Resurrecting William
Disclaimer: Don't own anyone except maybe Gerald but don't know if I want him.
Summary: Hmmmm, there's not really anything to tell.
Reviews: Yes, please. Readers Rock but Reviewers RULE!
A/N: Reaction to this fic is still amazing. Thanks to everyone who reviewed.
Thanks to WayWard Childe for his help and input. And everyone, don't forget to go read his stuff, he's inspired.
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Spike tensed when he realized what the strange human said. He reacted without thinking and shifted into game-face.
"Oh…. My." With that, Gerald Whitestone's eyes rolled up in the back of his head and he fainted.
"Spike!" Faith shook his arm slightly and he glanced down at her, golden eyes puzzled. "Change back." She hissed. He shook his head and let his demon fade away. Cold blue eyes fixed on Giles.
"Who is that?" The question was asked in a dangerously low voice.
Rupert looked up at the simmering vampire from where he'd knelt next to the unconscious detective.
"He is Gerald Whitestone, a private detective from England. He represents the law firm that controls the Wordsworth estate. They'd been looking for the long lost heir and my internet search led them to me. He can help us with the matter we were discussing the other day." The Watcher explained.
"Well, why didn't you say so?" Spike strode over and knelt on the other side of Gerald. He gazed down at the pale features. "Needs to develop some stones if he's gonna hang out on the Hellmouth, eh?"
Gerald moaned as his eyelids fluttered. Giles glanced at Faith. "Go get a glass of water, please."
She nodded and headed for the bathroom. She stopped when she saw the blonde slayer standing next to the training room door, her mouth open in shock. "Yo! Tigger, G! We have company." She called.
Spike rose lithely and walked toward his love's voice. "Buffy." He said wearily. "Don't you have anything better to do than listen in on private meetings?"
"I didn't know it was a private meeting. I wanted to talk to Giles about something. Did he call you 'Lord William'?" Buffy tried to wrap her mind around the implications.
"You're hearing things, Slayer." Spike growled.
Gerald chose that moment to regain his senses. "Oh my. I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. But I thought I saw… I mean… his face… did it change?" He finally stammered as he struggled to sit up.
Giles moved back to give him room. "Yes, well. There are a few things I may have neglected to tell you." He admitted with a small smile. He assisted the younger man to his feet. Faith handed over the water glass and Gerald took it with a grateful smile. Giles guided the younger man to the research table as Buffy ventured further into the room. Faith gave her sister slayer a warning glare before looking around to discover where her vampire had disappeared to.
Spike had retreated to the alcove; this stranger held the future of his unlife with Faith in his hands and the blond was succumbing to some serious nerves. An old habit asserted itself as Spike brought the fingers of his right hand up to his mouth and he began to worry the nails with his teeth. He looked up guiltily when Faith peeked around the corner catching him with his fingers in his mouth like an upset toddler.
She walked in and stood glaring up at him with her arms folded over her chest. "Okay, Tigger. You've got some major explaining to do."
"I don't know if I can explain it, Robin." Spike hid his hand in his pocket. Faith smiled at the nickname as she remembered the conversation leading to the pet names.
Earlier, Angel's mansion…
Faith woke from her nap to the sensation that she was being watched. Spike was leaning on his arm and gazing down at her with tender blue eyes.
"So, who were you talking to before? The Watcher?" He asked as his free hand came up to play with her hair.
"Yeah, it was Giles. He was worried." A disbelieving snort greeted the admission. "He was. And oh, yeah, he needs to talk to you. I told him we'd meet him at the Magic Box right after sunset."
"Right then, so what was so funny?" Spike gave her a quick kiss.
"Oh, I just had to explain your new nickname." She smiled up at him.
Spike felt his chest constrict at the love he saw glowing in her face. "Nickname? What? 'Spike' isn't good enough?" He pouted.
Faith grinned at the little boy pout on his face. "It's fine but I think 'Tigger' fits better. You are rather hyper."
He smirked. "If I'm 'Tigger' does that make you 'Christopher Robin'?"
She thought about that for a few seconds. "Well, I don't exactly fit 'Christopher' and I refuse to answer to 'Chris'. How do you feel about 'Robin'?"
He smiled sweetly. "I can get used to that…. Robin."
Faith shook herself out of the memory and pulled his abused fingers out of the worn denim. "Then we'll get the answers together." She brought his hand up to her mouth and kissed the tips. She wound her warm fingers around his cool ones and let him back to the main portion of the shop.
Gerald looked up when the couple entered. "Oh, my." He said shakily. He knew that face. He'd read the file on Lord William many times over the last few months and had seen the photo and the sketch every time. That face was unmistakable. The… his thoughts stumbled over the word… vampire bore an uncanny resemblance to Lord Colin, minus the bleached hair, of course. He gulped audibly as he recalled how the young man's face had changed.
