Trouble

Chapter One

AN: A nice birthday present for Thianna, an awesome writer and an awesome person. Non-Spuffy! Oh no! Hopefully that won't scare all of you off.

The city was busy as usual, only slightly slowing at the late hour. Like most big cities, Atlanta did not sleep much – if at all. That pretty much suited the slayer, though, as other slayers had to sit in graveyards at night boredly waiting for fledges to rise if they were stationed in small towns. Instead, Marie walked along the streets and stopped at the convenience store on the corner to get herself a peach smoothie.

Tonight, she passed on the sweet treat as she actually had a particular place to be instead of just patrolling aimlessly. She had gotten info that there was a small vampire bordello near Underground that she was on her way to go break up. These places just kept popping up because people just kept on paying to get themselves sucked on by the gross creatures. Or other things... Not to mention, other demons and vampires paid for the pleasure they could find there. So raiding places like this didn't just help protect humans from their own stupidity, but also gave her a chance to take out some of the demonic clientele while they were preoccupied.

Before going in, Marie paused in the alley beside the building to check the daggers in her combat books and the stakes in the pouch on her belt. She hitched up her leather pants, the small girl always having such a problem with keeping her pants up even with the belt. That and her bra straps, which were the next to get tugged back up under the black tank. With that, she hurried for the front door before they started to sense her presence.

She strode in the front door, staking the vampire bouncer before he had a chance to ask her what she was doing there. She flipped her black streaked blonde locks and headed for the stairs, already having a plan in mind to go from room to room dusting them stealthily. This was not the first time she had to put one of these things out of business, obviously.

Like before, she made it halfway through the rooms before the others became alerted to what was going on. So now she was fighting her way through a crowd of vampires, there having only been a couple demons there that night and she had already got rid of them.

Kicks and punches were flying through the air. She flipped out of the way of one angry vampire to dust the one behind him, and then spun to stake the first. It went on until they were all gone and she continued checking the rooms for others that she hadn't gotten rid of yet. There was one half-conscious vampire that she put out of its misery before continuing. She nearly skipped the last room, but went in and paused at the sight there.

Chained to the bed was another vampire that was on its way out. But, this one was male and apparently had gotten special treatment from the owners of the whorehouse as besides all the cuts and bruises he was dressed in what normally a female whore would wear. Fishnets, leather corset, choker with rings on it for the chains, dark nail polish and the side of the face that she could see was made up. The hair was long and shades darker than her own; it had used to be bleached by the colour of the tips. Besides all of that, she sensed something different about this vampire as she stepped further into the room.

Kneeling on the bed, she started undoing his bonds. He was too weak to fight back so it did not worry her. Her sympathetic blue gaze roamed over him and her hand brushed the hair back to she could study his face. It did look familiar, but she still wasn't sure.

A groan and then the blue eyes blinked open, not quite fixing on her.

"Well, this is new," he finally got out hoarsely and by the sounds of his voice she could tell his throat was raw. It made her shudder to think how it had gotten that way. "A slayer comin' t' get her jollies from the Big Bad."

"Big Bad?" Her brows drew together as her memory tried to jog itself as the feeling that title brought. Her own accent rolled off her tongue, "And for your information, sugah, Ah came to save your undead ass."

She wasn't completely sure why she wasn't dusting him like she had the other half-gone whores. He was different and she could sense it. He must have been wondering the same thing judging by the look he was giving her as she helped him off the bed. She ignored it and just got him down the stairs as quick as she could, needing to get them out of there before possibly more vampires or demons showed up.

She got the vampire back to her apartment, worried about what her watcher was going to say about this. Her watcher wasn't much older than her and very nice, but she was still a watcher and bringing home a vampire was still something that was probably going to get her some evil looks.

In fact, it did the moment Marie came in the door. Gilda looked up from the books she was reading in the sitting area and narrowed her eyes at the pair, not missing the way that Marie had to invite the guy in before she could lead him inside. Then a blush started to creep over her cheeks as she noticed the condition of the man.

"What is this all about?" she stood and walked over to them. She tried to make out the face on the man, but couldn't through the curtain of hair that hung in her way. It looked matted with disgusting things so touching it was way out of the question.

