"Is she… still the same?" Buffy asked in a whisper, standing at their bedroom door. Spike didn't know what to say. It had been days since Kat had her soul back and when she woke back up from her much needed nap… well, it had been a lot bloody worse than Spike had thought. She wasn't making a lick of sense. Staring off into space as she muttered absolute nonsense, giving Dru a run for her money. She didn't respond to anyone, just sitting there in her own little world. Her mind was broken and Spike wasn't sure how to fix it. He'd asked Red if she could wipe her memories but she'd refused. Said it was tricky even for her and it was likely to go wrong, make her even worse. So all they had to do was wait and hope she'd get better. And he damn well hoped she would because it was killing him seeing her like this. Since he'd locked himself away with her to care for her, Angel had explained to the others that this was normal since having your soul shoved back in and remembering it all was jarring. But even Angel had to admit, he hadn't expected her to be so… out of it.
"See for yourself," he mumbled. He was tired, not sleeping at all because Kat didn't. Stayed awake all hours of the day babbling on about all sorts of crap that made no sense. He stepped aside and Buffy carefully walked in. She and Angel were the only ones he allowed in the room. Xander had tried to visit her and she'd lost her bloody marbles, screaming incoherently at him until he left. She wasn't ready yet for the others, even the Bit knew that.
"Trickery is omni-present, much like candy," Kat murmured, hugging her knees as she sat on the window seat. She constantly wanted to sit at the window and on the second day, she'd damn near burned to a crisp because of it, opening the curtains as she mumbled about the sun. He'd had to cover it with a piece of wood to stop her doing that again.
He watched Buffy as she stood there, looking dejected and heartbroken at the sight of her.
"Kat?" she asked softly, hoping for a reaction.
"Love slips on a banana peel," Kat breathed, rocking back and forward, not looking at anyone. Buffy took a hesitant step towards Kat but Kat didn't seem to notice.
"That stolen figurine has your skin crawling," she frowned to herself, shaking her head. Buffy sighed, turning to look at Spike. He looked just as hopeless as she did. He had no idea how to help her. Remembered this bit bloody well when he'd done his own rounds of being crazy in the school basement. But while he'd muttered a load of crap, he had responded to Kat when she was there. Kat didn't seem to know anyone was there.
"Utter nonsense stole the goods," Kat muttered, staring at the wood covered window like she could see through it.
"Couldn't have said it better myself, pet," Spike huffed, wiping a hand over his tired face.
"Do you want me to keep an eye on her for a bit? So you can sleep?" Buffy asked carefully. While he appreciated the sentiment, he knew the blonde hoped he'd say no 'cause it hurt her seeing Kat like this.
"No, I'm good," he shook his head. Didn't want to leave her no matter how tired he was, needed to keep an eye on her. Be there for when she did become aware of her surroundings again. Buffy nodded, giving Kat one last lingering look before she left the room once more. Spike walked over to the window, taking her hand and leading her to the bed. She didn't respond to him but seemed to go willingly enough. He wondered just what was going on in her head. She leaned against the headboard, eyes flitting around the room but never on him.
"A sound you heard bathes in sunlight," she sighed dreamily. Spike took the tray with jars of blood on and set it in front of her. He'd learnt that she wouldn't take them if he offered them and if he tried to feed her himself, she downright lost her shit. So now he'd just put the tray on the bed in front of her and she'd help herself. Her appetite had grown, most likely because the animal blood didn't satisfy her the same as human blood had. She'd slowly get used to it and Spike was somewhat grateful she was out of it because it meant she didn't have to be mentally present for the withdrawals. By the time she'd come back to him, she'd have got it out of her system and be back on animal blood. Kat looked down at the jars for a long moment before she picked one up, glugging on it greedily before moving onto the next.
—-
"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Kat sang teasingly, stalking through the dimly lit gallery. It was closed for the public but she'd seen a girl come in here. No doubt one of the artists for the exhibit going on the next day. The girl looked a little younger than her but she had a dress that Kat really wanted. It was a black thigh length body con dress with little white skulls on it. She knew she'd look hot in it. And if she wanted something, she'd take it. Simple. She could hear the girl's heartbeat thundering away, the scent of fear lingering in the air that made Kat shudder in pleasure. She loved this bit. The thrill of the hunt. She didn't like it so much when it was too easy. She sauntered over to a large statue, knowing the girl was cowering behind it.
"Boo!" Kat grinned, making the girl scream as she got up and ran. Kat used her vamp speed and was in front of her in seconds.
"It's rude to ignore people, you know," Kat smirked.
"Please. Please don't hurt me," the girl wept pitifully. Kat loved it. It was exactly why she'd shown the girl her true face the second she laid eyes on her in here, to instill that fear in her. Kat grabbed her, making her scream more and Kat relished in it. She sunk her teeth into the girl's neck, drinking greedily with a moan. When the girl was lifeless, Kat let her hit the floor with a thud. She eyed her lazily, feeling like the cat that got the cream.
