Act 2: Healer of the Broken Heart
© 2003 by Chris Regan
Spike meets Pike
It was half and hours drive later that they parked next to a tan BMW in a hospital parking lot, sitting in the front seat Harmony reading a fashion magazine, and Wesley sitting reading a book on medieval history.
Looking up Wesley said, "It's about time you got here Spike! What took you so long?"
"Shopping"
"OH"
"Stop it you two, I bet she got some lovely things."
Cordy smiled "Yes I did!"
"Well Wesley you are tart tonight; didn't you get your bad on." All of them turned, and saw Faith standing there with Connor, Michael and Appletree behind her.
Wesley looked at her, but said nothing just opened the car door got out and went around to the passenger door so Harmony could get out. He said "Faith that is private."
"Isn't he sweet, opening the door for me?"
She smiled and said, "Yes" and left the scene as it was.
"Well what do you think Cordella?" asked Michael.
Shaking her head, "I think you should ring a bell, dressed like that! Michael what in the world are you wearing?"
Michael said, "Well I though…"
To look at him he had a wide brimmed hat in white with a collection of fake flowers on the front, flowered dress, cotton socks and roman sandals then there were his wings sticking out behind him.
He looked so ridiculous that Faith started to laugh then the rest started at him then shaking their heads joined in the laughter. It had been a long time since they had laughed, the week busy with only bad news at every turn and Michael's outfit was just the thing to release some of that tension.
"We have to do something with your wardrobe Michael," said Cordy.
"What about this?" he said before his clothing melted into a Hawaiian shirt and white knee length shorts and the roman sandals.
"Better Michael."
Harmony asked "What about his wings?"
"Only you can see them," said Michael.
"Oh" said Harmony.
"Fallow Me," said Inspector Appletree as she turned then disappeared thought the doors. They looked at each other then at the doors that said in big bold letters MORGUE and Emergence rooms.
Fallowing her into the hospital there were two sets of double doors down the long wide corridor. Inspector Appletree was standing a short way down the hall a crossed from the Emergence's room doors. She saw they had come though, and walked down the hall farther and though another doors.Once theygot to the doors, they saw the word MORGUE.
As they entered the morgue, it was cold like a stone crypt on a snowy winter day; in the room were counters along two of the walls, with instruments on linen covered stainless steel trays and jars on the counters. The other wall had a refrigerator and a single door, behind them was the main double doors. The coroner and his two assistants were standing, talking in hushed tones to inspector Appletree, a handsome older man and woman when they walked into the room; five tables two with something covered in sheets, three in black plastic bags.
The older man said, "It is time they know about it" then he and the others transformed their faces.
Spike and Wesley looked at the older female with suspicion.
Gwen turned and faced them then said, "Now that we have trusted you with our secret, are we going to fight, or we going to talk?"
Wesley pulled out his gun.
Spike put his hand on the gun then said, "Wesley calm down."
"To hell I will, with Angel going loopy, now you acting like you're the Boss."
Gwen moved quickly across the room toward them faster that her year said she could. She knocked the gun out of Wesley's hand.
Holding his hand for a moment, "Who are you?" he demanded as he reached in his pocket for something.
"I have many names Mr. Price, but you may call me Gwen?"
He pulls out the cross he always carried. He figured she would go up inflames, but she looked at it, and she fingered it lovingly "It is very lovely, the wood is Oak, it came from a downed tree in the oak grove on my property, your grand father loved carving, he was a true craftsman in the beginning there were twenty crosses."
"He looked at her in shock, and said, "Yes he did but how…"
"I knew your grandfather a good honest man; he was very skilled with a chisel. He worked about my place for many years, before he met your grandmother and your father was born. He made them at my request they were to be used as identification for us" as she took hers out of her bag, Armand took out his, Appletree next, then the coroner.
"You're not bursting into flame. Why aren't you bursting into flame Asked Connor.
The group saw a little smoke rise from them, but nothing more. "You are Connor?"
"Yea, so, what of it?"
"You are the son of the first vampire with a soul."
"Yea, so what are you getting at?"
The older man spoke "Gwen, he looks like Artair.
"Yes he does."
"What do you really want" Said Faith. Cordy and Spike at the same time withdrew weapons.
Gwen, raise her arms "We mean no harm, Erma tell them!"
"It is OK Spike," said Appletree as she stepped forward.
"Who the hell are you people? I should kill you were you stand" said, Spike.
Then Harmony stepped in front of Spike "Spike listen to them, they are here to help."
From behind them came a silky voice that Faith had heard before as the person walked around then she said, "Thank you Harmony."
Harmony nodded her head but did not move as the other female spoke, "Spike, we are the League of Demons." They turned and saw Queen Diamanta. "The vampires do not burst into flame because they have paid the price for their souls centuries ago," said Queen Diamanta in her human form, carrying the same cross.
