A/N: Thank you for the favs/follows! To have 50+ people following along with my story is so strange to me, I'm so glad you like it enough to want to read the next chapters! This chapter is quite long (even for me lol) and there's a lot going on but I loved writing it so I hope you like reading it! xoxo
Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three
"I get it, I get it!" She said, hitting her head twice with her hand as if she could shock the whispers into shutting up. Some of the people in the smoking area gave her funny looks and the others scurried away to keep their distance from her.
Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three
"If all three are so important, why am I the only one that's being hassled!" She shouted up at the sky, her hands still firmly over her ears as if that could do anything to stop it. She screwed her eyes up trying to stop the whispering. The repetition was making her feel as if she was starting to go mad.
Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three
"One more fucking whisper and I'm filing for a restraining order!" Her eyes flew open and she pointed in the general direction of the darkened sky. Some of the people that had initially stayed for her outburst all started to quickly walk away from where she was stood with her burnt out cigarette in her hand. She hadn't noticed that it was finished as the whispering was still going. Just one number, over and over.
Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three Three
"Shut up!" She screamed and all of a sudden, the whispers ceased. She threw her cigarette into the night, took a deep breath and walked back into the Bronze.
When she returned from outside, she spotted Spike at the bar trying to get the tender's attention. Saff smirked and walked up to him, wrapping her arms around him, she leaned in to whisper in his ear. She was so close that her breath started to tickle his ear. He swung around, grabbing her hard by the arm and turning to face her, his face a picture of embarrassment when he saw that it was, in fact, his love.
"Woah, hey! Don't get your wig on" she laughed at his reaction, "Not everyone wants a side of bar-fight with their beer" She said, noticing he didn't seem to be in a good mood.
"Sorry, love. Thought it was some bint trying to hit on me" He said, shrugging. She mouthed 'jar' at him before replying properly, "You're not that irresistible that girls you don't know start whispering in your ear to chat you up"
"You'd be surprised" He raised his eyebrows and turned back to the bar, trying again to get the barman's attention. Saff smirked, moving to stand in front of him and leaned over the bar to get the man's attention. Her top wasn't very low cut, but her action did the job. Jimmy, the bartender, hurried over to her as soon as she met his eye, despite making Spike wait for the past twenty minutes. Might have something to do with the threatening nature of their last encounter.
"Usual, babe?" She turned and smiled sweetly as she saw him tense his jaw at the man still staring at Saff, waiting for her order. He nodded once, not moving his eyes from the man. Saffron turned back and gave them their order, flashing him her ID. She continued smiling at the barman who was looking between the pair awkwardly. He was weighing up his options on whether he could ask for Saff's number.
"I'll pay" He said, suddenly reaching into his pocket and slamming the cash on the table. He was glaring at the bartender, showing that he definitely should not ask for her number. He reached and put a possessive arm firmly around her waist and on her thigh so the man could see. He rushed away to start making their drinks. Saff rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek, a thank you for paying.
"Where did you suddenly get cash from?" She asked, recalling the way he had complained about going to the Bronze with her friends, "What happened to 'Cor blimey love, if you're wantin' me to go out to the kids club I ain't buggering payin', do I look like a bleedin'-" Spike cut her off from her teasing with a glare, but she still smiled back at him as she took her drink from the bar. The man had brought their drinks in record time.
Xander appeared behind them taking his chance to order while the bartender's attention had been kept. Jimmy still hadn't moved, he was watching Saff sip on her beer as she teased Spike lightly.
"Hey! Bleach-boy, you make a habit of stealing?" Xander said loudly, he had noticed at the table that his change had been taken.
"Only if it's to give to the poor" He shrugged. Saff looked between the two of them, unsure what was going on. She could feel Xander was annoyed, but not necessarily mad.
"I work hard for that money!"
"And I didn't?"
"You stole it!" Xander said, raising his voice slightly. He shot an apologetic glance at the bartender but he wasn't looking Xander's way.
"And you're making it very hard work" Spike shrugged, taking a swig of his own beer and turning back towards the bar. Xander started to get mad and threaten Spike, but he wasn't focusing on what Xander was saying. Instead he was glaring at the bartender who had taken a break and was staring at Saff from a distance. His jaw started to tense and Saff thought it was because of Xander. She quickly cut in, hoping to keep the peace.
"Oh, grow up!" She said to the both of them, who had been squabbling like children despite how distracted Spike had been with the man who was still staring moon-eyed at his girl. She continued, "Xander, I'll pay you back – how much did he take?"
"$20 of my hard-work"
"Here, take it" She fished into her back pocket and gave him the last of her tarot money.
"No, it's fine, I'm payday man! I was going to buy for you anyway" He said, taking one last look at Spike before leaving with the drinks he had been served for him and the others. She pulled Spike away from the bar and towards where the others were sat. His jaw was still tensing and he kept looking back over at the bar. Saffron caught his line of sight and understood, rolling her eyes again.
