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Chapter 13 : Different Routes to the Same Destination

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"Pass the butter?" I had to stifle my laugh. It was actually funny when I thought about it- the first thing I said in front of Spike in four years was "Pass the butter."

After I got over my fit of immaturity, I looked up to realize he was actually handing me the butter. I took it gladly and spread it on my bread with a knife.

"So how are things going, for the both of you?" Julia asked suddenly.

Vicious looked up from poking at his peas with a fork. Doesn't look like he's hungry, I thought. He cleared his throat before saying, "Things are going well." Julia nodded and turned to me.

I took another sip of my soup and tried to think of something meaningful to say. "Being homeless isn't too bad. You get free stuff, sometimes."

This caused Spike to spit out his own soup and we all stared at him covering his mouth with his palm. Julia handed him a napkin and asked, "Is the soup really that awful?"

Spike wiped his mouth, apparently recovered. "No, that's not it."

We all shrugged and continued on eating.

--

I was glad when dinner was over. In fact, I was the most gladdest I've ever been for anything. After Spike's bad manners, the table was deathly silent and all that could be heard was the clinking of spoons and forks against the plates and bowls and the sound of our chewing. I lost my appetite somewhere after the second course, but I ate all of my dessert. What can I say?

Vicious stood up first, announcing that it was time for him to go. Julia and I walked him to the door and watched him until he drove off into the night. I stepped back inside and she shut the door behind us.

"Feel free to go to your quarters, if you'd like. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." I watched her put on her white apron and tie the ribbon in the back. Then she turned around to load the dishwasher.

I sighed softly and turned to the hallway, which was pitch black because the lights were still off. I would have walked by him not knowing he was there, but his voice stopped me.

"Faye."

I breathed in sharply. "Spike?"

I heard his clothes rustle when he moved. "What are you doing?" He asked softly.

I blinked in the dark, knowing Julia wouldn't be able to hear us from all the way down the hall. All the lights were off in the mansion except in the kitchen. For all she knew, we were both asleep in our own rooms by now, or watching the evening news or something educational.

"I'm going to my room." I said plainly.

"Since when?" Spike's persistence bothered me. He was so complicated now, so different. I couldn't tell if his next line was going to be "Get the hell out" or if he was only trying to converse with me and being polite.

"...Since when was it my room? Since I was born." We were both still whispering.

"No. Since when have you decided to come home here? What exactly are you trying to do?"

What the hell? Does he think I'm trying to get back at him by intervening his love life? What a load of bullshit. "As if you didn't know already, I haven't had anywhere to sleep for three days. In all honesty, I wouldn't be here if I didn't have to." I was fuming. "And if you're so concerned about me being here, well I'll apologize right now: I'm sorry. Okay, I'm sorry! For being here, and for every-fucking-thing else." Before I knew what the hell I was doing, I ran up the main staircase and into my room, shutting and locking the door behind me, somehow still remembering to be as quiet as possible.

--

I didn't know I fell asleep until I woke up at six in the morning sprawled out on my bed. I laid still, listening for signs of anyone being awake. There was nothing except the sound of the water fountain out on the courtyard.

I sat up and I remembered why I went to sleep in a bad mood. I reasoned that if he didn't want to see me and I didn't want to see him, the easiest thing for the both of us would be just to avoid each other. It was all starting to make sense. This is a piece of cake.

I rubbed my temples and stood shakily in front of the mirror, deciding I needed a shower. I entered the one in my own bedroom and turned the knob for hot water. While I waited for the cold water to warm up, I started to think of things I shouldn't have been thinking of.

Hm, do they sleep together in the same room? In Julia's room or in the master bedroom? I wonder if they're having some fun right now. It would be amusing if I knocked on their door and scared the shit out of them. I laughed out loud. Very amusing.

Still giggling at the thought, I stepped in the hot shower and felt infinitely better. One thing I've learned in my lifetime is that a good shower can wash away everything you don't want to feel.

Or think about.

--

After my shower I changed into some spare clothes folded neatly in my dresser- a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. In a considerably good mood, I walked out of my room quietly and looked to my left and right. The coast was clear. I continued my way down the staircase and into the kitchen, immediately opening the fridge. I bent down to grab a yogurt on the bottom shelf. I got up and closed the door, only to find Spike leaning on the doorway, staring at me.

I stared at him for a while too, with his shirt in his hands and only his boxers on. His hair was messed up and when I realized what must have happened, I turned away, blushing. I really shouldn't be thinking about this.

Humming, I picked a spoon and walked past him into the living room. I pushed open the doors and they opened into the courtyard. I continued onto the lawn and finally laid down on the hammock between the two oak trees. Sighing, I peeled open the foiled cover on my yogurt with my teeth. I licked the strawberry off of the cover and crumbled it up into my lap. Then I dug my spoon into my breakfast and savored every spoonful.

When I finished, I laid back down, the hammock swinging by itself. I could have sworn I felt eyes on me but when I turned my head to my left, there was no one by the courtyard. Hmm.

"Good morning."

"HOLY SHIT!!" I fell off the hammock and hit the ground, hard. Where the hell did he come from?!

He chuckled, ruffling his hair. "Jeez, Faye, you're going to wake her up."

I got up on my knees and looked up at him, registering his words. "What?"

"She's not a morning person, you know."

I blinked. "..Oh." I brushed off the dust from my lap and picked up the spoon and empty cup, ready to head back inside. I was about to say something idiotic like, "If you don't mind, I'll be avoiding you for the rest of my life. Hopefully you'll do the same" but he caught my wrist. His pull brought me crashing into his chest but he didn't fall. It was enough to catch my attention and I stared at him hard.

