Bonnie noticed Spike's grim expression and quickly added, – We could still try getting a second opinion, see if there's a way to revert it and find a way home. – She was almost positive there was nothing to do, but she needed to try anyways.
–I guess we have to go to New York, – Damon quickly added, a faint smile spreading on his face. He loved NYC.
Despite his mixed feelings, Spike was amused with Bonnie and how hard she was trying to help him, especially because she didn't know him at all. She now reminded him of Fred, and the thought of it pained him deeply. He shook the memory away and focused on the present; he shrugged and agreed to travel to New York.
–So how's this gonna work, mate? – Spike asked, – it's a long drive. You're gonna hide me under some blankets, or inside the trunk? 'Cause sunlight's gonna be a problem for me.
Damon knew the blond vampire was right, he glanced briefly at Bonnie, but before he could say anything, Bonnie spoke.
–I'll make you a daylight ring, – she said smiling.
Damon frowned at Bonnie, he was surprised at how readily she offered the ring.
–Elena asked me to, – Bonnie replied, – you know that I can't say no to my best friend, Damon.
Spike's mind was racing. He was going to be able to walk in the sunlight, which was even better than hiding behind a special glass, like he did in Wolfram & Hart.
–You understand the rules, right? – Bonnie said, and Spike nodded, – I can disenchant it if you break them, ok? – She added, and Spike agreed.
Spike put the big ring on and stared at it before putting his hand in direct sunlight. It wasn't sizzling, it didn't hurt. Slowly, he started chuckling, hugged Bonnie and thanked her, then he ran outside and let the sun wash over him.
–I guess he has his daylight ring, – said Elena as she walked in, with Jeremy trailing behind.
Damon nodded, – yes, he's basking in it, – he said before going outside.
Spike couldn't hide his excitement, – this is bloody fantastic, mate, – he said as soon as he heard Damon. Spike noticed he was bringing two glasses of bourbon. Spike smirked.
Damon handed a glass to the blond vampire, – Cheers, – he said raising his own and then proceeded to drink. – Bonnie says we should leave as soon as possible, – he added.
–Fine by me, – Spike replied, – I would pack a bag, but unfortunately these are my only clothes, – he added.
–That's no problem, my friend, – Damon said with a grin, then added, – perfect chance to test what other things you can do.
Spike tried as Damon had instructed him, but so far no luck. So it was going to be up to Damon to compel the shopkeeper.
–So this is how you get things, eh? – Spike asked amused.
–Yeah, most of the time. Sometimes I pay, if I'm in the mood. – Damon replied, and Spike chuckled.
After getting clothes for Spike, they went to the Grill for some drinks. Damon was looking for Matt before remembering he was still in Europe with Rebekah. He ordered a couple of whiskies, and they sat at the bar.
–If this goes south, what you gonna do? – Damon asked without hesitation.
–Haven't thought of it, to be honest. I guess I'll have to find a place to live, – Spike mused. Part of him thought about this scenario before, but he always tried pushing the thought away.
–I can teach you a few tricks for that too, but of course you'll need to be able to compel people, – Damon replied, then added, – anything else you notice different about yourself?
Spike thought for a moment before replying, – I don't think so, – he paused, staring into his glass, – although things seem to affect me more. I get angrier, or more uneasy. Not sure how to bloody explain it.
–So your emotions are heightened too. That's normal for us after turning, – Damon explained.
It now made sense to Spike, which explained why he kept thinking about that Slayer. He had felt extremely attracted to her back then, so now that feeling had intensified.
Damon noticed that Spike was too pensive, but decided not to ask about it. Instead, he tried to find out what other abilities Spike could be developing. – Ok, try focusing on hearing them, – he said, pointing at a couple at the other side of the Mystic Grill.
Spike focused with all his will, he certainly could not listen to them clearly, but indeed his hearing was slightly sharper. – It's like a tiny whisper. I can't understand a bloody thing.
–Well, at least is something, – Damon replied, and a moment later, his cell phone rang. It was Elena, telling him she, Bonnie and Jeremy were ready for the trip. Damon wasn't expecting witchy and little Gilbert to tag along. He told Elena to make them change their minds, but she was on their side. After the call ended, he motioned Spike to go.
–So why are you two coming to NY? – Damon asked.
–Because I'm interested in this, besides, it's always nice to meet other witches, – Bonnie replied.
–And of course I'm going with her, – Jeremy added.
–Fine, fine. But you two go on Bonnie's car. My car is in no way public transportation, – Damon retorted.
