WARNING! Some strong Language in here - curse words and sexual references. I also have two songs in this one chapter! I know! I know! It's a lot...but it kind of shows how Spike has changed over the years, and his way of staying connected to his past and family. The Accreditations are Ryan O'Shaughnessy : No Name, Dance with Me: Shaw Blades (Version) - Originally done by Orleans in the 70's. That's why Giles would know the song! And of course Norah Jones is a famous singer that began to build her fame a year after the show originally aired these episodes...but she started to gain fame in New York. So I thought Spike would have some kind of demon connection to make the entertainment for the night seem plausible. If you've never heard her...honestly look her up! Really if you haven't heard any of these songs...look them up! Youtube people! Please enjoy and let me know what you think!
"They're gonna change their minds." Faith said as she helped Spike stand up.
"They're not gonna change their minds Blink." Spike said softly as he made his way down the stairs to the basement with Faith behind him.
"Why the hell would they want me?" Faith whispered her question, making Spike stop and turn and look at her.
"Because you're not evil pet. What you've done…you did out of self-preservation. You always have…and no one can fault what you for trying to survive with only yourself to rely on." Spike said patiently as he moved a few strands of her brown hair behind her ear.
"Spike…how…how did you know?" Faith questioned with a furrowed brow and a bit of fear in her voice.
Spike stared up at Faith…and knew it was time to tell her.
"Come on…" Spike motioned with his head "you're gonna want to sit down for this."
As they made their way down to the basement, they sat down at the small table that Joyce had provided them and waited for Faith to settle as she continued to look at him strangely.
"You know me by now ducks. You know who I am…know I have a soul…but I wanted you to know me before I told you everything. Wanted you to know that YOU are important…to me."
Faith looked away from his intense stare and swallowed and then looked back at him with a little nod.
Spike gave a little nod back.
And then he told her…he told her everything. More than Giles, more than Joyce…he told her exactly how he knew what he did about her. And just how much he knew.
Faith's emotions were all over the place as she listened…and the more he told her about what he knew about her…the more she couldn't sit still.
Before the final words left his lips she had been pacing the basement like a caged animal…but it was his last words that actually made her stop.
"That's why tonight I want you to tell Buffy and crew what happened to you."
"What?! Are you crazy? Just hearing YOU know about me and me telling Buffy…telling…I…I can't! I can't even stand the fact that YOU know…and I love you! Damn it Spike you made me give a damn about you like you really are my brother!" Faith tried to keep herself from crying…but it was no use. The tears came.
Spike got up slowly and made his way over to her…and slowly wrapped her in his arms in a tight hug. A hug which she returned fiercely as she cried against him.
"I love you too pet. Love you like you can't imagine. And the idea of you hurting in silence hurts me more than I can tell you. That all those years…it took you to tell me just little bits…it tore at me something awful!" Spike pulled back and grabbed her face to look at him.
"I'm done not telling you everything. Now I need you to be too. I need you to tell Buffy…because she needs to know you need her…and you do pet. You do need her. Cause I know you can't tell me about the girly things that you can with her. Hell I doubt you've told Joyce some of the things you could tell Buffy." With that he slowly pulled her back into an embrace.
"How the hell could you stand reliving everything?" Faith whispered her question.
Spike laughed. "I'm dead sweets. Not really living. And you all are my family. I'd do this and more to make sure things change for the better."
Faith pulled away with a small smirk. "So when are you gonna tell Buffy?"
And Faith watched the brightness that had almost always been in his eyes suddenly vanish, and it almost frightened her to see it disappear.
"I'm not pet. I'm not gonna tell her. Need her to be free…of the past that I remember. Won't go near her this time." Spike whispered the last part as he moved away from Faith and to the cot that he had known all too well all those years ago. He sat down and looked up to find a very pissed off Slayer.
"Oh hell no! You're not making me spill my guts to them and then not telling them everything you just told me! It's not…"
"Faith…I know you know that I can't." He said it so softly…it stopped her rant in its tracks.
"I can't hurt her like that. I belong in the dark pet…and I tried to drag her into it with me…and it almost killed her."
"But…"
"But you both belong in the light. You belong to the world of the living…you always will. Don't you get it pet? Haven't you figured it out yet? It's not blood the demon in me craves…it's life! It doesn't want to inflict pain…it wants to take pleasure! It doesn't want destruction…it wants to take creation! Four hundred plus years on this planet and the truth is that the things it wants…is what belongs to the light! All of those things…they're what you are Faith. And I'll do everything within me to make sure all of you stay there…in the light. But I can't follow you there…even if I could with the gems…I could never stay. I could never stay pet. And I won't let her stay in the darkness one second more than she has to… I can't put her through that again…ever."
