STRIP SNAP
by Lilachigh
Author's note: a nice long episode for you tonight. Do let me know if you like it.
The story so far: Attacked by a demon, Spike nearly dies, but when he recovers, Buffy discovers it is William who inhabits the vampire's body. Determined to get Spike back, she and the Scoobies get confused over a Demon Fire charm that they soon realise is nothing to do with Spike, but everything to do with destroying The Master when he rises again. Buffy uses the demon Toth's dividing rod to call Spike back, so she now has William and Spike to help her, although Spike is furious with his girl because he guesses she has had sex with William. But one result of Buffy killing her old enemy this time will be the destruction of all Aurelians - including Spike and Angel. But Willow and Anya find a banishing charm that should send The Master into another dimension, thus saving the man Buffy loves.
Chp 15 Not your Girl
"A demon's fire changes all,
The Old Returns,
Love Alone can break the thrall,
Passion Burns,
Past and present merged must be
By Love, desire and need times three"
William and Spike strode down the darkened street, their strides matching. Spike's coat billowed behind him but apart from that, in jeans, boots and T-shirts they looked identical.
"I am still unclear as to why you needed me to accompany you on this marketing expedition," William said.
Spike grunted. If he were honest, he would say it was because he didn't want to leave his other half anywhere near Buffy. He knew only too well what they'd done and he was buggered if they were going to do it again. But there was also a tiny flicker of curiosity in his mind; he wanted to spend some time with William. However weird it seemed, this was him, the him that had once been. It was hard to remember being this inoffensive, but it was truth.
"Miss Willow seemed to have no doubts as to what she needed to make this spell work," William commented as they reached the brightly lit shopping mall.
Several people turned and stared at them, but the cold glare from Spike's eyes deterred them from speaking.
"Oh the witch is as clever as a cart load of monkeys when it comes to the mojo side," Spike conceded. "She used just to dabble, now it's a full time thing. She's been trying to give it up, but you saw her just now – she couldn't wait to get together with demon girl to find the right spell to chuck the Master through some nasty portal into an even nastier world than this."
William pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket. "The list is very detailed," he said doubtfully. "I must admit to a little astonishment that there are not enough magical ingredients in the magic shop itself."
Spike shrugged, collapsed onto a bench and lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke angrily against a No Smoking sign. "She wants fresh, I suppose. Let's look – yes, fresh basil, two goose eggs, blimey, six artichoke hearts – what's she making, a spell or soup?"
"She is Buffy's great friend," William said slowly. "But she doesn't know that you – that I – that we – "
"Have sex with the Slayer! No, she doesn't. Spends too much time worrying about herself. They all do. No one worries about my girl."
"Your girl?" William tensed.
Spike ground the cigarette under his boot. "Well, she certainly isn't yours, Bill old chum! So you can get that idea out of your head. Soon as we get this bloody Master business finished with, you'll have to go."
William's blue eyes hardened and for a second Spike realised that this was what looking in a mirror would be like – something he hadn't done for a very long time, of course. "You think you can kill me?"
Spike shrugged with a century's certainty of death and destruction. "Don't think – know."
"I have the same skills as you – the body is the same."
"But not the mind that drives it," Spike said dryly.
William smiled suddenly, his face alight with a charm that made a passing girl stop, turn and almost, but luckily not quite, come back to flirt with the blond twins sitting on the bench. "If you kill me, you will also vanish because I will no longer be here, so cannot be turned and thus become you."
Spike stared at him for a moment, then wondered if his head was going to burst open and send his brains exploding across the mall floor in little grey spitballs. "Look, let's just get the rotten ingredients and get the hell back to the Magic Shop. We'll worry about what happens afterwards – afterwards."
William sighed. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help liking this man he'd become. There was a part of him that envied the bravery, the spit-in-the-eye-of-the-world attitude that Spike had in abundance. He wondered what dear Cecily would think if she could meet him now? The soft muscles of his arms hardened into steel, the poet's hands thinner, deadlier and oh so talented in the ways of bringing a woman to the very doors of paradise itself.