"Hold it! Hold it! Slow down Harmony" said Spike.
She looked at them, "They are the ones I have been spying for all along. It isn't just me, it is Clem and Whistler, the waitress at your favorite restaurant, and the bar keeps at the Bucket of Blood, the pharmacist at the hospital blood bank also the bar tender at that human bar you hang at."
"Harmony what in hell is going on?"
"Spike your favorite place to eat is the Stake House, were all the slayers hang out there every night."
"Harmony, Faith could have told you that!"
"Would she mention that you have very rare steak, baked potato and salad?"
Spike said how you would know that, is be on me! Now you're sounding like Buffy."
"Why thank you for the complement Spike."
While Wesley was argued "we cannot trust them" at the same time."
Spike sounded like Angel, as he screamed "Enough!" for the first time he was a leader, he had that command in his voice. All that knew him just stared at him in shock.
Gwen saw what she needed to see as she changed back into her human form Gwen said, "Let me Harmony"
Harmony nodded then Gwen went on "You see we needed to know if either of you were going to change, or both was; you see Angel and you are cousins."
Harmony blurted out "Shit, Angel and Spike are cousins. That explains why they fight all the time!"
At that moment Faith put her hand to her face leaned on the counter and threw-up."
Faith stool up, a hand shoved a towel at her she took it, when she looked it was one of the coroners. With him was a mop and bucket she took the towel then stepped out of his way as she uttered, "Thanks."
She shivered as beads of sweat swelled on her brow; she looked at the five tables, in her mind knowing death was laying there.
The older man asked, "Are you cold slayer?"
"No Just don't like morgues" as she started to shiver.
"That is understandable in your line of work, here is another towel and then he also wrapped a blanket around Faith."
"I didn't catch your name?"
"I did not throw it."
"Two shay, who are you really you look familiar?"
He smiled at her, "As it should my dear, last we met you were in my shop examining a beautifully crafted short sword."
"A yea, I remember now, you were helping one of the other Slayers with a dagger. What are you doing here?"
"Same thing you are my dear…"
The rest are just watching the inter change.
"Who is he?" Asked Harmony
"He is Mr. Armand from the armory shop in the mall in Glendale" answers Wesley."
"I don't remember her being with us when…"
"I wasn't, some of the girls came in the shop when I was there looking."
"Oh."
Queen Diamanta in a matter of fact way said, "Time is growing short the five bodies you see laying here as you came in are Angel's latest kills from last night. He is changing at a accelerate rate, Joe, show them."
Without saying a word he uncovered the first person, which was a blonde-haired person, with her throat ripped open; talking around the sucker he said, "We found two types of blood on her she put up a real struggle before he killed her."
"Any body fluids" asked Wesley.
"Yes saliva" said Joe.
"No semen."
"No"
There was two girl, the first one her face and neck where gone but the hair was blonde the other was a two-tone job blonde on top and very dark underneath.
The next was a beautiful ebony haired girl about twenty also her throat ripped out and part of the skin, had been violently ripped off down to the breast.
Spike's thought "With all the dead bodies I had seen, this girl bothered me I felt like throwing up then I saw what was bothered me as Faith said it."
"Spike, Buffy, they look liked Buffy!"
The others looked at each other with a dumfounded look and the one that knew her said "Yea or yes" slowly one at a time.
Joe the chief corner went over to the next body, which was the worsted. Faith, which has a strong stomach took one look, and threw-up.
Spike gave a discussed look and said "You OK Faith?"
"Yea, sorry I lost my cookie again but…" it came up again.
"You OK Faith" said Spike.
"Yea I think so, must be getting the flu."
"Yea I guess…"
Then Joe got to the last three, he unzipped the first bag and blood pour out on to the floor. Spike trying to control his urge to go after the blood that was life to him. Gwen had been watching his reaction to the blood she was pleased at the restraint he showed.
Joe taking the lollipop out of his mouth then said, "He completely ripped her throat out and her face off we're going to have to use finger prints and dental work to find out who she is."
Joe put the lollipop back in his mouth while we walked over to the next bag and trying not to throw-up as we went. In it was a brunette in life she must have been beautiful for laying there she was lovely all except for the bloody gaping hole where her throat use to be. Her spine was the only thing holding her head to the rest of her body what was left of her blood had pooled in the bag there was very little to say about her other than her eye were like Cordy. "Joe take a look at Miss Chase doesn't…"
Joe looked at her "The eye, yes, they have the same type of eyes."
This made Cordy shiver, but she said nothing.
Joe unzipped the next bag while we moved on, Joe's assistant zipped the last bag.