Spike sat comfortably in the back seat of the '69 Camaro, it was going to be an odd trip for several reasons. For once, traveling during daylight, and also, he was with a couple, so he would be the third wheel. He didn't like that, but then again, he could see how much Damon loved Elena and how happy they were, and in all fairness, Damon deserved it.
Next to Spike there was a container with a stash of blood bags, he grabbed one and drank. – Gotta love how easy is to get these, – he said, pointing at the bag.
–What was it like for you before arriving here? – Elena asked.
–Well, after getting the bloody chip in my head, and then getting my soul back, I spent a decade feeding off pig's blood. Blood bags are not easy to come by back there, – he explained.
–Chip? What the hell are you talking about? – Damon asked.
–The military were trying to control demons, experimenting on them and all, so they put a chip in my head to prevent me from hurting humans, so I had no bloody choice than to drink pig's blood. It got removed after I got my soul, – Spike explained.
Damon's mind clouded for a moment, but quickly pushed the painful memories away.
–Wait, how did you get pig's blood in the city? Were people breeding pigs and you… you know… fed off of them? – Elena asked confused.
–No, got it from the butcher's. Vet students buy pig's and cow's blood for their studies, so nobody suspects a bloody thing when you buy it, – Spike explained.
–Ha, Stefan would love that, – Damon said. Damon missed his little brother, who was currently living in San Diego.
–Yes, he wouldn't have to chase rabbits in the woods anymore, – Elena added.
Damon, out of reflex, had been glancing at the rearview mirror whenever he was talking to Spike, or whenever the blond vampire was talking, only to see no reflection. But after they stopped for gas, the next time he glanced at the mirror, he saw a faint translucent image of Spike.
–Hm, buddy, you seem to be going through another change, – Damon said.
–What the hell are you talking about? – Spike asked.
–Look in the mirror, Spike, – Damon insisted.
Spike leaned forward until he saw his faint reflection, – son of a bitch! – He exclaimed. Spike had to admit it, he was liking the changes so far, and part of him didn't mind if he never made it back home. Here he was, with an old pal and his vampire girlfriend, people like him, who were good people and who definitely could be his friends. Not to mention, it was easier to hide being a vampire. Spike's thoughts got interrupted by Elena talking on the phone with Bonnie. He was amused at how both girls were helping him and making him feel welcome. While they had been at the gas station, Elena had told him that Damon lost his best friend a while ago and that it was nice to see him interacting with people outside of Elena's circle of friends. Especially with someone who could understand Damon; and Spike and Damon definitely got along fine.
–When was the last time you vamped out? – Damon asked.
–I don't remember, mate. Why you ask? – Spike said.
–Well, since you're changing, maybe that changed too. And since up until now, you had no way of checking in a mirror, maybe that changed too, – Damon explained.
Spike put his on game face; and Elena's eyes widened in surprise, – wow, it's so different, – she noted.
Damon briefly glanced back, – Nope, no change, buddy, you're still bumpy and with yellow eyes, – he replied.
–Well, Bonnie said the changes would take time, Damon, – Elena interjected.
–I know, but it was worth the shot, – he said.
Damon and Elena were talking about some friend of hers; and Spike merely looked through the window, the sun already down. His mind, once again, was reeling with thoughts. Part of him wanted to go back, but then remembered that most of the people he had been fond of were dead: Wesley, Gunn, and of course, Fred. Angel's gang had been, in a year, a whole lot nicer to him than the 'Scooby' gang ever was, save for Willow, who had been nice most of the time. So pretty much there was nobody left: Lorne had left and covered his tracks pretty damn well, Illyria was gone too, and Angel left for Asia, in search for some inner peace in Tibet. Spike snapped out of it when he realized Damon was talking to him.
–Bonnie and Jeremy want to stop to eat, – Damon informed.
–Sounds good to me. I won't say no to some spicy Buffalo wings, – he replied.
They stopped at a grill in a small town and ordered food and beer.
–How old are you? I mean, how long have you been a vampire? – Bonnie asked.
–Hundred and thirty one years since I turned, was twenty-seven by then. – Spike replied.
–So, were you shot, or you had your neck snapped when it happened? – Jeremy asked, glancing briefly at Damon and suppressing a chuckle. Jeremy would always tease Damon regarding the infamous incident.
–What? No, that's not how it works, – Spike countered, and proceeded to tell in full detail how Drusilla sired him.
–That's kind of romantic. – Elena added, and Bonnie nodded in agreement.