He lifted his fingers to his nose and sniffed silently. The aroma he sought was still there. Then he caught Spike's glare and pretended to scratch his chin. He knew that Buffy loved Spike and that Spike loved Buffy. And he was also aware that this was a love he would one day know himself. It was all very confusing because at the moment his heart belonged to Cecily. Would Cecily love Spike? He recalled exactly what Buffy had taught him over the last few days and shifted uneasily on the bench. How could he possibly return and expect Cecily to do – well, some of those things that no nice young lady would ever do? But, a little voice whispered in his head, perhaps she'd enjoy doing them, just like Buffy does.
He sighed. He knew instinctively that he would never make love with Buffy Summers again. He knew, too, that somehow he would be sent back to his own time. For all he'd told Buffy he didn't want to, it wasn't logical to pretend he wouldn't. Because here was Spike, existing in this world. So he would go back and be turned by Dru and become –
"A sapphire! Where the hell does Willow think we're going to get a sodding sapphire!" Spike had been buying things and now he was back, turning over the shopping list and reading the last ingredient scribbled on the back.
William jerked his mind back from a scenario of pushing Cecily down on the floor of the summer-house, lifting her skirt, pulling down her ruffled pantalettes and – "What?"
"How much dosh do you have on you?"
"Dosh?"
"Money. Cash. Coin of the realm, although dollars would be better."
William shrugged. "None at all. Oh, yes, there is this strange coin in my trousers." And he pulled out a quarter.
Spike flicked it away from him and pocketed it. "I wondered where that had gone! Thanks, mate. But it won't buy us a sapphire. I've got about ten dollars left and that's it."
"So we cannot purchase the jewel? Buffy and Miss Willow will be distressed."
Spike lit another cigarette and offered the packet to William, who shook his head. "I have once smoked a cigar, but mother doesn't approve of tobacco." Then their eyes met and both vampires burst out laughing.
"Have you ever regretted what happens to us?" William asked at last.
Spike shook his head. "Never, not for a single moment. You won't either when it happens," he said. "Be honest and think about your life – the boredom, the petty, stupid people you know. You'll be offered – everything. And you'll take it, willingly."
William watched as Spike flicked the lighter and stared round the mall at the late night shoppers, a wistful, hungry expression on his face. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. "What happens to Mother? I am not green enough not to realise that she died a long time ago, but I do hope I took care of her in her old age. I plan to buy a cottage in the country for her when I have made my fortune. She is so delicate – well, you know that, of course – I feel the country air will be so much better for her than the damp and smog in London during the winter."
Spike made a fuss of stubbing out his cigarette. How could he possibly tell William what he would do to their mother? The pain that would cause was unthinkable. If he'd been Angelus, then yes, he'd have done it in a trice, with all the intimate details. But then he'd never been so much for the mental torture bit. He'd preferred the real type, with ropes and knives and terror.
"Mother ended her life just as she would have wished," he said shortly. "Now, let's find this friggin' sapphire and get back to the Magic Box."
"But we've no money – "
Spike sighed. "Forget money, Bill. We'll nick a ring from that jewellers over there. I'll grab it, you hold the door open, then run like hell!"
Two hours later, a silent circle of people sat on the floor of the Magic Box. The shop was dark, lit only by candles that Anya had arranged on every surface. Willow had built a two foot high pyramid of white glass spheres and balanced on the top was a glass dish holding the concoction she and Anya had spent the evening preparing.
Buffy peered at the swirling green mixture that smelt of rotten eggs. "Phewww, Will, are you sure this will send The Master into another dimension? What if he just – doesn't go."
Willow shook her head. "This is the most powerful spell I can find, Buffy. I've scraped up a lot of soil from where his bones were scattered when you pulverised him. There must be some of him in there. You only need an atom or two for the spell to work. "
"So what do we do?"
"As the demon charm says, we need the three of you - Spike, William and you. Hold hands around the pyramid. William has the words written down in Mayan. He'll say them, then just at the end, you throw the sapphire into the mixture, the glass globes turn black and wherever The Master is, he'll go through a portal into the next dimension. I've no idea which – but it gets him out of this world, that's the important thing."
Buffy nodded and took the tiny blue stone from Anya's reluctant hand.
"It's very small," the ex-demon girl said disparagingly. "Couldn't you have stolen something bigger, Spike?"
"You're bloody lucky to get that one," the vampire replied. "We almost got caught by the security guards. I told William to hold the door open, but I didn't mean for him to stop and let another customer out first! Idiot!"