"What do you want now?" I tried to be angry but it sounded vulnerable.

His grip on my wrist loosened.

"I don't know anymore."

--

After our little event, I really did try to avoid him. The easiest way to do this was to leave the estate by day, and return for dinner and sleep at night. It was logical enough. I figured both Spike and Julia wouldn't go off alone so if I did end up running into them in the city, they would be together, and that wouldn't be as bad as a private encounter with Spike.

I decided my first goal was to steal something I could use as transportation- a car. Electra and I met up at a cafe and talked about it.

"Let me get this straight- you're going to steal it?" She asked, eyes narrowed.

I waved my hand around. "Yes, Olivo. I mean, where else am I going to get the money? Use your brain. Honestly, Electra."

"And now you're paying for your own coffee."

I pouted. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean my last remark."

"You're very cheap, you know that? The coffee is only 10 woolongs." Electra took a bite from her toast. While chewing she said, "What color are you planning to get?"

I rested my head in my left hand thoughtfully. "I haven't thought about it until now. What about red?"

"Why does everyone want red these days?" She asked, and we both turned to look at her navy car parked outside.

"Because it's stylish, alright," I said logically.

She slammed her cup down on the table. "What are you trying to say? That I have no style?"

I stood up. "That's not what I said! You're putting words into my mouth."

Skipping through our friendly argument, we left the cafe and Electra decided she wanted to watch me steal a car.

"Are you sure you don't want to join in the fun?" I asked, playfully jabbing her in the stomach.

She blocked my elbow. "I'd rather not."

"Fine, suit yourself."

We drove to a city right outside Singapore and luckily, I immediately spotted a red sports car in a rather deserted area. I got out and inspected it first. "Good condition!" I yelled out to Electra, sticking my thumb up and grinning.

"You idiot, don't scream that out here!" She said, rubbing her forehead.

"Oh..right."

"Look, I'm going to park a street away from here. If you're successful, I'll follow you back to Singapore. If you get caught, just run back to me and we'll get the hell out of here."

"Good plan," I said, laughing. "But erase that part about me having to run away. I will get this done right."

"When I see it, I'll believe it." She rolled up her window and drove away.

I smoothed the hood with my palm and was glad to know there was no exterior alarm system. Quickly I removed my gun from its place hidden in my shirt. I have to be efficient. I shot the window and used my arm to cover my eyes, but the glass shards still managed to cut me elsewhere. Shit. Remembering what I came out here to do, I stuck my hand through the broken window and unlocked the door from inside. That's when the alarm sounded.

I pulled the door open, got in the driver's seat, and tried to power the car with an electric device I "bought" from this shady store. "Please, let this piece of shit work..." I groaned. The alarm was getting annoying and even though there was no one outside, I knew someone would get here soon. Double shit. I stuck the device in the ignition once more and the engine finally revved up. I adjusted the rear view mirror in time to see a pair of flashing lights. Police.

I debated on putting on my seatbelt, when I realized it was the smartest thing to do before a car chase. My adrenaline was rushing and I loved it. I pressed my foot on the gas and sped straight out of the city.

--

I was pretty sure I lost them after going through an endless amount of alleyways, one-way streets, and the such. "I never knew stealing could be so easy," I said aloud. I parked in an abandoned garage on a dusty road, listening to the sounds of their fading sirens. I contacted Electra with a cell phone Julia was kind enough to lend me that morning.

She picked up. "Are you okay?"

I scowled. "Shut up, of course I'm okay. I'll meet you at the Valentine estate in about ten minutes. It's the only place I can safely park this thing, for now."

"Alright. See you there."

--

When I finally pulled up on the driveway, I saw Spike there, sitting on the steps. He had a white polo on that was unbuttoned halfway and damn, that made him look sexy. I cursed myself inwardly. Stop it Faye, it was over a long time ago. I turned the ignition off and sighed back into my seat, wondering how I was going to confront him this time. I looked to my side and watched him smoking and staring at the sky. He was in a world of his own.

Shrugging, I got out of the car and walked around it, looking for any damage that I didn't know of. I found none and returned to the rear. I pulled a screwdriver out of my pocket and successfully got the license plate off. Damn, where am I supposed to get a new one?

I went to the front to measure the broken window and found Spike sitting in the driver's seat.

"What exactly are you doing?" I asked blankly.

Spike removed his hands from the steering wheel. "Nice ride. How'd you get it?"

I smiled. "I stole it."

He stuck his hand out through the missing window. "No shit." I rolled my eyes when he got out of the car and leaned against the car beside me.

"So where's Julia?" I questioned. Weren't people who were seeing each other supposed to be spending all their time together?

"Yeah, uh, she went out," He said, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. I followed his view to find my top cut up in certain places. Little splashes of red dotted the remains of my shirt from the broken glass.

"Oh my God." I covered my front protectively.

Spike laughed, taking me by the hand. "Come on, I'll disinfect it for you."

"Disinfect what now?" I asked, my eyes wide.

"Don't be such a sissy, Faye."

"I am not being a-"

He put a hand to my lips. "If this makes you feel better, then I promise you I won't make it hurt." He turned away to drag me up the steps with him, giving me no choice. But there was something in the way he put a finger to my lips, something in his words that made me want to follow him of my own accord.

Shit Spike, don't do this to me. Not now.

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A/N: Where has Julia gone? Why isn't Electra there yet? And most of all, what is Spike going to do with Faye alone in a huge mansion?! xD