"I'll take this, thank you," she grinned impishly, taking the dress off roughly and leaving the girl in her underwear. She looked around for a moment before a devilish smirk crossed her face. She hauled the girl's dead body, positioning her on the statue so she lay in the man's lap, looking like she was waiting to be spanked. With a chuckle, she wandered back off outside with her new dress in hand.
—-
Kat pushed the doors open to the seedy biker bar. She was on edge today. She missed Spike too much and she hated days like this. The only thing that made her feel better was some good old fashioned murder. And she wasn't even hungry. She was wearing her new body con dress that clung to her curves in all the right places. She had on platform boots and her wavy hair was down and bouncy. She heard cat calls as she waltzed inside and she smirked to herself. The place was small, full of rowdy bikers. She wasn't exactly in the mood to pick a fight with some kids. This wasn't about food. It was about the rush of a fight and she knew these guys would be interesting. She made a beeline to the bar and the bartender gave her a very obvious once over. He was a bit of a pretty boy and stuck out like a sore thumb in this place.
"What can I get you, little lady?" He asked with a smile.
"Whisky, neat," she smirked, leaning on the bar a little to push her breasts up more. His eyes glanced down with a chuckle before he got to work on her drink. When he placed it in front of her, she drank it in one go.
"You sure know how to put the drink away for a tiny thing," the bartender grinned. She flashed him a coy smile before slinking away and going towards the pool table where a few guys were hanging out.
She took a spare pool cue from the wall before she waltzed over to the table, all eyes on her.
"Wanna play, missy?" A big burly guy with a beard asked her.
"I do," she smirked, feeling the rush already starting to work its way into her system. The guys all laughed like they knew something she didn't and it only made her smirk widen. In a flash, she snapped the cue in half over her knee and shoved it right through the chest of the man who'd spoken to her. There was a stunned silence for a moment, the man gurgling as blood trickled out his mouth. Then he hit the floor with a thud and all hell broke loose. The men came at her but she was faster than them, stronger than them. She zipped around with her vampire speed, making them all confused, not knowing where she was. They were shouting that she was a demon, some men running for their lives. They were the smart ones. The stupid ones stayed behind. She flit from man to man, stabbing them with the other half of the pool cue, snapping necks. She even ripped the heart out of the pretty bartender. When she was done, bodies littered the floor and the walls dripped with red. She laughed delightedly, feeling like she'd purged her feelings. She felt weightless. She snatched a lighter off a dead body before moving over to the bar. She grabbed a bottle of vodka, taking a long pull before pouring it all over the counter. She repeated this several times with various bottles of alcohol all over the place. She stood in the doorway, tilting her head as she heard the faintest of heartbeats. One of the men on the floor wasn't dead yet. She could have gone over, snapped his neck to spare him from what came next. But she didn't. She lit the lighter, dropping it to the floor and stepping back as she watched the flames follow the trail of the alcohol. She could hear the man's agonized screams as she walked through the parking lot and it made her smile.
—-
A young couple were giggling and making out in an alleyway near a club. It was dark but they had no cares as they enjoyed each other. The girl gasped when they heard a crash down the alleyway.
"What was that?" She asked worriedly, her eyes darting around in the dark.
"It's probably a cat," the boy shrugged, going back in for another kiss. A louder bang sounded and the girl pushed him away looking scared. The boy sighed, knowing if he wanted her to relax, he had to show her nothing was there.
"I'll go check," he smiled sweetly, making the girl relax. He walked down the alleyway slowly, leaving the girl leaning on the wall. He peeped behind a dumpster but nothing was there.
"See, it's nothing," he chuckled, freezing when he turned around.
Kat had hold of the girl, her back to Kat's front with her hand wrapped around her throat. She was in vamp face and she loved the shock and horror on the boy's face. Part of her thought he'd run, but he didn't. She wanted to test him.
"Come here," she demanded. The boy blinked at her for a long moment, his hands shaking before he hesitantly made his way over.
"Ricky!" The girl pleaded through tears, looking hopeless against her captor.
"Let her go, please," the boy, Ricky apparently, begged.
"I'll let her go… if you kill yourself," Kat grinned wickedly.
"What?! No! Stop it, you crazy bitch!" The girl wailed hysterically, making Kat laugh. The boy stared at Kat for a moment and Kat gestured with her head to the broken bottle on the floor.
"Do you love her?" Kat asked slowly, her gold eyes boring into the boy.
"I do," he whispered shakily.
"Then prove it, or she dies," Kat smirked, squeezing the girl's neck and making her whimper.
The boy walked over to the bottle, crouching to pick it up as the girl cried and begged him not to. Kat would admit she was impressed with the boy for even thinking of doing it. Most people would run a mile and leave their lover to get murdered. She knew because this wasn't the first time she'd done this. It was shocking how fickle love could be. How many people claimed to love someone yet would put their life before their lovers. That wasn't real love. His shaky hand held the sharp broken bottle to his neck as he started to cry softly.
"I love you, Amelia," he sobbed.