"My name's Spike and I'm bloody big and bloody bad, I am" She whispered, her eyes sparkled as she teased him. He looked back at her and stopped her before she could carry on murdering the London accent.
"Watch it, honeysuckle. One more word and you'll be drained quicker than you can say 'bloody hell'" He crooked an eyebrow, mock threatening her which made Saff smile.
"And oh man, would it be bloody hell. For you. If you drained me. The whole gang would make your un-life a nightmare!" She added, playing along. But she noticed he was still distracted, looking past her towards the bar, "You have nothing to worry about, I'm not about to run off after the first man that can get me discount drinks" She leaned in to him and smiled. He didn't seem convinced, he could still see Jimmy staring at Saffron's back. No, his eyes were a lot lower than that he noticed and a low growl came from the back of his throat. Actions speak louder than words, she decided. She leaned in and caught his lips with hers, he was expecting her to move away just as quickly but she didn't. She reached forward, deepening their kiss, he could feel her smiling into it as he took control after his initial hesitance. Her hands were tangled in his hair, their breath-taking kiss continued as people danced and laughed around them. Their lips were perfectly in-sync and neither of them wanted to part. When his hands started to wander, however, she moved back quickly making sure none of the others had seen Spike's strong hand trying to grope her on the sly. When he looked back, the bartender had his back to the pair, making drinks. But he could see his ears reddening which made him smirk and put his arm around Saffron as they walked over to the others.
xoxoxo
The table was set nicely and Joyce had prepared everything well ahead of time, it was staying warm as they waited for the final dinner guest. Dawn, Saff and Spike were sat around the table as Joyce fussed with the last minute things in the kitchen. Spike had a hand resting on her thigh under the table, rubbing it slightly every now and again. He just liked to have some kind of physical contact with her, and he really liked being invited to dinners at the Summer's residence. He smiled along with Joyce's story as he felt himself relax at how normal it felt. How good. To be a part of the little family.
"But what they didn't get was that it was a copy of the bill of lading. So, they thought it was another order form. So now I've got two shipments of Greek amphorae on my hands!"
"That's funny. And, really, how many do you need? Amphorae?"
"I don't get it, if it's free does it matter? And doesn't Greece want them back?" She whispered to spike, still smiling as if she had found what Joyce was saying funny. Everyone else did, so she joined in. Although she could tell Spike was being polite as well. She didn't know the word, and her auntie's accent made it harder for her to get as it probably isn't how she would pronounce it if she knew what it even was.
"Amphorae, love. The jugs that those art places like to stand in dusty corners, even the bit knew that"
"Alright, I didn't pay attention in Greek art-ology" She shrugged as Spike smiled at her. She could be so smart but she didn't think things through sometimes before opening her mouth, "And plus, Dawn of time only knows because she was an ancient Greek nerd in middle school"
"Was not!" Dawn said loudly, she had clearly been eavesdropping on the couple's whispered conversation.
"Oh, you so were too!" saffron replied instantly. Dawn was about to reply, arguing against her, when Joyce who had been looking at the door frame spoke up and interrupted their bickering.
"Oh, Buffy! I'll just take everything out of the oven, will you get the plates?"
"Sure. Uh, is Spike staying for dinner?" Buffy asked cautiously. Spike smirked at her and shifted his chair closer to Saffron's.
"Yes, I invited him considering how charming he was last time he came to dinner" Joyce said distractedly as she took dishes out of the oven filled with homemade lasagne.
"Oh, you do flatter, Mrs Summers" Spike smirked even more when he saw Buffy's scowl at his words. Everyone knew he had been calling her Joyce since they had met.
"I've already told you, it's Joyce" she said, beaming at his manners. Saff rolled her eyes, her family and Spike were so predictable. Spike was going to charm his way into annoying Buffy, Buffy was going to start getting irritated and pick on anything Dawn did wrong, meaning Saff would try and keep the peace but get accused of siding with one of them and then Joyce was going to get stressed at all three of them, making Spike look like the perfect guest. And the cycle would start again.
"You can call me Summers if you like, Spike" Buffy said sweetly as she started plating up for herself. Saffron rolled her eyes, here it goes.
"I'd rather call you cuz, if that's alright. Seeing as I'm a big, "bad" part of the family now and all" He mouthed the 'bad' part so that Joyce couldn't hear. But Buffy knew what he was saying. He was trying to wind her up and it was working.
"You are not-" Buffy started, but quickly put a mouthful of lasagne in her mouth, not wanting to upset anyone, other than Spike, at the table. Conversation continued through the meal, Spike managed to find excuses to brush his hand against Saff's, mostly when Buffy was looking up from her plate in time to see. He loved contact with his girl, but he also loved seeing the expression on the Slayer's face at how intimate he was with her cousin. She may have a truce with him, of sorts, but it didn't mean she liked it. Spike and Buffy kept voicing subtle digs at each other throughout the meal, trying to keep it undetected by Joyce.
