Title: Stars Fell on Alabama
Series: Angel and Spike: The Reunion Tour
Author: CindyCindy
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: please. If any one has any ideas on how I could improve my Angel characterization, I would be much obliged.
Summary: Spike looks for Angel, in a college town, in Alabama. What he finds there surprises him
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Joss Whedon does.
Authors Notes I: This is not a slam on T-town in any way. I spent many wonderful years there and part of me still considers it home. This is an example of "write what you know". That being said, Roll Tide!
Authors notes II: Again, I would like to thank my husband for the beta work. You are the man.
PART 1
Cold nights with cold winds are nasty, lying, things. They tell me 'you will never be warm again.' Little they know, for I just had a drink of fire. You are what you eat, you know. I have always loved the circus.
At a gas stationthirty miles outside of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Spike looked up at the innumerable stars in the sky and felt small. He had never felt that looking at the night sky while he tore open the throats of innocents. After he got the chip, while he was busy running demons through with a sword, he never thought to look up. After he got his soul back and returned to Sunnydale, the only shining star he saw in the night was Buffy. In L.A, the bright sun shining through the necro-tempered glass windows of the Wolfram and Hart building so eclipsed the others that it may had well been the only star there was. The last time Spike had looked up at the sky and felt small, he had been alive. Spike let the thought settle in him. Then he got back into his newly appropriated truck and continued on toward his destination.
Spike couldn't take his eyes of the sky as he cruised down the highway. There were just so many stars. Spike remembered how Drusilla used to talk to them day and night. For over one-hundred and twenty years he watched her talk to the sky. And now what he was doing? He was seeking out Angel, her sire and his rival for her affections, to do what, kill her? It's not like they could just give her a good talking to. Spike pushed the thoughts out of his mind. For now he would just have to concentrate at the task at hand, finding Angel.
Spike turned off the highway and headed into town. Where in the hell could Angel possibly be? Spike headed towards the heart of the town. After about five minutes he came upon a sign welcoming him to the University of Alabama. To Spike this seemed as good a place as any to start.
He took a hotel room on the edge of campus as his base of operations. After two nights of searching he uncovered neither hide nor hair of Angel. The sun had just set and Spike decided to make a sweep through a small cemetery he had seen across from a large dormitory.
The vampire walked aimlessly between the rows of headstones. He had already wasted two nights searching for Angel and hadn't even been able to uncover a promising lead. Spike kicked over a tombstone. "Fuck all!" he roared aloud, "If I am going to spend one more minute looking for that moron, I am going to need a bloody drink." Spike stalked out of the cemetery, turned the corner and headed towards the main drag. He went into the first bar he saw.
The bar was small and nearly empty. A band was setting up across from the bar. The dance floor was about five feet by five feet and was surrounded by tables and chairs. The decor gave the general impression of the color brown. In the back there were a few pool tables. Spike sat at the bar. The bartender walked over to him.
"Bourbon, barkeep." The bartender just stared at Spike. "What do I have a bloody third eye or something? Bourbon, now."
"Not from around here are ya?" asked the bartender. The bartender was dressed in a ratty sorority t-shirt, with some equally ratty chinos. Spike couldn't see his feet but knew what his shoes looked like anyway. The bartender was wearing the uniform of every male he had encountered, under the age of thirty, in the last two days.
"What tipped you off Captain Obvious?" Spike asked.
The bartender poured Spike a glass of Wild Turkey and handed it to him. "The threads actually, and the fact no one has ever called me barkeep before. But mainly the clothes and the hair. So you from England?"
"I am." Spike drank down the whiskey and made a face. "That stuff is criminal. Keep it coming barkeep." Spike slid his glass back to the bartender.
"Call me Jim-Bo," he said as he poured Spike another drink.
Spike finished his fourth glass of bourbon. The bar had filled up. Spike couldn't even see the door for all the people and he wasn't more than six feet away from it. The band began to tune up. "Hey Jim-Bob," Spike called. He held up his empty glass, "How 'bout another one of these."
Jim-Bo walked over with the bottle. "So what are ya doin here, man?" Jim Bo shouted above the noise.
Spike took the drink and yelled back, "Looking for an old mate of mine, goes by the name Angel. Stands about this high," Spike held his arm straight up in the air, "Has the stupidest looking coif in recent history, and an over developed sense of guilt."
The guy in the next barstool looked over at Spike like he was noticing him for the first time, which may have been the case. "What kinda faggot ass name is Angel?" he slurred.
Spike ignored him and continued on to Jim-Bo the bartender. "Know any thing about him?"
Just as Jim-Bo started to speak the drunken guy next to Spike demanded another drink. Spike turned towards him. "Do you mind? I'm kinda in the middle of something here."
The drunk stared at Spike through glassy eyes. "What? I'm sorry. You know what, let me help you. Try Michael's, down the street." as he spoke little spittle sprayed Spike's face. "It's drag night, every Friday night, if you're looking for your boyfriend, that's your best bet." The drunk laughed so hard he nearly fell off his stool.
Spike wiped his face off with the back of his hand. "Sounds like a good idea to me. Know what, you're a bit of a looker yourself. Why don't you toss on a mini and some heels and show me the way," he deadpanned.
