A Man's Worth
Chapter 11
A/N: Chapter eleven of the series. I must really apologize for the extremely long delay. On we go.
WARNING: This is not a happy fic. For those of you expecting something joyous, stay away from this story. You've been warned.
DISCLAIMER: You all know this belongs to Joss Whedon and the parties involved in airing this show.
FEEDBACK: As you wish
Pain
Spike slowly stood up and tossed the bottle he'd been nursing away. He rubbed his eyes and immediately wished he hadn't. The wounds above his right eye opened and some drops of blood fell down.
"Bloody hell." He whispered. Almost all his strength gone, it took quite an effort for him to stand straight. He placed a hand on the wall to avoid falling down.
He reached into his pant's pocket and took out the piece of paper where the address was written. He squinted his left eye, because his right eye was almost swollen shut and the blood trickling down obscured completely the narrow sight he had
"Trust the cheerleader to write so small." He grunted. He cleaned his eyes and finally understood what was written in the paper. He sighed once again and began walking.
Fate awaited him.
Buffy fumed as she slammed the front door of the Hyperion. Everyone turned around but decided to stay out of the way when they saw her face.
She walked into Angel's office and slammed her hands on the table. Angel entered the office and noticed the state she was in.
"You ok?" Angel asked, slipping his arm around Buffy's waist. She shivered, then remembered this was the man she'd wanted for so long.
"Yeah." She answered, "Well, I think so."
Angel sighed and tried to pull her close. It seemed she still had her doubts, but she allowed him to draw her close. She hugged him and realized it wasn't the same body she used to hold lately.
She shook her head and smiled.
"What?" Angel asked.
"Nothing." She answered.
Spike barely managed to enter the old building before the first rays of sun fell on the sidewalk. He struggled and brought his game face on, hearing some more bones crack because of the fractures in his face. Though unnecessary, he inhaled deeply and wished the room to stop spinning.
Get a grip, mate, it'll all be over soon.
He slowly surveyed the room and found out it had all worked out as planned. The vampires guarding the place were probably downstairs for the day and he had the element of surprise. He lifted his arm and popped his shoulder back into place. He had to be in the best shape he could if he wanted it all to work out.
Of course, he hadn't known the slayer would beat him so brutally. He took out the stake hidden on his boot and walked towards the door leading to the basement. He knew he had only a few seconds after he opened that door.
Once again, he took a deep breath and charged through the door.
"Are you sure?" Angel said.
"What?" Buffy asked, looking up into Angel's eyes.
"You don't seem too convinced." He said, staring at her in a way that made her uncomfortable.
"I don't recall anything that could grant this kind of reaction. What is it?" She asked, taking a step back. Angel smiled a bit and held her close once again.
"Sorry, just overreacting." He said. She sighed and rubbed her cheek against his chest. The whole scene should make Angel joyous, but he couldn't forget the awkwardness she displayed when he held her moments before.
Buffy sighed and stood apart from him. Angel stared at her, somewhat wary of her, and held her arm as she took a step back.
"Just overreacting, right?" He asked. She smiled and nodded.
She turned around and walked out of the office, hitting her elbow on the hinge of the door.
"Bloody hell." She muttered.
Angel froze upon hearing the words.
The fourth vampire had been slightly tougher than the other, and Spike was getting beaten on the good eye. Dammit, I still need at least one soddin' eye.
Spike dodged the vicious kick aimed to his head and moved to bury the stake on the vampire's most vulnerable parts. The vampire screamed in pain and Spike used the opportunity to twist the creature's neck until the head was severed from the body.
"Ugh, I don' remember this being so messy." Spike said, as he inhaled some of the vampire's dust falling around him.
He knelt down a bit to ease the pain on his ribs. He was sure that Buffy had punctured a lung and the fight with these vampires had not helped his injured shoulder. Spike sighed and knew that his goal laid just a few levels below. Where more vampires awaited.