They had finished their meal half an hour ago now, but they were still sat around the table. Joyce was retelling the Greek amphorae story for Buffy's benefit and they were all listening and smiling in the right places. A cold feeling ran through the room, just as Joyce was about to get to the funny ending of her story. The three girls all shifted uncomfortably before they all fainted at the same time, their heads landing on the dinner table at the same second.
The three of them woke up and Saff's eyes bulged. They were in a familiar setting to her, a forest clearing she had stumbled into many a time. The only difference this time was they were already in the clearing, still around their dinner table. Joyce and Spike were passed out, leaning forwards on the table. She shook Spike slightly, but he wouldn't budge. She'd be worried he was dead if he wasn't already. And he wasn't dust, so he must be okay. She noticed a figure out of the corner of her eye and sighed.
Buffy helped them both up and held her relative's hands tightly, ready to protect them however she could. She looked around, waiting for a demon she could slay.
"Hey, double-F. We should really start scheduling these things. We were kinda the middle of something" Saff called at the man who had been doing vocal runs while he was waiting for them to arrive.
"I needed the three of you. What better time than here and now?" He asked, checking his watch and nodding. On time.
"Maybe you could have let us fall asleep and come in our dreams?"
"No fun, I like to keep things interesting" he smiled at her as she sulked.
"Hate to cut the niceties but what is going on here?" Buffy asked, "Is my mom going to be ok?"
"She asked before you, are we sure she isn't the empathetic one?" he chuckled.
"People can be multi-faceted, not our fault you're lacking" The man made an action as if to tell her to shut up, she opened her mouth to retort again but he had stopped her from speaking. She scowled, she should have known. He turned to the other two, addressing them directly. Pretending that Saff wasn't there.
"Um, are you sure it's us you want?" Dawn asked clearly anxious.
"Don't worry, sweet child. I am here to help. The powers, their wisdom is yours to take. The three of you hold great importance, but you… you are the key. The link."
"Oh, wow, do I get visions now?"
"Uh, no. This is her sight you are looking through. Unfortunately, I must speak through her. I can only apologise for her presence"
"Stop it. Saff is clearly important, are you going to tell us what we need to know?" Buffy interrupted.
"Maybe the attitude is a family trait. Barring you, of course, little one" He had clearly taken a liking to Dawn. He had little time for people not respecting his messages.
"Tertium genus. The selected few. Look within for what you must do. The spirits will decide their fate, but for that there is a choice to make. You must protect her, the link to the olde world, her spirit shiny and new" he clicked his fingers allowing Saff her voice back. He had spoken in a beautiful sing-song voice. A lyrical rap. It stuck in their heads; each syllable enunciated perfectly. He hoped for something positive from one of the three. They are sacred to the powers, after all. Seminal for the world to be balanced again.
"What do we have to do? How do we protect her?" Buffy asked, desperate for some guidance. It had all been very vague. Saff had already told her most of that, except the part about choice.
"You're the chosen one, aren't you? Choose" He said, shrugging as if to say he's only the messenger.
"I wouldn't hold your breath, Buff. He doesn't actually tell you anything. In fact, we could probably do just fine without his help" He checked his watch and smiled.
"I must go now, please listen to what I have recited for you"
"Uh, thank you" Dawn said kindly. Smiling at the man.
"Yeah, thanks for nothing mate!" Saff added, pulling a face at Dawn for thanking him. The scene around them started to go black and Saff remembered what would come next, "Brace yourselves!" She shouted, trying to hold onto their hands but she was torn away from them. She was spun forwards, a sickening thud as her body contacted something hard. A searing pain in all her joints. As if each limb was being torn from her body. She screamed, warm liquid pouring around her, her vision lost to the pain. Everything went white as she lay against the hard surface. Every inch of her was burning in agony.
Saff awoke just as suddenly as she had dropped. She looked around groggily and noticed she had been moved to the couch. She looked up, everyone was staring at her. She shot up into a sitting position, noticing that the other two were stood staring at her as well. Had it only been her? Joyce cut through her thoughts, asking what happened.
"It's, uh, just really warm in here, J" Saff explained as Spike sat next to her. He put his arm around her and she relaxed into him, leaning against his shoulder. He leaned in, kissing her forehead, cupping her cheek with his hand, showing the room his freshly painted nails. Joyce moved and opened the windows in the room before returning the rest of them. Buffy shuddered, she still wasn't used to seeing this kind of affection between them, she wasn't sure she ever would. It spooked her more than the fainting.
"Warm enough for all three of you to faint at the same time?" Joyce asked, not buying it. Saff whipped her head to look between the other two. They really had been there. Saff eventually moved from Spike's embrace to get some water and tried to recover. It was always worse when there was witnesses to her fainting, the concern and worry pulling at her gut. Almost physically painful to feel how she made them worry.