William shrugged. He'd realised earlier on that whatever Spike said, it didn't hurt him. The connection he felt for his double was far too deep to be touched by the vampire's sarcasm. They were two parts of a whole and as such couldn't hurt each other in any way.
"Right, let's do it!" Buffy said. "Before The Master decides to pay us a visit himself."
She reached out a hand and felt Spike's fingers tighten around hers. She glanced at him but he refused to meet her gaze and she shivered. He was still angry with her, she knew that. But the touch of his skin burnt hers with a cold fire. She slid her other hand into William's palm which felt the same, but left no impression on her nerves. Two identical men, but one she loved and one she didn't. And she had no idea why.
William had started chanting the spell, the green mixture swirled in its dish, sending out a vile smell. The candles guttered in a breeze that sprang up and scurried through the shop.
Spike's fingers tightened on hers and she could see his other hand clasping William's, their fingers entwined, linked. What had the demon charm said, 'love, desire and need times three'. And here they were, all three of them, determined to rid the world of The Master once and for all.
As William stopped talking in the strange, South American language he seemed to say so effortlessly, she let go of his hand and flung the tiny blue stone into the mixture. The breeze turned into a wind, the candles went out and for minutes the shop was plunged into darkness. Then there was the scrape of a match and Anya's face was lit into golden brilliance as she touched the flame to a candle.
Buffy stared at the glass globes on the floor in front of her. Then blinked and stared again. They were still white. Not a single one had turned black.
A little while later, Willow said, "I don't understand, Buffy. It should have worked!"
"Well, Will, not too big on the whole magicy thingy, but from the colour of these glass baubles, not so much!"
Anya sniffed disdainfully. "I said all along that the sapphire was too small. I mean, if Spike and William were going to steal jewellery, they might as well have stolen something worthwhile. It was like a pin head."
Willow glared at the ex-demon. "It doesn't say anywhere in the spell how big a sapphire you need. It just says sapphire."
"All I'm saying is – "
"Right! Whatever! It didn't work. Willow, do you think a bigger sparkly would help – honestly?"
The witch shook her head. "No, Buffy, I really don't, because hey, it didn't even feel as if it was almost working and then failing at the last minute. You know, like when you make a cake and open the oven door and it all goes flat. All we got was that strong wind, which is the very first part of the spell, and then - nothing."
"So the Master is still out there somewhere, doing Mastery sorts of things and planning my death - again! You'd think he'd get tired of doing it." Buffy flung herself down in a chair and stared up at the ceiling. The hours were ticking past and they were no closer to ridding the world of Mr Wrinkly Skull.
"Buffy – " Willow came close and knelt by the side of the chair. Anya was busily turning the pages of yet another book, hunting for another vanquishing spell, but Willow was certain they had used the strongest one there was.
"She's not here! She emigrated to Australia. She's taken the day off and gone shopping," Buffy groaned.
"This may mean you have no choice but to kill The Master in the old-fashioned way."
A pair of hard green eyes turned in her direction. "You mean kill him and allow Spike and William to die as well?"
"And Angel – all Aurealians," Willow murmured, wondering why her friend never mentioned her first lover as often as she mentioned Spike. "And I know that's not good for you, killing Angel, not good at all, but you can't just let The Master run riot on earth for ever more. Not if there's a chance of getting rid."
Buffy sat in silence. All the replies she wanted to make seemed wrong inside her head. Words such as 'OK, no problem. Yes, saving the world is what I do, isn't it? I killed Angel once – I can kill the man I love again.' But this time she knew with a cold certainty that this time she wouldn't be talking about Angel, she would be talking about Spike.
She glanced down at Willow's face where her friend knelt by the side of her chair. The redhead looked worried but there was that odd expression deep in her eyes that she always had when speaking about Angel and the other vamps. An expression that had never been there when she'd been with Oz. Then she'd known only too well what it was like to be in love with someone outside the norm.
Even now when she and Tara – Buffy's thoughts skidded against a dead end. Why wouldn't Willow still feel the same, because, hey, she and Tara were still outsiders even in this modern world with its modern, liberated views.
"Buffy?"