"No, no, no! Don't, Ricky please!" The girl pleaded desperately. The boy took a long breath before plunging the bottle into his neck. Amelia screamed and Kat's other hand slapped over her mouth. Ricky tried to speak but all that came out was wet garbled nonsense before he fell to the floor. Kat could feel Amelia's tears run down her hand as she slowly turned her around. The girl was smart enough to not try to attack her.
"You… you… you said you'd… let me go… right?" She asked through her tears. She looked devastated and Kat loved it.
"I lied," Kat grinned, her fangs glinting in the moonlight. Before the girl could say a word, Kat grabbed her hair and roughly yanked her head to the side before sinking her teeth into the delicate flesh of her neck. She drank without a care as the girl fought against her before giving in to the euphoric feeling the bite gave her. When she was done, she tossed the girl in the dumpster, leaving the boy bleeding out on the floor.
—-
Spike moved the tray of jars when she was done with them, setting it on the bedside table. He wished he knew how to make it better for her. She looked so lost.
"I miss grandmother," she murmured sadly, moving to hug her knees to her chest. Spike blinked at her for a moment. He knew she could have meant her actual grandmother but something in his gut told him that wasn't who she was talking about.
"You saw your grandmother, pet?" He asked softly, not really expecting a response. Didn't mean he didn't bloody talk to her though. He always tried. He was shocked when she turned to look at him then, her blue eyes actually seeing him.
"She gave me girl scout cookies and brushed my hair. Told me I was the prettiest girl," she rambled, a dazed smile on her face as she closed her eyes. Spike frowned a little. He remembered Dru's words back when she'd kidnapped Kat. Told him she saw in the stars that he'd turn her. He'd told her she was wrong back then but he should have known. The idea of Kat and Dru running around together made him feel a lot of things, mostly confusion and dread.
‐—-
Kat lounged about on her makeshift bed just enjoying the peace. It had been a few days since she'd gotten rid of Angel and she felt relieved. She was just wondering what trouble she could get up to that night when she heard the door to the warehouse open. She stood up, eyes widening a little to see Drucilla walk in, looking like she was floating with a smile on her face.
"Oh, granddaughter!" She beamed, hurrying over. She wrapped her arms around Kat and Kat didn't know what to do at first. But she felt that aching hole in her chest burn a little less at the embrace so she hugged her back. It was almost like having a small piece of Spike back.
When Dru moved away, she grinned at Kat.
"I knew the day would come where little Willy would turn you! You're so pretty, little kitten," she murmured in awe, twirling a lock of Kat's hair around her finger. The nickname had filled her with rage when Angelus had used it. But with Dru, she found she didn't mind so much.
"What are you doing here?" She asked curiously. Dru giggled, clapping her hands together.
"To see you, darling granddaughter!" She grinned.
"I heard tales of your time with daddy. And he was a very naughty boy! And you've been a very bad girl," she laughed delightedly. Kat's lips twitched up into a grin. She found a pull to Dru and she wasn't quite sure why. Maybe because it was a link to Spike. She never cared much for Angelus. He was more of an acquaintance than anything else. But she found herself glad to have Dru's company.
"Come, I know just what we can do," she smirked darkly, grabbing Kat's hand and leading her out of the warehouse into the night. She wasn't sure where she was expecting Dru would lead her but it wasn't into a wooded area where a bunch of girl scouts were camping. It was the most fun she'd had in ages. There was something special about the screams of children.
—-
"She had to leave, to follow the stars. She loved me," Kat mused, her eyes drifting. Spike shifted on the bed, moving so she had to look at him again. He didn't want her floating away. Not again.
"I love you, Kitten," he murmured, slowly and carefully reaching for her hand. She didn't move away when he took it but she didn't hold it back either. She started laughing, sounding delirious and unsettling as Spike watched her with uncertainty in his eyes. Her laughter ended abruptly and her eyes stared at him so intensely that he felt like she could see his insides.
"You're not Spike," she uttered, her voice now hollow as she stared him down.
He frowned, blinking at her for a moment.
"I am. I'm here," he replied softly, squeezing her hand. She shook her head and took her hand from his and he had to try and push down the sting of rejection.
"Spike's dead. Burned brighter than the sun and left me empty inside," she whimpered, curling in on herself. His heart ached at that and all he wanted to do was reach out and comfort her.
"Why did he do that? Why did he leave me? Everyone always leaves me," she cried, resting her head on her knees as she started rocking again. Spike swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he moved closer to her. She looked up at him then, looking so heartbroken and he wanted to kick himself. He hated what he'd done to her, even if they all would have ended up dead if he hadn't sacrificed himself.
"He did it 'cause he loves you, Kitten. Wanted to save you. But he's back. He's here, I'm here," he murmured imploringly. She slowly blinked her damp lashes at him for a moment before her eyes glazed over again and he felt dread twist in his stomach.
"A river a thousand paces wide always strikes for the heart," she muttered quietly. She was gone again, that much he knew. He just hoped she'd come back eventually. He wasn't sure how much more of a beating his heart could take.