It was later in the evening and Spike had been following her around the house, making sure she didn't go again. Hit her head or something. He hated seeing what the visions did to her. She walked as if all her bones were healing and she was always exhausted.
"What happened really?" He stopped her in the hallway. Joyce had gone to bed and the others were lying in their own beds, wide awake. She sighed, holding his hand as she started to speak. Saff explained everything that happened, kissing him softly when he started threatening fish-features, wishing he could take him on. They spoke for a while, trying to figure it out. The death scenes were becoming more violent and Spike moved to hold her to him. Knowing what it felt like to die. Saff stayed like that, in his arms for a long time.
She eventually realised she needed the others to make sense of it all. She asked Spike if he would wait for her in the basement as she went and knocked on the other girls' doors. They met in Buffy's room.
"Did we all see the same thing?" She hissed, after closing the door slowly so they didn't wake Joyce. Dawn nodded, ringing her hands, she had never felt anything like it, "Bloody fish-features"
"I'll say, what even was that? Who was that?"
"I don't know, he's who they send when the high priestess can't be bothered to show her face. Probably at a pageant or something"
"So, we need to think about this logically. The words, each line must mean something. Like looking at poems in English class" Dawn offered. They continued to discuss theories and everything that had been said, which wasn't a lot. Saffron was pleased to note that neither of them had their own death scene apart from her, it was just fish-features being cruel, she decided.
"It's that stupid bloody number again. It's mentioned every time" She whispered.
"The number? I see it everywhere Saff" She whispered. Saff put three fingers up and Dawn nodded. She pulled the girl in for a hug, this was all the poor girl needed. More confusion for her brain. Buffy joined them, all three of them knowing something big was coming.
xoxoxo
Saffron entered the crypt, plastic shopping bags in her hand that read 'thank you' in different colours. She shook her head, her ponytail bobbing behind her as she recovered from the downpour outside. She grinned when she saw Spike, skipping over to him and leaving a soft kiss on his lips, before rummaging through the plastic bags.
"You get everything, pet?" He asked, moving to look in one the bags himself.
"Yep, took me ages, I had to go to three different shops to find your special bleach" She rolled her eyes fondly. He was precious about his hair. She had wondered how he had managed to do his roots before they were together seeing as he couldn't see what he was doing. She couldn't imagine Drusilla doing it for him but again, maybe she had. She moved to put a record on the player, something they both enjoyed. Hopefully it would distract Spike. He whined when the bleach started to itch.
She snapped the plastic gloves on her hands as she started to mix up the bleach. She made a show of wrapping him in a towel and asking him where he was going on his holidays. She liked to act the part, it was in her nature. She started to make up people that she could gossip about as if giving him the full hairdressing experience. Spike didn't get it so much, seeing as he hadn't been to a modern hairdresser, but her act always made him smile. She always loved to play the part, she almost sparkled with glee when he played along with her. He wouldn't go to a real hairdresser even if he wanted to, the lack of reflection might give him away and he didn't like people touching his hair. Unless it was her.
When she was done washing out the bleach for him, her soft hands making it feel like the most relaxing experience he had felt, he spun her around. He had never felt anything this… pure. The soft domesticity of it all. With her. He left a soft kiss on her lips, pulling her to him as she laughed. He loved that sound.
When he pulled her close to him, she had sprinkled his face in tiny soft kisses, she could be so affectionate. He loved moments like that with her. He could almost feel his heart rise in his chest. She wanted to take care of him in the way he wanted to care for her. He had waited so long, hundreds of years for a love like this.
He smiled at the memory, he loved it when she was by his side. He couldn't imagine returning to his old life, he thought to himself. Although, he'd definitely still like the chip out given the chance. A noise interrupted Spike's thoughts. He sensed someone moving from the corner of the room. How had he missed that? Sometimes, being love's bitch was a curse.
Drusilla swayed out of the dark corner, clutching a single red rose in her hand. She smiled at her ex-lover. Spike was confused, why was she here? Why now when everything was looking up for him? Drusilla explained what had gone on in LA with Angel and Darla. It made Drusilla miss the old days, before he had found her.
"I want us to be a family again, my William. Come back with me"
"To Los Angeles? I've done the whole LA scene, Dru. Didn't agree with me. I have a life here, pet. Decent digs not to mention all the tasty townies I can eat" He added the last part, not wanting to mention his love, proving Drusilla right that he had always been in love with her.
"Naughty. You needn't make up stories. Poor boy. Tin soldiers put funny little knick-knacks in your brain. Can't hunt. Can't hurt. Can't kill. You've got a chip"
"You heard about that then? Poor Spike's become a cautionary tale for vampires, right? "You better be good, kiddies, or else they might wire you up someday!"" He got angry, hating that he couldn't hunt the way he once had. Maybe he did miss it more than he realised. He kicked the gate in the corner in anger at his situation as he saw how Drusilla hadn't changed.