Spike smirked as he caught the detective's fear. "Well, now, Mate. What do you know about Lord William? You do know the pathetic wanker died over a century ago." The vampire pulled a chair out and turned it around, straddling it.
Gerald inhaled, attempting to tell himself he was perfectly safe. Surely the others wouldn't let this creature harm him. The dark haired girl seemed to be Lord William's girlfriend. Suddenly the young Brit felt unsure. He knew nothing of these people. He couldn't be sure that they weren't all vampires. He started to hyperventilate, feeling panic rise up and begin to choke him.
Spike frowned as he heard the elevated heartbeat of the young man. "Hey, Watcher. This guy's panicking. Why don't you get him something stronger than water?" Giles nodded. "And bring that folder with you, yeah?" Spike added as the older man moved toward the alcove.
Giles poured Gerald a generous amount of the same excellent alcohol he and Spike had shared before. Spike noticed the increased volume of the folder and felt a jolt of apprehension.
"Hey, where's my glass, Rupes?" He covered his insecurity with the question. Giles smirked a little and pulled a glass from his pocket.
"Knew you'd want it." The Watcher stated as he poured a generous drink for the blond. Gerald coughed as the alcohol burned its way down his throat.
"I thought vampires drank only blood." He rasped.
Spike threw him a disbelieving glance. "You know about vampires, do you?" His tone was bland, belying the evil glint in his dark blue eyes.
Faith caught on to her vampire's intent. "Spike, behave yourself. Let G explain what's going on."
Giles' smirk got a little bigger as he reached over to open the folder he'd pushed in front of Spike. The vampire choked on his own drink when he saw the sketch sitting on the top.
"Oh, Bloody Hell! Where did you get that?" He demanded. He remembered when his mother had commissioned the drawing. He'd hated to the foppish little artist who'd simpered and fussed over the damn thing for days.
Faith picked up the copy of the original sketch and held it up to her lover. "Damn, Tigger, whoever drew this did a great job." She laughed at the outrage on his lean face.
Spike snatched the drawing from her grasp and scowled. "Give me that." He shoved it under the pile of papers in the folder and picked up the next form in the stack. He gave it a glance before placing it face down on the left. He continued perusing the papers in the folder the same way for long tense minutes. He paused when he got to the photo. "Not even my good side." He mused before setting it aside as well.
Gerald risked another sip of his drink, suppressing an urge to shudder. "Then you are the same person in both the drawing and in the photo?" He asked. He beamed when Spike nodded absently, not seeming to completely hear the question as his attention was focused on the paper he was reading with a frown.
Buffy frowned in confusion. "Don't you know who and what he is?"
Gerald looked down his nose at the petite blonde. "He is Lord William Wordsworth and he is a vampire. May I ask who you are?"
"Wasn't William Wordsworth a poet?" Faith interjected.
"Different bloke, Luv." Spike told her distractedly. He seemed to completely ignore Gerald's statement about his identity. He paused when he got to what looked to be a statement of assets. He looked up at Gerald. "Is this current?"
"Yes, everything in there is current as of a week ago." Gerald's confidence was growing as the level in his glass lowered.
Spike glanced at Rupert who'd taken a chair next to the vampire. "Did you see this?"
Giles nodded. "Incredible, isn't it."
"Quite." The single word was spoken in an accent neither Faith nor Buffy had ever heard from Spike before. The girls exchanged puzzled looks and shrugged at each other.
Spike set the statement aside and turned over a few more papers, then froze. Giles smirked when he realized what Spike had found. Dazed blue eyes rose to meet the Watcher's amused green ones.
"Have you checked this out? Is this real?" The question was whispered as if Spike were under a spell he didn't want to break.
"Yes, it's quite real and it's all in order. All that is needed is the correct signature and a current photo." Giles said gently. He knew the kind of shock the younger man was feeling. Everything he'd asked for had just been given to him. Concern welled when he noticed how pale Spike had grown. The vampire's normally porcelain features had taken on an ashen hue.
"Spike? Are you all right?" Rupert leaned forward and placed a hand on Spike's arm.
Faith heard the question and took a closer look at her lover. "Hey, Tig. Stay with me. B, is there any blood in the back?" The other girl nodded and went to get it. Gerald looked distinctly green when she returned and handed the mug to Faith. The brunette held the warmed mug up to Spike. He drained it and set it aside. Picking up the glass of alcohol, Spike quickly emptied it as well.
Faith knelt next to Spike's chair. "Hey, Baby. Are you okay?" She asked with concern shining in her large dark eyes.
Spike held his empty glass up and Giles obligingly filled it again. "I'm fine, Luv. Just had a bit of a shock is all."
"What is all this stuff?" Faith wanted to know.
"It's…" The front door bursting open interrupted Spike's answer.