Faith just looked at him with a look that spoke of sadness…and sympathy. And didn't that just feel like a stake to the heart.
"Please pet…just…please…be there for her…because I won't be able to." Spike never pleaded…but he wasn't above it to save them.
Fuck his pride…he would grovel if he needed to.
"Spike…I…I don't…" Faith tried to explain that she didn't think she could help Buffy…that she was too fucked up to help Buffy. That she could only hurt Buffy. She couldn't even take care of herself…let alone help Buffy.
"We're all fucked up pet. Just saying we can be all fucked up together. A real family." Spike gave an evil little smirk.
Faith instantly laughed…and slowly her tense body eased.
"So…" She began after a little silence, "who else you gonna get to help?" Faith asked placing both of her hands in her back pockets giving a small smile to Spike.
Spike felt relieved that she had stopped fighting him and just smiled back at one of the few people he would ever consider a sister.
Everyone was looking at each other at a completely loss as to why they were all there.
Though some had frequented the Bronze from when they were teenagers and being at the Bronze was a status quo… nothing explained why they had all planned to be there that night.
If anything everyone felt awkward standing around the Bronze starring up at an actually jazz band without the slightest clue as to why they had come to see such an act.
Buffy rubbed at her arm as she sat next to Riley awkwardly. She didn't know how to act around him anymore. With everything that had happened lately she didn't really know how to go forward with him in a relationship.
Beside the dreams of one bleached menace, the fantasies that surrounded one bleached menace, and then the whole Faith thing…Buffy was at a loss on how to act around her declared boyfriend.
Riley was just as conflicted as Buffy. Buffy had told him what had happened, that Faith was staying at her mother's home. Not to mention the fact that Buffy had forgiven Faith…which through him for a bit of a loop.
Buffy had just shrugged and murmured an excuse of 'she has a messed up past.' He didn't know how that justified her actions, but Riley said nothing. He could feel that Buffy had not forgiven him yet, and that hurt him. The idea that she could forgive Faith but not him disturbed him a little. But he loved Buffy.
He loved her.
If he had to wait, he would wait.
"Why are we here again?" Xander asked, already having forgotten about his obsession with Johnathan.
Ahn shrugged her shoulder's, already bored and wanting to go back to Xander's to have many orgasms.
"I think someone important was supposed to play tonight." Willow said as she sat around the small bar table with Tara beside her.
"Johnathan." Buffy said making everyone give a 'oh yeah' look but immediately everyone looked confused.
Buffy rolled her eyes, then straightened up in her seat as she caught sight of two people she never associated with the Bronze.
"Mom! Giles! What…what are you doing here?" No sooner had the question left her lips than seeing Spike and Faith walk in with Johnathan and Andrew.
"Well um…it seems that since Johnathan's spell has dissipated, the residual outcome has left the Bronze short on a bit of entertainment. Somehow he was able to attain someone to entertain last minute. I believe Wi…Spike is introducing Faith to the singer at the moment." Giles said with a slight blush and raising his right hand up to fiddle with his glasses as he stumbled over his son's 'real' name – hoping no one noticed his slip up.
"William seemed to think I'd enjoy the entertainment tonight and so…I said why not!" Joyce said with a little shrug and then grimaced as she saw the way the young people looked at her oddly.
"Buffy…um…please tell me they're not talking about the bleached wonder! SPIKE? SPIKE is with FAITH?!" Xander almost began to hyperventilate at the thought of that kind of duo.
Buffy winced as she realized she hadn't informed her friends of the newest developments in her life…but honestly…she was nowhere NEAR accepting it herself!
"William has been great for Faith! She really loves and adores him and I don't see a problem with having a brotherly type for her to attach herself to Alexander Lavelle Harris!" Joyce said Xander's full name making the fit he had been ready to have diminish to the size of a pea as he stared at one mean lookin' mamma as she dared him with her eyes to say another word.
Hell, Buffy said nothing after the tirade her mother gave Xander. She was not going down the road of pissing her mom off again. Nuh-uh. No way! No siree!
Of course everyone at the table was still trying to comprehend what both adults had just said when Johnathan and Andrew arrived at the table.