"I don't believe in science. All those bits and molecules no one's ever seen. I trust eyes and heart alone…" Dru nodded along with herself dreamily, coming ever closer to Spike, "The flower. She has poisoned you against your nature. My evil prince must come back to me"
"Dru…"
"You're a killer. Born to slash and bash and bleed, like beautiful poetry" She held his heart with her hands, he closed his eyes. The feeling so familiar.
"I won't tell, my Spike. The call of the hunt is too strong, too strong for the poppet to understand" She whispered, making sure she held Spike's eye contact, "Leave with me. We can be together again"
Drusilla had started to glide forwards, as Spike moved backwards. Spike was staring deep into her eyes, mirroring her every move. He had been backing away and hadn't noticed the direction they were walking in, she was smiling knowingly at the man she had spent so long with. He found himself lying back on the bed, she pushed his chest so he would lie flat. She slid herself on top of him, smiling widely. Her hand on the side of his face as she leaned into him, about to land a kiss as he just stared unsure what he was doing.
At this moment, Saff had descended to the lower level of the crypt and witnessed what can only be described as a horror-scene. Her eyes widened, she didn't know whether to just pretend she hadn't seen or try to haul Drusilla off him thus getting herself horribly mauled by Morticia herself. She didn't need to choose though, as Spike sensed her and looked over to her. His face changed, a sudden realisation. He'd been snapped out of Drusilla's draw. He pushed Drusilla off him and shoved her onto the bed and away from him. But Saff had already turned to leave. He grabbed his duster and moved to follow her, distracted only by Drusilla's rage. A blood-curdling scream as she started one of her infamous tantrums.
Saff ran to the off-license in town. She bought herself a large bottle of vodka and then walked to the small lake that the people of Sunnydale used for fishing trips. Lake Eville, the sign read as she walked past it to sit on a bench overlooking the water. She'd prefer to be looking at the ocean, it usually calmed her, but this would do. She unscrewed the cap and started to drink. Her cheeks started to stain with tears as she thought about what she had seen. She never would have imagined seeing something like that. Never from Spike. She had been convinced he loved her like she loved him. Someone stalked into her line of vision and she groaned, just what she needed.
"Oh, Saffy! Look, I was only walking. I can go…" Harmony was clearly spooked, and started to walk backwards, worried she'd lose her head.
"I'd really like that" Saff replied, taking a swig of her vodka. But instead of continuing to walk away, Harmony noticed something. Puffy eyes and a sniffling nose. She moved to sit next to Saff on the bench.
"You look sad, you know what I do when I'm sad?" Harmony asked her.
"Massacre a football team?" Saff offered, still looking out into the night rather than at Harmony's face. She closed her eyes, trying to listen to the calm lapping of the water in front of her. Just seeing Harmony's face made her mad. It reminded her of Hayley, she never even had a chance at life. Harmony had taken it, lured her away and killed her.
"That was once, and only after I slept with them first" Harmony stated, as if that made killing any better, "And no, I was going to say a facial"
"Oh, to be a young, hot vampire who doesn't need love" saffron mocked, having another drink from the bottle hidden in a brown paper bag.
"Hey, I want to be loved. Everyone wants to feel loved"
"That was… insightful. Have you been reading?"
"You don't need books to be insightful" Harmony pointed out, before adding, "It was a magazine" Harmony shrugged, taking the bottle from her and taking a sip. Benefit of Vampire strength as Saff wasn't giving it up easily. Harm pulled a face after tasting it but kept hold of it.
"You make it really easy for me to want to take the piss out of you, you know that?"
"Because you think I'm a dumb blonde? Well I am, but I have feelings"
"Hayley had feelings. You're a bitch" Saffron couldn't stop herself from saying it. The malice in her voice evident.
"That's so mean! Who even is that?"
"You don't even fucking remember!" Saff screamed, snatching the bottle back from Harmony, "Curled black hair, 90% freckles, loved the colour pink?"
"Ooooh, her. You knew her?" Harmony realised. Pulling a face that said 'oops'.
"She was one of my best friends. You killed her" saff added bitterly.
"Well, I mean, I am, like, an evil vampire. It's what I'm supposed to do" Harmony shrugged, but quickly added, "I'm sorry, Saffy. She did ask"
"What?" Saff asked, stopping herself mid-drink and putting the bottle down. She had never thought about that. The way Hayley spoke made it sound as if Harmony had attacked her and offered eternal life as an afterthought.
"She totally asked me to! But she changed and got, like, so twisted. I don't understand why some of us stay the same and others go psycho"
"Oh" Saff said, taking another massive shot of the vodka, before actually offering the bottle to Harmony this time. She was in deep thought as she twisted the bracelet Hayley had bought her for her birthday. She barely took it off. Did this change how she felt? About Hayley? About Harmony?