"Mission accomplished; the place is outta business," was all Marie said as she settled the guy on the couch.

"With the exception of the souvenir you brought home?" Gilda quipped as she watched them with arms crossed.

"Hey! Ah saved him, not so Ah could use him for myself," Marie frowned at her watcher. "If you don't wanna help me with him, then just go sit and spin."

"I like this bird," the vampire finally spoke up again, giving a coughing chuckle. "An' really, I don' want t' cause any trouble. Just point me on my way."

"Oh no, this is my apartment and Ah get to chose who Ah nurse back to health," Marie pushed him back down. "Now, wanna tell me who you are and how a big strappin' guy like you came to be dressed like a whore?"

"Name's Spike," he began and lifted a brow when her eyes got wide. "What?"

"Ah knew you looked familiar!" she said excitedly and smiled at him, "Ah was one of the potentials that got there just before the big battle in Sunnydale. I was young then, so that's why the memory was a bit fuzzy. Gilda, this is Spike. See, Ah knew he was different. He's one of the ones that's got a soul."

"That still leaves how the infamous William the Bloody came to find himself in drag in a whorehouse," the watcher paced to the side, avoiding looking at the half-naked vampire.

"Got myself knocked around pretty good in the next big battle that came in LA," he glanced at the woman warily. "Afterwards, wasn' able t' defend myself when some of those assholes snatched me up. Been going from place t' place as they moved about ever since."

"Anyone you want me to call to tell them that you're safe?" Marie asked.

He shook his head tiredly.

"Okay... well, you need blood and we don't got any right now, but we can get some tomorrow," the slayer dropped to kneel in front of Spike and tilted her head to the side, tossing her hair back. "Ah heard slayer blood is real good."

"Really shouldn', luv," he said, but his eyes were latched onto her pulse.

"Just do it so you can heal, sheesh," she inched closer. "Ah'm not gonna put up with a whiny vampire hangin' around. Been wearin' woman's panties too long, haven't you."

He growled and instantly his fangs were in her neck, making her jerk in surprise. She relaxed, reassured that he wouldn't kill her. He tugged her body close, not having had anything fresh to drink in so long, let alone slayer blood. When he was finished, he laid her back against the pillows and looked up at Gilda through the curtain of hair.

"I didn' take much, but I guess she was tired," he told her, worried she would think the worst. Being a watcher and all. Even when he was soulless he wouldn't have repaid such kindness like that, well... unless Drusilla asked him to, probably.

"She's anemic, so she gets lightheaded even getting her period," Gilda explained, endeared a bit to see he was actually concerned for her charge. "Are you going to stay? I mean, you said you had no one to call and it would be nice repayment for saving your life. Not to mention, you could be a big help to her."

"Just like a watcher t' try t' broker a deal on their slayer's behalf," he gave a weak smile, brushing the hair back again.

"It is our job, isn't it?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

"Well, you would probably like a shower, so follow me down the hall and I'll see if either of us have a big enough robe for you," she started for the hallway before seeing if he could follow. "As you can see, we're both tiny girls and doubtfully will have anything for you. But tomorrow, Marie can go out to get some stuff for you to wear."

"Thank you. Do you... have some scissors?" he touched the long mess of hair, remembering how the owners kept it long to go with the womanly embarrassments they forced on him to break him.

Gilda nodded silently and went to get that along with the robe. She found one long enough in Marie's room, secretly pleased at the blue colour that would match his eyes. Oh, when did she start getting all googly-eyed at vampires? Even if he did have a soul.

Some time later, Spike walked back into the sitting room wearing the robe. His wounds were starting to heal thanks to the blood and he was feeling more like his old self already. He had trimmed his hair slightly above his chin and as it would dry he knew it would get a bit curly and appear shorter, a bit longer than he wore it as a human.

"I'll stay for awhile," he told her with a nod then bent to lift Marie into his arms so he could carry the petite slayer to her bedroom. "I have nowhere else t' go, yeah, an' it would only be right after what you guys are doin' for me."