"Hey guys! Um…sorry we're kind of crashing your get together…but I wanted Buffy to take a look at the schematics of Adam that I still had from the spell. I still remember some of the confidential information the General gave me…and um…I didn't want to forget it before the remnants of the spell completely wore off." Johnathan left out the threat that Spike had issued if he didn't move his ass and get Buffy the information she would need in the not so distant future to take down Adam.
Everyone glanced at each other but then Andrew brought over another table to situated next to theirs and immediately retrieved chairs from someone that looked like management. With a smile he motioned towards Mrs. Summers to take the seat as well as Giles. He continued to maneuver the heavy barstool chairs making Buffy smirk at the obvious 'need to help' phase the two were seeming to be in.
"Hey B…" Came a soft call…making everyone look and stare at a very glamoured up Faith.
Riley felt his confidence from earlier slip away as he stared at the woman that inhabited Buffy's body.
She was beautiful, and for some reason he couldn't understand, she looked completely and utterly lost as she stared at the group of them.
"Here you go Faith! " Andrew said as he grunted and gasped, positioning one of the last chairs around the second table.
Thankfully no one said a word as Joyce reached over to grab Faith's hand and drag her into the seat Andrew had just placed. Everyone noticing how Joyce had not let go of Faith's hand, holding on to the girl - as she did look like she wanted to run as far away from everyone there as soon as was possible.
"Is William done arranging everything with that nice young woman yet?" Joyce asked Faith.
Faith smirked, "Girl's all over him so I doubt he's able to get away any time soon. Guess whoever he called in the favor from told her he could sing. She's been trying to get him up there after her to sing somethin'."
Buffy's brow furrowed. Spike knew how to sing?
"He most definitely can sing. I can attest to that!" With that Joyce gave Faith a little wink making her laugh.
Buffy saw Spike before anyone else because of where she was seated and without conscious thought straightened in her chair and adjusted her clothes and hair. A little flush coloring her cheeks as she noticed he didn't have his leather coat on and she could most definitely see his narrow waist easily with the tight fitting jeans he mysteriously had on compared to his normal baggy pair.
"Can't believe she talked me into it." Spike said coming to stand between Joyce and Giles shaking his head with a slightly miffed look on his face.
"Knew it!" Faith exclaimed earning a glare from Spike.
"Why exactly did you arrange for the entertainment tonight?" Riley asked shocking everyone there at the obvious hostility in his voice.
"You mean besides earning some good amount of dosh…only descent place to come to besides Willy's." Spike rolled his eyes with the way Riley immediately threatened him – but Spike ignored him and without waiting for the entire insult reached over Riley and extended his arm to the only person he cared about that evening.
"Pleasure to meet you pet. Been hearing little bits about you from Red here talking 'bout you." Spike felt Tara's hand slide against his and couldn't help but give the girl a genuine smile.
But it was her reaction that caused everyone to stare at the usually quiet timid girl.
"Y-you're beautiful. " Tara said in almost awe as she stared at Spike, not giving thought to how gently Spike was holding her hand.
Willow whirled to stare at Tara as did Buffy with an instant jolt of possessive jealousy gripping her.
"I..I mean…you…you have the most beautiful aura I've ever seen." Tara elaborated with slightly widened eyes as she watched an honest to God blush cover Spike's sharp cheeks.
Buffy was looking between Tara and Spike and something tightened in her chest with the fact that she didn't even know it was possible to make a vampire blush….let alone SPIKE!
Joyce couldn't help but stifle a smile at the blush on William's face. He had told her that he would be trying to get Tara's attention that night. Another of the people he deemed needed to know about him and the future.
Joyce kind of figured after that little introduction it would be pretty easy to get the young girl to dance with the 'evil' vampire.
"Um…thanks luv. Fancy a dance? Don't think a beautiful woman like yourself should stay sittin' when music's playin'." Spike said with the warmest smile that had ever graced his face.
He honestly couldn't help it. Seeing everyone there in front of him….especially her after all those years…it made every damn moment he had suffered till now seem worth it to get back to this time. To this sweet girl that he hadn't been able to protect because he had….he had done the unthinkable.
That wasn't going to happen this time. This time he would be there…and she would know everything because he was going to involve her in saving their family.
And before anyone could say a word the announcement of who was about to play came over the speakers and Spike moved to retrieve the now extremely nervous Tara who continued to look back and forth from him to Willow as he took her hand and guided her to the dance floor.
