Post Tabula Rasa fic

Spoilers up to Wrecked.

All characters are property of Joss Whedon, et al. I'm only using them for my story.

Rating: PG. So far nothing major has happened, but it may end up different after a while.

Summary: Spike helps Tara move out after Tabula Rasa, goes back to visit. So far it's following along with Season 6, but will probably go AU after a while.

I love feedback. email:

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In Noctem

Chapter 4

Out for a Walk

by feles-noctis

The Slayer had burst in, wanting help to find Dawn. Red had taken her out and they were nowhere to be found. If it had been Glinda the Bit was out with, he wouldn't have had a second thought about it. But it was Red, not Glinda. And he knew what she had been up to lately. Even the Slayer was worried about them. So he had gone with the Slayer willingly, even after how she had been treating him recently. He had gone for Platelet, not her. As they walked, it surprised him how much anger she had bottled up inside, and it hurt that she insisted to keep directing it all at him. He had tried to be what she wanted, what she needed. He had done what he thought was right and had ended up facing her wrath. So, he tried to talk to her, tried to make her see, but she refused to even listen to him like she used to when she first came back.

And so, he tried to ignore the hurt and focused on finding the Niblet, the Summers who, hopefully, still liked him. He felt a pang of regret at how much he had been ignoring her since the Slayer returned. Hopefully he could still make it up to her, if it wasn't too late already.

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After taking the Bit to the hospital and waiting with her and her sis, he was relieved to find out that his Niblet was still willing to talk with him, still liked seeing him, unlike her older sister. He left the two after he knew the Bit wasn't seriously hurt, needing to talk to someone. Unthinking, he started heading directly toward Glinda's. He absently hoped that she was still awake at this late hour. Spike didn't want to wake her, but knew that the events of the night were too important to not tell her. She needed to know, and he needed to talk. Glinda watched out more for the Bit than any of the other Scoobies ever had and deserved to know. He doubted any of the others would take the time to let Glinda know, unless she managed to get it out of the upset teen when they next saw each other.

He knew it could have waited until later, he could have left a note for her, or given her a phone call or something, but it just seemed best to get it done with as soon as possible. All of the Scoobies knew already. Buffy had immediately called Xander and Anya once they had gotten to the hospital. They had showed up and taken Willow back to the house. She deserved to know tonight, too. Plus, he needed to vent and he hoped she would be willing to listen.

As he continued his rapid, anger fueled trek to her apartment, he noticed a 24-hour coffee stand and decided to soften the possible waking of her with some hot chocolate. He knew she'd try to make something anyway once he got there, she always did, and this way it'd be ready right away. Plus it gave him a bit more time to calm down and control his anger before he faced her. He didn't want to snap at the girl for something she had no control over. She'd just blame herself more.

He had calmed considerably just watching the clerk make the drinks, taking in the calming aromas of the stand. He tossed some money at the clerk and grabbed his drinks, not waiting for his change. With his cargo in hand, he took off again towards his destination. In a few minutes of brisk walking he was standing at her doorstep. He paused only a minute before switching the drinks to one hand and knocking, rather loudly, on her door. He stood there, hoping she would answer.

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A/N: I know it's short, but I'm working on the next bit, which should be longer. Thanks everyone for the reviews, especially Rusco for pointing out I had it set to block unsigned reviews. I think I got it to switch to all reviews again, although my computer and I aren't agreeing completely with each other right now, so it might not have saved. Again, thanks for reading. This is my second fanfic ever, so please be patient with me...

Thanks again.

Feles-noctis