He lifted the stake off the floor and once again walked to the stairs.
"Something's not right." Angel said.
"What do you mean?" Gunn asked.
"I mean, there are some things that don't click." The souled vampire repeated.
"Once again, what are you trying to say?"
"This prophecy. It doesn't seem real."
"Cordelia said so."
"Yeah, and where is she right now?"
"Probably still rubbing her eyes with alcohol, man."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Where were you earlier, dude?"
"What?"
"You, kissing the blonde? Cordelia saw."
Angel remained quiet.
"You should really be sure about what you're doing here."
Angel looked down and stared at his boots. Gunn sighed.
"Anything else?"
Angel shuffled his feet and spoke without looking up.
"Nothing. Just… nothing."
Ten vampires on a regular night with a useful arm and peripheral vision would have been as easy as opening a can of peas every other day. However, this wasn't any regular day, he couldn't really see straight, and his speed was at least half of what it usually was.
After a few minutes of painful combat, Spike managed to dust the final vampire. He'd been stabbed but pain was the furthest thing from his mind. If the cheerleader was right, those vampires were the last line of defense.
He sighed and knelt down. That was it.
Success.
It was time.
Spike took out a cigarette and lit it on. A smile appeared on his face as he inhaled the nicotine.
"Show up, Chase."
"How did you know?" Cordelia said, appearing out of nowhere.
"Thought you might be checkin' on me." He said, balancing the cigarette in his mouth so that it wouldn't open the wounds on his lips. "Makin' sure I wouldn't slip or haul tail."
When Spike turned to face Cordelia, she noticed the numerous bruises and wounds on Spike's face. She grimaced and held her hand up, almost touching his face.
"She did this." Cordelia said.
"Yup. Had it comin'." Spike answered, his shoulders sagging a bit.
"No, you didn't. I don't know why you lied."
"You know why." He almost whispered.
"You could have given her the benefit of doubt."
"No point in it, pet. She loves the ponce."
Cordelia flinched at those words and she looked away.
"Struck a nerve, cheers?" Spike asked, without trying to hurt her. She sighed and shook her head.
"It just wasn't meant to be." Cordelia answered.
"Tha's what I think, pet. Precisely what I think."
"You know what will happen. And you know the consequences."
"Yup."
"So?"
"You know."
Cordelia sighed again and stared at his eyes.
"You love her, don't you?" She asked.
"Of course. Why else do you think I'd be doin' this?"
"To get in her pants."
"I'm tired of this same old thing, cheers. Let's get it on."
"I know. I'm sorry I can't…"
"'S ok. You can't help me." Spike looked down and noticed a few more drops of blood pooling next to his shoes. His blood.
"You didn't answer me before. Is there something you'd like me to do?" Cordelia asked.
Spike remained silent for a few seconds, staring away.
"You ok?" Buffy said, upon seeing Angel.
"Yes. This feels like a dream." Angel answered.
Buffy hesitated, then hugged Angel and once again her mind told her that this wasn't what she wanted. Suddenly, Spike's broken face flashed through her eyes and she flinched. Angel noticed and held her closer.
"What?" He asked.
"Nothing. I don't know." She answered. Taking one step back she shook her head.
"You can tell me, Buffy. You know you can." He said.
"It's really nothing." She said. Angel sighed and ran his hands through his hair.
"You keep shutting me out." He said, a slight tone of anger on his voice.
"What?" She said, without turning to look at him.
"You're not telling me everything." He said.
"What do you mean?" She said.
"You know what I mean."
"No, I don't."
"I won't get into this childish game, Buffy. What's going on?"
"I don't know." She said in a soft voice.
Cordelia shed some tears by the time she said goodbye to Spike. The vampire, on the other hand, was smiling and looking up. He watched as Cordelia vanished into thin air, carrying with her the promise of a dream.
A dream that was all Spike had left.
He smiled once again and went forward, opening the door and walking to his fate.
End of Chapter.