Something Wicked This Way Comes
Chapter 3: Why Hello There
By: Rogue-Slayer13
Disclaimer: The characters of Btvs and Ats belong to Joss Whedon, not myself.
Summary: See pervious chapter
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"Hey Angel!" Buffy gave the vampire a big hug before stepping into the apartment.
"What . . . what brings you h-here?"
"I just came by to check on you."
"I-I thought you didn't trust me."
"I don't, and that's why I'm here. You see I heard something funny the other day and I thought I'd come check it out."
"What'd you hear?" asked Angel as Spike and the others came into the living room.
"I heard from Kennedy that Spike was back and he had been for quite some time now . . . and apparently it's true," said Buffy as she turned and saw Spike.
Spike watched as Buffy's expression went from bemused to angry all in a split second.
"Hey Slayer."
"How could you not tell me!?" Buffy stormed toward Spike, Gunn and Lorne backing away from at the same time. "After everything we've been through!?"
"Now you wait just a second!" Fred stepped in between the oncoming slayer and Spike, which surprised everyone.
"Who are you?" asked Buffy a little taken back.
"Fred, and you must be Buffy."
"How do you know?"
"I've heard all about you, the good and the bad."
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Buffy, now directing her anger toward Fred.
"Ladies, let's not fight," said Lorne trying to keep the two apart.
"Yeah, no sense you two getting into it." Spike went to move Fred aside, but she shrugged him off.
"Answer my question," demanded Buffy.
"It means you're not a sparkling clean as you want everyone to think."
"How dare you!"
"How dare I? More like how dare you. I'm not the one who used Spike as a punching bag because I didn't have the stones to tell my friends that they pulled me out of heaven!"
"How could you two tell her all of that!?" Buffy looked at Angel who looked away and then at Spike.
"It's my life too Slayer, I can share events in it with however in the 'ell I want."
"Well did Spike bother telling you everything he's done too or was this just a Buffy Bashing? Cause y'know he's not so perfect either."
"No one is, but at least he tried to make things right. He went out and fought for his soul, so he could make things right. He spent months insane and in pain over you and the things that had happened between you two. You haven't even said sorry for all the crap you did to him."
"He tried to rape me!"
"Whoopity-doo! You beat the crap out of him and left him to die! And besides, Spike was a vampire Buffy, he had no soul! You're human and have a soul, what's your excuse?"
"You've got a lot of nerve!"
"I'm just saying what everyone's been thinking! They're too afraid to say anything, because they've known you for so long, even Willow said so, but I don't give a damn what you think about me."
Buffy lunged at Fred, throwing a punch that connected with Buffy's jaw. This quickly turned into a fight between the two in which Spike grabbed Fred underneath the arms and pulled her away, while Angel got Buffy.
"You better keep your little Southern Belle in check Spike," warned Buffy as she straightened out her clothes.
"Or you'll do what, kill 'er? I don't think so Slayer."
"I wont kill her, but she'll definitely walk away with more then a few scratches."
"Listen to yourself Buffy. You came into Spike's house and attacked his friends and now you're talking about how Fred needs to be kept in check," said Dawn.
"What is this!? Attack Buffy Day!?"
"You really are self centered," said Dawn.
"I think you should leave Buffy," said Wesley as he guided Fred over to the couch to sit down.
"We need to talk." Buffy glared at Spike.
"We'll talk later. Right now you need to leave and cool off," replied Dawn.
"Fine, come on Dawn, we're leaving." Buffy headed toward the door, but turned back when she saw that Dawn wasn't following.
"Dawn, come on."
"No Buffy, I'm gonna stay here and visit with Spike for a bit. Why don't you go see Dad for a while and then swing back by?"
Buffy glared at Dawn for a second before sighing.
"Fine. I'll be back in an hour."
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"Are you okay Fred?" asked Dawn as she handed the woman the ice pack.
"I'll be fine. I've gotten into worse fights with my brother before." Fred took the ice pack and held it on her jaw.
"I can't believe she did that. I mean, that was way uncool." Dawn took a seat next to Fred on the couch.
"Thanks for sticking up for me Pet."
"No problem," replied Fred, giving Spike a friendly smile.
"I still have to agree with Dawn. Buffy's actions were uncalled for. They'd be frowned upon if she were just your average woman, but as a Slayer she should have more self-control," said Wesley.
"I'll talk to her about it when she stops back by," said Angel from his seat in the chair on the right side of the couch.
"You'll have to wait until we get done talking, I'm sure she wants to rip me a new one." Spike looked over at Angel.
"I don't think she'll be ripping anyone a new anything for a while. Fred got her pretty good," said Gunn with a smile.
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When Buffy came back to the apartment, she had a large bruise marring her left cheek bone, a busted lip, a smaller bruise poking out beneath her shirt from where Fred had got her in the stomach. Fred on the other hand, only had a bruise on her jaw and a few scratches on her face.
"Spike, can we talk?"
"Sure." Spike got up and followed Buffy into the kitchen.
"Why didn't you tell me? Dawn missed you so much."
"Well, I kind of had the problem of being a ghost for the first several weeks."
"And after that."
"I just couldn't do it and especially not after Andrew was 'ere."
"What do you mean?"
"He said you guys were settled in Rome and that you two were happy. I didn't want to bollocks anything up for you two." Spike took a seat at the kitchen table.
"Right and so that's why you went to my best friend to ask for help with Illyria."
"Red's my friend too."
"Okay, so why didn't, you go ahead and tell us then. You knew it would come out sooner or later."
"We had more pressing matters at hand."
"Like what?"
"Wesley and Gunn in the hospital, Senior Partners, need I say more?"
"Okay, I can see you were a little busy."
"And still are," replied Spike.
A moment of silence fell between the two.
"I guess I should apologize to Fred."
"Probably."
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To Be Continued . . .