Gilda smiled, pleased, "Thank you. You can take my room and I'll take the couch."

"Wouldn' be gentlemanly of me t' take a bird's bed from her."

They stood there looking at each other stubbornly before Gilda sighed. "Okay, whatever."

Spike nodded and went to tuck Marie into her bed, kneeling to remove her boots along with the daggers inside then the belt that held her other slaying gear. He glanced up at the angelic sleeping face, noting the way the petite blonde slayer reminded him of another petite blonde slayer. But, she had his hard, punk edge. Maybe if he and Buffy had been lucky enough to have a child. He shook the troubling thoughts away and got up. No need to think of such things. That time had long past.

He headed back to the living room, only to find the watcher girl curled up on the couch sleeping. Sneaky bint. He chuckled and lifted her as well to carry her back to her bedroom. No watcher was going to one up him, no matter how cute she was. He tucked her into bed and brushed a hand over her hair before turning away, needing to go get some sleep before doing some thinking. It had been a crazy night.

Marie set down her soda and glanced over at the vampire who wasn't even paying attention to the TV. He was glancing off into the distance, obviously lost in thought with his bottom lip poked out in the sexiest pout ever. Well, this wouldn't do. Brooding was just icky and him brooding right there was just wrong. She didn't save him so he could brood.

"Yo," she called out to get his attention, deciding to draw him out of his troubling thoughts, "Is Madame Spike gonna come out with me tonight to do some patrollin'? Or do you need more time to brood?"

His eyes suddenly focused and shot to her with a glare. He barely refrained growling at her, "Bugger off."

"Only if you help," she grinned widely and wiggled her brows at him.

He stared at her dumbfounded for a moment before looking away. "Bloody irritatin' bint..."

He didn't want to chuckle at her antics, knowing it would egg her on like a child. He wondered if this was the way he had acted with the others and why they had always found him so irritating. Nah... He was just cute. He laughed mentally, glancing at the young slayer out of the corner of his eye. She was adorable, too, but with a hidden edge. He still had the troublesome thought of her being what he imagined a child of him and Buffy being like. She was also a mix of both Buffy and Faith in a way.

"I'll come with you patrollin', like I told your watcher. But only if you never insult me with this broodin' business again."

"Fine, but no more poutin' like a baby around me."

He growled at her and she just grinned impishly at him, going back to watching TV. He sighed and got up, heading into the kitchen where Gilda was cleaning the last of the dishes from dinner. She looked up when he entered and offered a small smile, setting the bowl she was cleaning down.

"Would you like some blood?" she started towards the fridge, glancing away from him shyly.

"No, luv, thank you," he leaned against the counter then nodded towards the living room. "How do you put up with that bird?"

She looked back at him questioningly, and then glanced towards the door. "Oh, Marie, well... she's really not as bad as she seems, I guess. She's a really nice girl with a weird sense of humour."

"If that's what you want t' call it," he snorted.

"Spike," she narrowed her eyes and put her hand on her hip, "She saved your life; I think you can handle a little bit of teasing. C'mon, you've had to have grown thicker skin in nearly two hundred years."

Spike sauntered over to the petite watcher and looked down at her. "You two bloody chits keep sayin' that as if it means I should be your wee little puppet. My gratitude only goes so far, an' soon you'll both use it up. Then see what happens when she says somethin' out of turn t' me."

"She's my slayer and if you so much as look at her the wrong way..." she let the threat hang there. "I asked you to stay and help, but if you don't like it here then you know where the door is."

With that, she turned away from him and went back to the dishes, scrubbing furiously on a pot. It was good she didn't have the strength of the other two or she might have put a hole through it. She jerked when a cool hand rested on her shoulder to get her attention and she slowly looked up.

"I'm a bad, rude man... an' a bit grumpy still from all that... well, don' need t' tell you about all that," he shook his head and dropped his hand. He took a step back, clearly uncomfortable after bringing up where he had been for the last few years. "Sure I'll be back t' my right sunny self after a bit more rest an' relaxation."

"We can only hope," she arched a brow up at him then ducked her head to hide the little smile as she rinsed the pot and set it aside.