"I'm sorry, Will. I'm not – " she took a deep breath – "I'm not going to risk losing Spike and William!" There – it was said. She could see the stunned expression of disbelief cross the witch's face, then the dawning of understanding – and a sort of horror.
"Buffy, you can't mean…you don't mean…you and Spike? Or – " her voice suddenly changed to hopeful – "or do you mean you and William?"
Buffy jumped up. "We'll talk about it later, Will. I'm sorry, I should have said something earlier, but I just couldn't – I'm still not sure exactly what I do feel. Except that – I care about him! I know you and Xander and Giles won't understand and oh God, how do I tell Dawnie, but just now, the most important thing is to find me a way to kill The Master without killing him, if you see what I mean."
Willow bit back the stream of questions that trembled in her throat. Although, somehow, she knew what the answer to the most important one was going to be. Buffy and Spike! She should have seen it much earlier, of course; her friend had always liked bad boys. But Angel had had a soul! Spike was just - oh god, what was Xander going to say when he heard?
"I'll…I'll go and help Anya with the research. There are lots of books we haven't read yet. Perhaps there's a bigger banishing spell somewhere. Or hey, perhaps we could phone Giles. He might know of one."
Buffy frowned. "As a last resort, OK. He'll be all twittery and tweedery and want to fly over and take charge. You know how he feels about me and The Master."
Willow nodded, but also knew how Giles felt about Buffy and her relationships with vampires. She didn't want to imagine what he would say when he knew his Slayer was having feelings for Spike? But perhaps they were just physical sorts of feelings, she reasoned, because jeez, she could feel like that too, so no problem with understanding that, but nothing more. Surely nothing more.
"What are the guys doing?" Buffy asked.
Willow bit her lip, glad of the change of subject. "They're down in the basement playing cards…."
Buffy made a noise that was almost a snort." Who was that Roman guy we learnt about? Nemo? No, Nero! Didn't he play the violin while Rome burnt down? Oh well, they're out of harm's way, I suppose. And they can't do much damage down there. Thank God for that. And at least they seem to be getting on OK. I thought Spike was going to snap William's neck when he appeared, which wouldn't have helped at all."
Willow nodded. "Big not helping, but Spike doesn't seem too happy with you, Buff. He glares at you all the time."
Buffy felt the colour flooding up her neck into her face. She knew exactly why Spike was angry with her and it had everything to do with William and that spooky ability vamps had of being able to smell each other's presence, even days later.
She took a deep breath. Whatever was going to happen, one thing was very clear. She had to tell Spike that Willow knew about them. That she had, at last, been brave enough to reveal her feelings to her closest friend. And, even more importantly, that she would fight tooth and nail to stop him from dying.
…
"What are the girls doing?" William asked, shuffling the cards.
Spike shrugged and continued prowling around the basement, peering behind boxes and moving jars of goods aside to see what had been hidden behind them. "Pulling the spell to pieces, pulling us to pieces, making another plan. Who the bloody hell knows! The Slayer'll tell us when she's ready. God, wish there was some beer down here. I can't believe old Rupert didn't have a secret stash somewhere."
"This is the gentleman, Rupert Giles, of whom you speak? Miss Buffy's – "
"They call him a Watcher."
William dealt a hand of patience on the table in front of him. He stared down at the cards – they were made from some shiny substance and the pictures were subtly different from the ones he was used to.
"And he Watches -?"
"He used to watch out for his Slayer, Buffy Summers. Every Slayer has a Watcher. He plans what she'll do, trains her, researches who the demons are, generally makes a nuisance of himself and finally vanishes back into the woodwork when his Slayer gets the chop."
"But this Watcher – "
"Rupert Giles, Oxford man, but he dropped out and became a Watcher. Never got his degree. I think he was taking History."
William frowned. "We would never have countenanced such behaviour at Cambridge!"
Spike found himself nodding in agreement and cursed silently. William was a bad influence. He could almost feel himself becoming more and more like his former pansy self.
"Do you think we are going to die?" William said suddenly.
"What? Not bloody likely, mate!"
"But if the spell has not worked, then Miss Buffy still has to destroy The Master. And if she kills him, then we die. Isn't that correct?"