"What in the hell do you mean by that?" He was no longer laughing and his face had turned a peculiar shade of red.
"Oh, come off it. You know exactly what I mean. You'd look dead sexy." Spike raised an eyebrow and reached out to touch the man on his knee.
The man jumped out of his stool so Spike did the same. When they were no longer seated, Spike saw that the man had a half a foot advantage over him. Spike began to grin.
"Are you coming on to me faggot?" he screamed into Spike's face. The band stopped playing and the bar grew quiet. Everyone was staring at the two men. They stood toe to toe.
"Takes one to know one." Spike said evenly, but the Cheshire grin on his face betrayed him.
The bigger man drew back his arm and sent a haymaker in Spike's direction. Spike easily dodged it. The punch's momentum sent the man stumbling forward. Spike grabbed him by the back of his head and slammed it into the bar. Chaos ensued as several of the drunk mans friends rushed forward to join the fray, pushing onlookers in all direction. As Spike went to through throw his next punch he felt a strong hand on his shoulder and another reaching across the front of him. In a second, his arm was twisted behind his back and he had been turned around. Spike looked up and saw it was Angel who had his arm in the death grip.
PART 2
She had such pretty things on her. Lovely little baubles that I would've like to call my own. When I got close enough to bite, the brilliant diamonds on her ears caused me to reconsider. 'Why take us,' they whispered, 'and leave the brightest jewel of them all?'
Spike had never even got a word out before Angel had dragged him out side tossed him on his ass in an alley behind the bar. Spike jumped back to his feet and began to brush the dust of his coat. The band inside struck up again. Spike began to say something but Angel cut him off.
"What in the hell are you doing here?" Angel ground out.
"Looking for you. Been in town two nights now, with no luck. Decide to get a drink to blow off some steam. Lo and behold-."
Angel lunged forward and grabbed Spike by his shirt. He lifted the smaller vampire of the ground a few inches and let him dangle.
"Put me down you great big-hey!" Spike stopped and took another look at Angel. Angel was decked out in the Tuscaloosa uniform, complete with sorority t-shirt and running shoes. "What, in the name of all that is unholy, are you wearing?" Spike began to laugh.
Angel threw Spike to the ground. Spike just laid there laughing. Angel looked down at his ensemble and tried to smooth the wrinkles out of his purposely wrinkled pants. He tried his hardest not to look ashamed.
"You look bloody ridiculous." Spike said as he picked himself back up off the ground. Spike quickly switched gears. "Seriously mate," he said, "Understand you not being happy to see me, you never are. Even understand you tossing me out on my arse into an alley; you've done that plenty of times before." Spike paused to light up a cigarette he had retrieved from his duster pocket. "But these, the clothes, the people, even this place, you playing at being a college boy. This isn't you; it's really just plain unsettling."
Angel sighed the exasperated sigh he saved just for Spike. "You're right," he said, "This isn't me. I don't expect you to understand, or that you are capable of it. Just go. I have to go back to work." Angel looked at Spike like he wished he would turn into a pile of dust then and there. "Now!" he added when Spike failed to do so.
Spike continued to stand right where he was. "Work!" he exclaimed. "You went from being the CEO of Wolfram and Heart; to the crazed Champion who slaughtered their demon army; to this? The Champion of the Powers is now the Champion of the College Students Who Cant Hold Their Liquor." Spike shoved Angel. "Every time I start to have a little bit of faith in you, you go and do something so moronic it would be beneath Xander."
Angel shoved Spike back. "You are so simple minded. Did it ever even occur to you that I might be doing some good here?"
"Breaking up bar-fights? That's your idea of being a hero now. What happened to fighting because there was evil to be fought? You are such a fucking hypocrite." Spike was yelling now.
Angel responded by giving Spike a good hard jab to the bridge of his nose. Spike was taken momentarily aback, and then slammed his knee straight into Angel's groin. Angel fell crumpled to the ground, his eyes wide with surprise. "Spike" he hissed "when I get up I am going to-"
'I know, stake me good and proper. Do you know how many times have I heard that before?" Spike looked at him with disgust. "I should have known better than to come looking for you. Almost worth it though, to see what a pathetic wanker you've turned into."
Angel got back to his feet slowly, "You're right about one thing. You shouldn't have come looking for me."
"I don't fucking need this. I'll find Dru on my own. Enjoy working the romper room." Spike flicked his cigarette towards Angel. H e walked of and left him standing in the rank alley.
Spike pounded the pavement on the tree lined street. 'Can't say I didn't try,' he thought to himself. He was nearly back to his hotel when he heard the footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw Angel jogging to catch up to him. Spike turned back towards his destination and continued to walk. Angel came up along side of him.
"We need to go somewhere and talk." Angel said in a low voice.
"Don't have any more time to talk. Got a mission." Spike replied.
"Will you stop being so difficult and come with me? I have a place a few blocks from here. We'll be safe there."
"Safe from what, sorority girls mowing us down in Daddy's Beamer? Think I'll choose to live dangerously." Spike sneered at Angel.
Angel didn't have time to respond. At that moment the earth began to shake. A large fissure appeared in the middle of the road and dozens of creatures began to claw their way to the surface.