–I guess. The process of siring can be a very intimate moment. She saw something in me and she wanted me, so she took me. That's how we work, we take what we want. Or at least it is when you don't have a soul, – Spike explained.
–I still can't believe you two parted ways, – Damon said, shaking his head in disbelief; Elena, Bonnie and Jeremy stared at him quizzically.
–Dru and I were together for about hundred and twenty years. We traveled the world together, we caused mayhem together. Then I wasn't the man she wanted and she left me, – Spike replied.
Elena was beginning to ask what had happened, when Damon shook his head at her, silently telling her to drop that subject. Elena frowned and was going to ask anyways, when the waitress came with their orders and the subject of Spike's break up was dropped.
–Bloody hell, these are tasty, – Spike sounded not only delighted, but also surprised, – I don't remember food tasting this good, – he added.
Damon instantly looked at the blond vampire, who looked back and instantly caught wind of what Damon was trying to analyze.
–Another subtle change? – Damon asked, already knowing the answer; and Spike nodded in confirmation.
Throughout the duration of dinner, the group told Spike some of the stuff that happened in Mystic Falls in the last couple of years, mostly to not make him feel out of place, and to give him a break of the incessant inquiries of both Bonnie and Elena. Not that Jeremy wasn't curious as well, but the girls wouldn't let him talk.
After finishing their food, they resumed the trip, and Elena decided to travel with Bonnie and Jer, mainly to give Damon some space to bond with Spike, but also to discuss some other issues with Bonnie. Elena had been worried for Damon since Stefan left to give the new couple some space, she knew he hadn't been entirely happy about she and Damon getting together. Elena understood Stefan's reaction, but still she thought it was wrong how he left Damon. Damon wouldn't admit it, but he had been hurt. First he lost Ric, then Stefan left, so naturally Elena saw a chance in Spike; he could be the type of friend her boyfriend needed. Bonnie had assured her, after her reading of Spike, that he was someone they could trust.
–What's got you so pensive? – Damon asked, briefly glancing at Spike.
–I don't know, mate. It's all these bloody changes, I guess. – Spike replied, a slight edge of exasperation in his tone.
–I thought you liked seeing yourself in a mirror and not getting hurt by crucifixes, – Damon teased.
–It's not that. It's the other changes. It's a turmoil of bloody feelings and it's driving me mad, – Spike explained; and Damon chuckled.
–You'll get used to it. Besides, there's always the option of turning it off if it's too much to handle, – Damon replied. He knew it could be problematic if Spike flipped the switch off, but sometimes there was no choice. He remembered when he did. He wondered if Spike had a switch now.
–It's not a matter of not handling it. I've already gone through the remorse phase a while ago. I can handle everything I've done. It's something else, – he protested. Damon frowned, and Spike continued, – I can't stop thinking about this bird I fought some decades ago, mate. Not only I can't stop thinking about her, but also I've been dreaming of her.
–What kind of thoughts? – Damon asked, teasing. He could tell exactly what Spike meant.
–Of a picnic in the bloody park, – Spike mocked.
Damon chuckled, – that bad, eh? Was she hot? – He asked.
–Yes, she was, but what was so appealing about her is that she had this mischievous look in her eyes that told you that she had such hunger for passion. And not just passion for battles, – a smug spread across Spike's face.
–Fiery, I see. Whatever happened to her? – Damon asked.
–After I fought her, I lost her trail, then when I was closing in on her again, she disappeared. And considering that I then heard another Slayer was called… – He didn't finish the sentence.
–She was a Slayer? What's with you and Slayers? – Damon shook his head in amusement, and then added, – so she's dead.
–Now you see why this is driving me bleeding mad? I have this bird stuck in my mind, and as much as I'd love to shag her brains out, there's nothing I can do about it, – Spike said as he lit a cigarette.
–Well, you could always fuck someone else and pretend it's her. There are plenty of girls in New York, – Damon added.
–Yeah. But you see, the beauty of Slayers is that they are as strong as us, if not slightly stronger. And they have this inner fire that's irresistible, – Spike explained.
–Fine, you want strong, we could find another vampire. I know a couple of girls that have spunk, problem is, one is in Europe, and the other will probably shoot you down just because you are my friend, and she hates me, – Damon replied, and thought for a moment, and realized that Caroline probably wasn't Spike's type. She could be colossally controlling and prone to teen drama; Spike would definitely not like her.
Once they arrived in NYC, they checked in at a hotel, nothing too fancy, just a place to spend a couple of nights. Spike had a room all for himself, and the couples retreated to their respective rooms. Tomorrow the search for answers would start.