Spike flung himself down in the chair opposite his earlier self. "Stop talking about dying and deal the cards. Five each. I'll teach you how to play poker. We've no kittens to use as chips, but you'll get the hang of it soon enough. I did."
William looked at him, his blue eyes suddenly shrewd. "You do not wish to talk of dying, although you are already dead?"
Spike picked up his cards and pretended to study them. Was he worried about dying? No. He'd seen too much death over the years to fear it. It would be quick and then – well, if he was heading for hell, he was certain to meet up with loads of old mates.
"Doesn't matter to me. Feel a bit sorry for you, though, Billy boy. You've hardly started to live yet. At least I've had all the fun with Dru and Peaches and granny Dru."
"And your years with the Slayer?" William said gently. It was so odd, he thought. This man in front of him wasn't him, and yet he knew exactly what he was thinking and feeling. "You are wondering if she will betray you in the end," he said quietly.
"You mean betray us both!" Spike grunted.
William shook his head. "No. If I die because she kills The Master it will be sad but not a betrayal in my eyes. But she loves you – "
"She what!" The cards exploded out of Spike's hands and cascaded onto the floor.
William calmly dealt him another five cards. "I know she loves you. Just as I love Cecily. It was the reason she thought the Charm would never work when we thought it was just a case of us having sex three times to bring you back into this body and vanquish me back to my own time. Do you not remember the last line - Love, Desire and Need times three."
Spike stared into his own eyes and then realised with an odd little shudder that his had never looked that gentle, that compassionate for a very, very long time.
"Spike – can I talk to you!"
He jumped as Buffy's voice came from the basement steps. "Sure, Slayer. Come to tell us that the big decision's been made? That Billy boy here and me, we're about to head for the big dusting event of the year?"
Buffy glared at him. He was being so impossible! "I thought I could just explain – well, things, to you. Before we go any further." She took a deep breath. "Please."
Spike opened his mouth to snark back at her, then realised that William's hand was cupping the back of his neck. The chill of his fingers met the chill of Spike's skin and the result was oddly like warmth.
Spike swayed for a second as the enormity of William's presence swept over him. Here wasn't an enemy or a rival. Here was instant support, someone entirely on his side. Himself as he had been before Dru. And the part of him that was William responded. He reached up and covered the hand with his own, then walked across to Buffy, allowing the anger to die down.
"I thought you'd better know," she said stiffly. "I've just told Willow about us."
"Bloody hell! What did you want to do that for?" The words were out before he could stop them and if he'd had a stake handy, he'd have used it on himself as he watched the hurt and rejection leap into her eyes.
"Fool!" he heard William mutter and, for once, was in complete agreement.
"I didn't mean – Buffy – listen – look at me! No! Look at me properly, pet. I just meant, why now, with all this happening? You don't need that sort of pressure."
"I thought perhaps you'd changed your mind," she whispered, realising that somehow their hands had become tightly linked.
"Yes, and the moon's made of green cheese," he said, aware that he had a smile spreading across his face that he was unable to stop.
"Afterwards – " she started to say.
"Yes, afterwards," he replied and their eyes clashed, promising everything.
"Willow wants me to go and kill The Master. But I can't, Spike. I can't let you and William die."
William walked across the room and stood next to Spike. He was smiling, too. He could feel the great roaring emotion of his own joy in the body that would one day be his.
Buffy laughed. "I'll never get over seeing the two of you standing together," she said. "The good and the bad."
Spike stared at her for a long second. "What did you say?"
"You know – it's a part of that Clint Eastwood film title, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. And whatever I call you two, I can't call either of you Ugly!"
Spike shook his head and glanced at William. "The good, the bad – oh bollocks, that's it, Slayer! We were all wrong."
"That's what?"
"You've got the Good – William. The Bad – I suppose that's me. But we've one missing. Mr Ugly."
He heard Willow gasp before he saw her standing on the steps above them. "Love, Desire and Need times Three. The three people needed for the spell. That's why it wouldn't work, Buffy."
The Slayer shook her head. "I know I'm not the world's brightest button, but what the heck are you all talking about?"
Willow ran down the final steps. "Spike's right. We were wrong. It was never about you, Buffy. William is Spike before he was turned. Spike is himself, a mixture of demon and William. But there has to be another one. Spike the pure demon. And we've got to bring him forth!"
To be continued.