"Is that why you're sad? You should find Spike, you know he'll give you lots of comfort" Harmony smiled, she might as well have said he'd fuck her better with the look she was giving. Harmony took another sip and pulled another face as the liquid burned her throat.
"I'm sad because I staked Hayley, but mostly because I just walked in on Drusilla straddling Spike" Saff admitted.
"Ew, Droodzilla's in town? Horrible dress sense and a worse complexion" Harmony said, handing back the bottle. Harmony didn't think much of Hayley being staked, in fact she was glad. The girl was rude to her after she was sired. I mean, what happened to like respecting your elders? Saff looked at Harmony and smiled through her watering eyes.
"I'm sorry, Harm. Uh, for being mean, I thought you forced her to turn" Saff could tell the vampire was being honest. Mostly because Harmony wasn't used to drinking so much and seemed to be talking without a filter. On top of everything, she now felt guilty for blaming Harmony for something that Hayley had asked for, apparently. Why did she have to be so understanding? She had needed to direct her anger at someone other than herself after she had staked her friend. It had really hurt. Almost as much as seeing Drusilla on top of Spike, removing the straps of her dress.
"I'm sorry Spike was horrible to you too" Harmony shrugged. Spike hadn't treated her well, he hadn't been in love with her. He had been thinking about Saffron when they were together.
"Yeah he wasn't great to you. You should look for someone that likes you for you. Unicorns and all" saffron said, starting to light up a cigarette. Harmony smiled widely, she would have never expected Saff to be so kind. She launched herself at Saffron squeezing her in a binding hug. Saffron almost choked on the smoke in her surprise. But she found herself patting Harmony's back in return.
"I smell something" Harmony said suddenly from next to her neck and Saff started to struggle away from Harmony's grip. Expecting to be vamp food. Shit, how did she fall for hugging an unpredictable vampire? Harmony pulled away suddenly, unaware of Saff's struggling against her, "It's her. I think you should go. Like, now" Harmony repeated to emphasise the urgency. She was trying to help the human and she wasn't sure why. It was as if being in Saffron's presence made her want to be good or something. Plus, she wanted to make it up to Saff, she had sort of killed her friend even if she had asked for it.
Saff suddenly felt it too. She was coming for her. She could feel it, her anger was noticeable from where they sat. She nodded at Harmony, telling her she could keep the alcohol and quickly left to get to a house before Drusilla came for her.
xoxoxo
Saff ran half-way across Sunnydale before she stopped and fumbled with the device in her pocket. She flipped it up, dialled the number and rested it between her ear and her shoulder as she patted her pockets looking for her bobbles. She quickly smoothed her hair up into a bun so that none of her hair was accessible and waited as the phone rang through.
"It's Drusilla, she's back! Her and-"
"And who? Is it Angelus? I need you to tell me if he's back" Buffy said, her voice serious.
"N-no, it's-it's Spike. She was with Spike!" she hissed, her voice tumbling in between a new wave of sobs that she couldn't control. Had it really all been a lie?
"Stay on the line, Saff! Where are you?" Buffy said, holding back an I-told-you-so. She knew that if Dru was back they could all be a target, saffron especially.
"I-I need you to come, I think she's going to kill me before I get home"
"Where are you?" Buffy, repeated with urgency.
"I'm at the-" Saffron was cut off and the line went dead.
"There's a tiny little box with a tiny little slayer. Kill the box, kill the slayer inside" She chanted as she crushed Saffron's mobile phone into tiny pieces.
"Are you serious? The slayer's not actually in there… you must have seen a mobile phone before?" Saff said, staring at the pieces of her phone in mourning but stopped short when she realised that Drusilla was slowly getting closer to her, "Look, I didn't mean anything by it. No cell reception in the underground hovels you like to play house in, I guess" Saff winced as she couldn't help running her mouth. She was nervous.
"The poppet speaks out of turn, and she will have no cake today. She speaks as if she's a worthy opponent, but no strength is behind her words" Saff opened her mouth to try to retort in a way that she had learnt from Buffy, "Shh, naughty poppet" Drusilla smiled, shaking her head at the girl and wagging her finger at her, "The stars have been whispering to me. All day and night. A playdate with your new friend. Pretty petals all pink and rosy. Like yin and yang, you are. The light is so pretty, but you want to take it away. Why must you take away the light?"
"Look, do you want something? Or can I get on with my crying, it's not everyday you walk in on a crazed killer reclaiming her lost love. You paint quite the visual, thanks for that one"
"But yours is the love story, poppet. Saccharine sweet, made me sick it did" Dru nodded, swaying and holding her stomach, "Act six, the star cross'd lovers seal their fate. Moving pictures burst the bubble, will Romeo die before she wakes?" she giggled at the picture running in her mind, clapping as she saw what was to come.
