Hence the weapons around the room, except for the stakes which are not left lying around."
"Why?" asked Spike, clearly deciding which weapon to try first.
"Just in case one of my charges gives up. Stakes are kept well away. The punch bag is in the cupboard so if you ever get bored just take it out and hook it up over there," she indicated a hook in the far corner, "And throw a few punches."
"Okay. I think I'm going to like it here."
"You will, oh and if you don't mind, you'll be helping to train Red on a regular basis to help keep your mind off of things. Or if she's not here, just ask me or Amy and we'll throw a few punches." Higgy grinned when she saw the vampire's shocked face.
"What?" Amy grinned from the doorway. "Did you expect camp Caring? Do what you want just stay out of my room and don't drink all of my J2Os. Your blood is in the fridge. Wanna bag?"
"Sure, that would be great, thanks pet."
Amy grinned and threw one in the microwave. "Higgy?"
"Present."
"Have you told Angel yet?"
"No."
"Can I please be here when you do?"
"Can we phone him now?" Red bounced up and down excitedly. "Please please please?"
Higgy watched in amusement. "Yes you can watch me make a 200 year old vampire beg for forgiveness."
"Can I?"
"Yes Spike you can watch. But afterwards, we have to get explaining all this. Okay?"
"Yep." Came three replies all waiting for the blonde to pick up the phone. Sighing she waltzed over and picked up the receiver and began dialling the number she knew so well.