Wesley and Michael sat down at the desk and put their heads in their hands.
Wesley said, "This is what we were trying to avoid."
Michael said, "Yes I think we all were. The big guy is not going to like hearing this news.
Cordella had been watching the scene unfold when she asked, "I have a question for you, what is the shiny stuff in Buffy's blood?"
Gwen looked at her then looked down before she spoke "It is of a heavenly origin, you see some of the slayers as they are called are descendants of a mating between a goddess that was in love with a mortal." She turned, and with an intense look "Spike after we are done here could we gather at your place then I can tell the full story from beginning to end to the whole group."
"A… yea… sure…" Spike said.
"Joe you and your guys know the story so if you want to start cleaning the bodies up and doing your autopsy."
He removed the lollipop "Sure Gwen just waiting for you to give me the go a head."
As they walked out Spike, Harmony, and Gwen all smelled it. They stopped Spike put up a hand the others went quiet. "Do you smell that, one is human, the other is human but near death?"
The third Appletree and Gwen smelled first it was a wet dog smell then Spike smell it; Putting a hand on his arm "Spike, stop" she closed her eyes then breathed deep of the night air "I smell a werewolf."
"God what is that awful stench" asked, Cordy.
"Werewolf" said Spike.
"Not him the other one."
"Yea, I smell him too, he has been there a while by the cigarette butts he has been crush out in the alley."
"Over there in the darken door way!"
"Yes I see him, the rest of you get in the car Cordella, Harmony go with Wesley."
"But…"
"GO"
In a low voice, he pointed at the mass farther down the alley, "See he is watching something: Dam it couldn't be, not now."
They saw a tall man shaped form holding a woman they could see the blood run down a face as he turned his head toward them "that does not look human" said Cordy.
The creature with blood dripping from his mouth four long teeth drench in blood, a widow's peak, and what was even more disturbing was his vampire brow thick and boney, a young woman in his arms as if she is a rag doll. The last time Spike had seen Angel's face it had an evil gleam, now there was very little of Angel that Spike and Wesley recognized.
Spike, with all he has seen, feels the young woman's heart still beating; then they saw Cordella step out of the shadows. The person let the woman slip out of his grasp as his face dripping with blood cried out saying, "Cordella! No! You're dead I killed you" he shook, but never took his eyes off Cordella as she bent over the woman.
Then he bolted out of the alley screaming as if he had lost his mind into the street "Your dead, your dead" as he ran, a car just missed hitting him as he disappeared. Spike shook his head as he turned his attention back to Cordella and the injured woman, mumbling as he went "As bad as Buffy never listens."
"She is still alive I hear her heart beat." He picks the woman up, "Cordy covered the wound with your hands to stop the bleeding."
At a glance, he saw Harmony he yelled, "Harmony get help!" As they walked with the woman.
"Yea, yea" was her answer, as she ran in the hospital and came out with two interns and a stretcher.
Gwen's sharp eyes saw a sparkle in the light from the end of the street. She walked down picked up the woman's bag, and fallowed the rest knowing that she was being watch. "You might as well come in if you mean us no harm." She walked in and after getting inside she looked though the window in the door she saw a shadow of a man in the trench coat and fedora step out of the shadows and wander toward the hospital as he smoked a cigarette.
Erma said, "Hurry up Gwen"
"I'll be in the waiting room Erma."
"OK I will make out the report later could you check her bag to see who she is."
"Yes Erma."
She glanced at the bag saw that it was much larger than she had thought. Seeing the sign Waiting room she fallowed the arrows around to the door, and went in, then sitting down on a chair, started to take hose, brush, hair combs, clothing, shoes, out until she found what she had been looking for which turned out to be a green bill fold. As she opened it in front was a driver's license that sais Diana Octavia Aventina Brown, then an actor's guild card, an extras guild card, a visa card with the girl's picture on it, an America Express card, insurance and a dental card.
She heard the door open and the man in the trench coat and fedora came in sat down with shaking hands he lit up again, and pulled out a stake then laid it on his lap. "Move vampire and you will die."
She smiled at him "What do you want?"
"Nothing from you, but Spike is another matter." He grunted then doubles over falling onto the floor his hat came off she saw him transform as he held on to the stake as if it were his salvation.
At the same time Spike and Appletree walked back toward the waiting room as he mumbled, "Women never listen and let a man protect them."
Appletree looked at him side ways, but said nothing.
He took a breath "I don't mean you" he did not look at her she just shook her head.
As they approached the waiting room, they saw Gwen looking at something when they entered the waiting room they saw him. At that point, the werewolf stood up, he was no longer a man he was a rather tall slim werewolf in a trench coat. He growled and drooled at them dropping the stake at the same time he lunged at Gwen. The two were rolling around the floor. Spike and Appletree went in to battle mode there transformation was quick and flawless, they pulled him off Gwen and were being throw about. They kept fighting him.