"You know Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy, right? I haven't been around as long as you, but it's just something to think about" She shrugged, as if she wasn't bothered by her current situation. Drusilla's eyes lit up at her words, but she didn't comment.
"The death of one becomes the other" She replied, ignoring Saff's previous attempt at a conversation. Drusilla was still stuck in the clouds.
"Fuck sake, my head is spinning! Why do you have to speak in riddles?"
"I used to be his, now even the stars have turned their backs on me. The stars want to be yours" Dru whined, seemingly switching between conversations. Her sentences were switching between topics without reason. Her smile had dropped from her face as she saw something else. Something that frightened even her.
"Look, Dru – do you mind if I call you Dru? You can have the stars-" Saffron started to babble, knowing her only hope was to distract Drusilla long enough for someone to find them. She couldn't take on Drusilla.
"Shh" She put her finger to her lips again, before using her two fingers to motion towards Saffron's eyes, "Look at me, be in my eyes" She started to sway again, Saffron mirrored her actions.
Spike had managed to find them in the graveyard and stopped when he saw what was going to happen. Was he too late?
"Saff!" He shouted, running over to the pair. His ex and current loves. This distracted Drusilla, her head moved to look at Spike, snapping Saff out of the trance she had been in. "Nothing happened, love, I swear it!" He directed at his girl and Saffron felt it. The truth. She sighed relieved, her earlier doubts had felt wrong to her. Spike took the stake out of his pocket, "I'll do it, I'll stake her good and proper. For you" Saff just stared, her eyes wide in shock. She never thought he'd do something like that. Neither did Drusilla, she frowned wagging her finger at Spike. Spike cut between the pair, facing Saff and turning his back to Drusilla. He took her hand in hers, nodding softly. Confirming what he was going to do. She could feel his conflicted feelings. Drusilla meant a lot to him, but he wanted to do this. If it meant Saff was safe and they could stay together. He took an unneeded breath and started to turn. Saff grabbed his wrist softly, shaking her head.
"Duck" She said quietly. Spike started to open his mouth and frown at his girl, before understanding. He moved to the side, rather than ducking, giving Saff a clear look at Drusilla. She took a deep breath and stepped forwards, taking Drusilla's wrists in hers and started to stare at her. Hard. "Sorry" She whispered to the woman. Drusilla started to recoil from her, but she didn't have her usual strength as Saff held on to her. Saff was influencing her emotions. Pain and sickness was weakening her, she tried to make it so it would happen any time she felt like taking a trip back to Sunnydale. She felt the pain as much as Dru did, but she needed to do this. To make her stay away. To protect Spike from having to stake his sire. She knew how much she meant to him. Saffron slowly let go of her and stepped back to stand next to Spike, who was watching in shock. She had to steady herself against him because of the residual pain she was feeling. When had she become that powerful? This was Drusilla, after all.
"It burns! Her poison, it burns! The Eye is in my head and she is not a kind visitor, no writing in the guestbook for you!" Drusilla pointed shakily, "The death of one becomes the other. I hope it becomes him, bad poppet" She shouted, still angry at Saffron before turning and speeding away.
Spike silently moved to her side, an enthusiastic kiss as he knew he had done that for him. To protect him from the pain she had felt when she had staked someone she had once been close to. He pulled back, his hands cupping her cheek as they stared into each other's eyes. No words could form, but their understanding was flowing between them. The love. They eventually moved to walk away, their hands entwined, still not able to know what to say to each other. This was new to both of them. Being speechless.
They had almost made it back to the crypt when they were stopped abruptly in the middle of a graveyard. A blonde woman came into view, her outfit was perfectly matched and she made her way straight to the pair.
"What is this? The ghosts of girlfriends bloody past?" Spike groaned, rolling his head back in annoyance at who was now stood blocking their path.
"I gave you the best bunch of months of my life! I thought maybe if I gave and I gave and gave, maybe you'd come around. Maybe be a little nicer. Stop treating me like your dog. But now I see it's you. You're the dog!"
"Oh, shut up, Harm" Spike said, pulling Saff's arm to walk away from Harmony. Saff noted Harmony's speech was slurred, she must have finished that bottle.
"Just listen, babe. She needs this" Saff said as quiet as she could, so Harmony couldn't hear. She stayed rooted to the spot and Spike looked at her incredulously.
"Since when were you best friends forever?" he hissed, rolling his eyes as Harmony continued to babble in the background.
"I'll explain later just listen"
"Uh, hello! I'm making a speech here!" Harmony shouted over the whispering pair and cleared her throat before resuming, "And you can say goodbye to this, because you're not gonna see it anymore. Unless you run into me somewhere and it's me walking away from you. But even then, I'll probably just, you know, back away" Harmony said, pointing to her ass before nodding, pleased with herself. She backed away from the pair, stumbling slightly. She waved and smiling widely at Saffron who smiled back at her slightly. The pair walked away and Spike started to complain about everyone ganging up on him. Apparently, Drusilla had attacked him after he rejected her advances and now Harmony was calling him names.
