"Spike where are you going?" asked Harmony. "Be careful with that." she warned as Spike put a stake in his pocket.
"I can handle myself, Harm." He told her. "I'm hitting a few places tonight."
"Can I come?" Harmony asked brightly.
"No." Spike replied immediately.
"But you never take me out" she complained.
"Is that so?" Spike asked. "But I thought you were 'laying low' from the slayer.""
"I am!" protested Harmony. "But that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun!"
"Well not with me you can't. Make your own sodding fun, I've got places to be, demons to thrash.
He had to stop breathing as soon as he entered Willy's place. The smell of stale alcohol, cigarettes and other...things was overpowering and unbearable, who spent most of hi time drinking and smoking, and other...things.
"Spike!" Willy glanced up from drying a glass with an extremely dirty old rag.
"What happened here?" Spike asked suspiciously, noticing the state of the bar.
"Oh, nothing. Just your regular , run of the mill fight."
"Oh, right." said Spike.
"You're lucky it happened actually." Willy continued nervously. "I'm closing early, it's quiet now. The demons who did this earlier didn't seem to happy with you..." he trailed.
Spike raised an eyebrow at him.
"Is that right? Well, if they show again then give them a message from old Spike."
"Oh yeah, what's that?"
"Bring it on!" Spike answered dangerously. "Now your tiny brain might not have comprehended this, but when I walked through this door, it wasn't for a Bloody Mary. I need answers."
"Sure, and I'd love to give them to you Spike, really but there's been nothing, a bit of hustle about you, or a bit of Kitten Poker, that's all that's been happening around here lately."
"Are you sure about that?" Spike asked, threateningly.
"Yeah, Spike." said Willy, shaking after the warning. "I don't know anything about that pig business."
"How did you know that I wanted to know about 'that pig business' " inquired Spike.
"Oh- err...well..." said Willy, stumbling over the words. "It's what everyone's wanted to know about these past few days." Willy faltered. "But I know nothing."
"Right then, I can see that you're going to be of no help. I'll try the Bronze." said Spike.
"Right." replied Willy. "and, I'd lay low for a few nights...The Cralt demons in here weren't very happy about what you and the slayer did to their relatives."
"I'll bear that in mind!" Spike called back over his shoulder, as he stepped over some broken glass and out of the door.
Spike skulked around the ally outside the Bronze. He'd had no success so far, but he assumed this would be the most likely spot for something to happen.
He entered the club and had a quick look around. Nothing strange jumped out at him, so he approached the bar.
"One of those flower shaped onion things." he ordered. He sat on a stool at the bar and looked up on stage.
A terrible band, but he decided they didn't look particularly evil.
He decided to hang around for a while.
Something interesting might happen, or he'd have to make it happen.
About twenty minutes later Buffy entered the building.
She noticed her peroxide pest immediately.
"Spike! I am paying you to check out Willy's place, not check out the local delicacies!"
"Closed, love. Some rowdy demon trashed the place."
"Oh. Well...anything here?"
"It's looking almost normal so far. There has been the hideous crime of these Nancy-boys on stage, but apart from that it's been quiet."
Just as he finished talking the lights flickered out.
"Until now." Buffy added.
But to her relief, they flickered on again and the band resumed playing.
"You shouldn't be so hasty, slayer." Spike commented. "There's probably a problem with the electrics or something."
"Yeah, whatever." said Buffy. "What were you saying in the Magic Box earlier, about Glory?" she asked.
"Oh, so now you're interested." teased Spike.
She rolled her eyes.
"I don't have time for this Spike, I want a straight answer."
"Well, I've just been noticing a few more of the old crazies around than usual, is all." he explained.
"What, has Drusilla been to see you?" Buffy asked scathingly.
"Watch it, pet." he growled warningly. "No, people have been wandering around acting like they've just escaped from the asylum."
Buffy flinched at these words, Spike didn't know why.
"She must still be doing the whole brain-suck thing." Buffy mused.
The lights flicked off again.
"My God this place needs an electrician." Buffy complained.
"I think something's finally about to happen." Spike murmured.
Buffy made her way through to the confused crowd, up to the stage where she could get a better view of the whole club.
Then she spotted someone at the front, someone she hadn't seen for over four years.
"Oh my God, Catherine Madison." she whispered.
Catherine's eyes burned like fire.
"You!" she shouted. "it was you who imprisoned me! Didn't you know I was powerful enough to escape when the trophy was broken?"
"Wow. I'm sorry." said Buffy, finding her voice. "I mean, it's not like you were attacking high school girls and trying to kill me, just to get your daughter on the cheerleading squad, is it?"
"Amy." said Catherine. "Where is she?"
"Rat." said Buffy calmly. "She turned herself into a rat."
Catherine didn't seem to care.
"What about her father?"
"Oh, I heard he went on a long holiday in Dubai with his secretary."
"No matter." said Catherine. "It's not just him I want punished, it's all of them."
"It was you who turned that guy into the pig last night." Buffy realised.
"Yes," said Catherine, laughing. "He was an unfaithful bastard. And I've punished others. I've been busy while you've been looking for me."
"So." said Buffy. "Not that this catching up isn't fun, but are we gonna fight, or just chat about it all night?"
"Stupid girl!" screamed Catherine "You can't beat me this time. I don't see any mirrors that can help you." but she hesitated.
"I'll deal with you later." she decided. "I have more important things to deal with. But, before I go, a taste!"
She hit Buffy with a jet of blue light in the chest that knocked her down, making her fall into the instruments of the band.
Catherine laughed again and teleported away.
Buffy wondered where the crowds had gone, then she realised spike must have let them out the front when she was "dealing" with Catherine. She seemed to remember the screams dying down.
Limping slightly from the impact of the spell she walked out slowly and met Spike outside the door. He held out his arm to help her and together they walked to Giles's place.