"This is rather refreshing I haven't had a good tussle since the Big Battle."
"Yes it has been a while for me too!"
Faith had been walking up the hall toward the waiting room, she was outside watching though the window for a few moments judging what to do then she remembered the dart gun she entered the waiting room staying against the wall she slipped into the room. In her hand the dart gun, which Wesley had given her a few weeks ago. She knew she would only get one chance to shoot the creature staying close to the wall sliding into a position were she could get a good shot, the werewolf in the mean time threw Spike off, then Gwen, they hit the wall and were going out as they heard three pops.
Faith shot him three times in the chest he went down like a ton of bricks. She walked around him as he changed to his human form; the others slowly woke with grunts and groans, and feeling they had been hit by a semi truck Spike holding his head crawled over to check the person's pockets, he found a wallet with a driver's license.
What's his name?"
"Oliver Pike"
Noting the piles of stuff now scattered on the floor.
"Where did all this stuff come from?"
"It belongs to the girl."
"Who is the girl?"
Gwen picking up the wallet that slides off her lap at the beginning of the fight she looked at it then said, "Diana Octavia Aventina Brown."
"What was she doing in that dark alley?"
"I don't know."
"She is a Student at the local College."
"What about the girl, will she live?"
"Gwen she is getting a blood transfusion and being prepped for surgery. The doctors will call when she wakes said Faith."
"I'll call the guys, they will pick Mr. Pike up and he will stay in a cell at Wolfram & Hart, where he will be safe for tonight" turning he pulled his cell phone out and dialed the number.
"Mark I need a clean up crew at Glendale Memorial Hospital.
"Which entrance?"
"The Morgue entrance"
"We will have him in the waiting room."
"What type of pick up?"
"Werewolf"
"Faith how long wills the dart last in his system?"
"Two hours Wesley said."
"Two hours."
"Spike it is a dam busy night, we are swamped it appears that there is a Werewolf convention in town, and no body told us, the funny thing is they act like they are new werewolves and not one is an Alpha.
"Mark what do you mean?"
"Alpha's can change when they want too, it is something in there make-up the moon does not govern them the same. I guess they are stronger they do not need the moon to change and they can stop the change when the moon is not full."
"How did you find that out?"
"It was a few years ago I found out about the difference, when my cousin was diagnosed, she is an Alpha…"
"OK, that is good information to have for future; we'll be waiting for the crew."
"Ah, it will take us 30 minutes to get there. Yea Spike bye."
"You're a good man Mark I know you can handle it see you when you get here."
"OK we will be waiting, see you in 30."
"What's up Spike?"
"They be here in 30 minutes, it appears that there is a Werewolf convention in town, and no body told us, they just keep coming as one unit gets in the next is called out."
He turned back "Where is Cordy?"
"She is sitting with Miss Brown."
Cordy walked in the waiting room "What happened in here?"
"I thought you were with the girl, I mean Miss Diana Octavia Aventina Brown."
"So that's her name, she when into surgery the doctor said we should come back in four hours. He thinks she will survive, but she is going to have a nasty scar on her neck." Then she saw the man in the trench coat.
"Who is he?"
"Oliver Pike and he is a Werewolf."
"OK, that explains him and why you guys look like you have been thought World War III. What about the stuff on the floor?"
"It belongs to Miss Brown I was looking for her wallet when Mr. Pike came in."
"OK Lets get her stuff picked up."
She started picking the stuff up as Gwen held the bag open "By the clothing, make-up, hose, my guess is she is a dance, model, or actress."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well being an actress I carried changes of clothing all the time."
"I wonder were Wesley and Harmony are?"
Wesley came down the hall "What happened in here?"
They looked at each other Faith said, "Wesley meets the new werewolf in town Oliver Pike" as she pointed to the person on the floor.
"Where is Harmony?" asked Spike.
Your place, with Garmon and the dragons, there keeping and eye out for Angel."
"OK"
The Clean-up crew walked into the Hospital fifteen minutes later. Finding the waiting room they acted like it was a normal pick-up for them. "Spike that our package" the man in all black asked.
"Yea Barry he is the package put him in a cell I will see him tomorrow."
"OK Spike" they load him up on a stretcher, then strapped him down and put heavy handcuffs and leg irons on him for safety. Before wheeling him out Barry check the person out "Spike, he is out for tonight, he should be up about two PM tomorrow."
"OK Barry I'll see him about then thanks."
"The others may be worried we should go too said, Faith.
Spike said, with irritation "Yes, yes you're right" as they fallowed the Clean-up crew out into the night.
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