"Leave her alone, she's kind of sweet. Besides, how was I ganging up? I've just been here, loving you this whole time"
"Well remind me never to really cheat on you, love, whatever you did to Dru, I never want to be on the wrong end of it" He almost shuddered at what she had done. But he had enjoyed watching her too much to really be bothered. And besides, he was too in love with her to even consider it.
xoxoxo
When she made it back to Revello, she explained everything to Buffy over hot chocolates made lovingly by Joyce. Saffron explained everything that happened, emphasising that Spike is still on their side, if slightly reluctantly at times. Buffy explained that she couldn't keep up with Spike's seeming switching sides every couple of weeks.
"Well, it was a trip, I'll say that much" Saff concluded about the day she had, yawning, "My power, I think it's getting stronger. It's as if I knew what I had to do, I've never felt that much pain though" Saffron said, staring into the distance. Drusilla was evil, but inflicting pain on others made her guilty. She couldn't shake the feeling. She hadn't stopped thinking about it, but she felt she had no other choice.
"I'm glad, she deserves worse" Buffy said firmly, knowing the way her cousin cared too much about things that she took for granted. She was a vampire. She deserved worse. It reminded her of how Buffy had wanted to stake her because of what she did in high school.
"Yeah, did it for Kendra as much as I was saving my own skin" Saff said, yawning again, still wondering about her power to influence others emotions. Buffy obviously was as well, as she replied, "I'll ask Giles about your wacky powers getting stronger later, I'll have to drop by after patrol he said he has something he needs to speak to me about"
The next day, Saffron had managed to convince everyone to stay in for the afternoon. It was a Sunday afternoon and the four women were watching a movie together. As Dawn reached for the popcorn bowl that was in Saff's hands, with her other hand she slipped something onto Saff's lap. She frowned. It was a note, in scrawled handwriting that she recognised.
Crypt. Tonight.
Saff had frowned and Dawn had shrugged in response. She had been planning to go anyway. She realised why he had left a note when she walked in. He'd been planning something. There were lit candles resting on almost every surface and rose petals had been arranged from the door of the crypt towards different parts of the crypt. Soft music was playing in the background. She followed the petals to the couch where she noticed that there was a bottle of champagne on ice, which she wasn't sure how he managed considering there was no freezer in the crypt. She sat down next to him, a frown of confusion on her face.
"Have I hit my head and woken up in a rom-com?" He looked almost embarrassed at her words, she felt instantly bad for what she said. He had really made an effort, but she didn't need these things for her to believe he cared, "I love it, almost as much as I love you" She explained quickly as he looked back up his features still guarded. They usually enjoyed teasing each other, but they knew there was a time and a place. She beamed at him, throwing some petals in the air to show her appreciation. They slowly came back to the ground, not before some landed on the pair. Spike still didn't look convinced. Maybe he had overdone it with the romance?
"I really am drowning in you, Honeysuckle. Since the moment I laid eyes on you. I bloody hate watching you walk out of that door. I need you with me. By my side" Spike said, starting to shift in his seat as if he wanted to move, "I need you with me always" Saffron hadn't realised from the display in the crypt what this might have meant until now. Her eyes widened and she moved to sit herself on his lap, in case he was about to do what she thought he was going to do. She was straddling him as she ran a hand along the side of his face, along his jaw and the other hand weaved through his bleach-blonde hair. They looked into each others eyes, an understanding that could have been left unspoken. But she needed him to know how much she cared.
"I love you, Spike. I'll never stop, not for anything. I feel it too, you know. You're a part of me, in everything I do. I never knew how to describe it until you spoke those words" She poured these emotions between them, things she had thought so many times before. Left unspoken, hoping he would know through her touch and her kiss. She thought about how to word her next sentence, trying to show him that she loved the gesture but explaining, "I don't need any of this stuff, I only need you. I'll always need you. But I mean, obviously, I love that you've done it" She added, gesturing to the room with her head before resting it on his chest. He moved his arms to hold her weight, resting his cheek against the top of her head and closing his eyes. He was grateful she hadn't run a mile.
"Too much then?" he murmured, managing to see the humour in it. He really was love's bitch, he was man enough to admit that. Even do all this to prove it. But her, she didn't need it. She was satisfied with him. She was happy with him. His chest lifted when he thought about it. There had never been anyone that had just loved him without him having to prove anything.
"No such thing as too much, when the love's as great as ours" She grinned, leaning over to grab the bottle, opening the champagne and taking a drink straight from the bottle, before handing it to him. His eyes glistened in the candlelight, both of them shared a smile as they made the most of their romantic evening.