Spike made sure to take Tara to a more secluded area of the dance floor and immediately said 'easy pet, know you're Willow's bird. Not gonna try anything. Know you can see it."
This caused Tara to stop glancing at Willow and fully acknowledge Spike. "See…it?"
Then the voice of the female jazz singer began and he began to lead Tara around the dance floor, and away from the prying ears of the Scooby gang, feeling all eyes on them even from the distance they were.
"Knew you could see aura's love. But what you're seein', what ever that may be…I think it's because of my soul." Spike said calmly and slowly staring into Tara's eyes.
Tara just stared back into his and found her mouth opening just slightly in shock as she really saw the energy in them. The beautiful colors that a living human usually had with an edge of darkness that truly made him seem to glow from the inside out, casting an incredible layered aura.
"How?" Tara asked simply, no longer seeking out Willow's eyes. The usual discomfort she felt around men not present with Spike for some odd reason.
Spike wasted no time and quietly told her among the throng of people on the dance floor as much as he could. Giving details about her that he couldn't have known without having met her before. About her family, about her, about how she thought she was part demon. With the song not lasting very long he quickly told her that he would visit her later that night to tell her more and away from ears that shouldn't be listening. One song ended, one after another, until three songs later Spike realized he had kept Tara long enough.
"Belive me pet?" Spike asked softly still staring into Tara's eyes.
"How…how could I not? If I didn't be…believe you…your aura is impossible to miss." Tara said softly, if it were not for Spike's vampire hearing he would have missed it.
Spike felt himself let out a huge sigh and smiled brightly at Tara.
As a fourth song ended Tara looked over at Willow and stared back at a twinkling eyed Spike. Spike smiled and gave her a little wink causing her to give him an odd little smile, feeling her own self blush as she looked over to find Willow looking at her with this odd angry jealous look that had a hint of pain behind it.
"Go on back to your girl. I'll talk to you later yah?" Spike said simply letting go of Tara's form and distancing himself from her as the singer thanked the clapping people.
"Thank you very much! Again I'm Norah Jones! I just wanted to take a moment and thank a very special person who…if it were not for their request I would not be on my way to record my very first album. William…thank you for believing in me and making my dream a reality! Now I heard a rumor…that you know your way around some musical instruments! Come on everyone let's get him up here to show us what talent looks like! Whoo!" Norah gave a little yell at the end as everyone clapped along with her to get a now very striken looking Spike up on the stage.
"Whooooo! COME ON WILL!" Faith screamed along with the whistles Giles gave as he himself smiled at the look of embarrassment on his son's face.
Grimacing Spike made his way onto the stage where he quickly glanced at the people he loved and saw them all looking incredulously up at him – though some looked like they were utterly enjoying this turn of misery for him.
"Um…thank you Norah…didn't really expect to be up here tonight but um…me mum and sis' are here in the audience so it seems the women I know love to torture me…" Spike smiled as everyone laughed at the joke.
Looking over Norah presented him with an acoustic guitar which he quickly took and put the strap over his shoulder and he watched her adjust the mic stand so he could sit and play.
"Don't really have any idea what to play but um….it'll probably be somethin' one of me sis' likes to listen to so….cheers." Spike lowered his head and placed his fingers on the guitar and closed his eyes as he thought of a song Dawn loved to listen to. A song for his niblet…yeah…that seemed right.
Buffy shared a look with her mother who was all smiles and couldn't help but relax a bit as she saw Faith completely engrossed at staring up at Spike. All of her friends were looking between her and Spike and said nothing as he began to strum on the guitar an interesting tune which finally won the war on their attention span as they wondered what the hell was going on.
Every now and then I see a part of you I've never seen
And with that one line everyone was ensnared by the rough smooth voice and simplistic lyrics. Buffy felt her heart jump in her throat as she looked in awe at the vampire singing on stage.
Birds can swim and fish can fly, The road is long, no wonder why
Buffy watched as Spike sang with his eyes closed in concentration, enraptured by his voice and the song.
One of these days you'll realize what you mean…to me oooohhhh
Every now and then I see a part of you I've… never seen
Every now and then, I try to tell you just how I feel
Heaven's talk, the rain begins, the sky turns black, Nobody wins
Spike knew why he remembered this song…it reminded him of Buffy.
Well, I try to talk but I can't
My soul has turned to steel,
This happens every now and then when I try to tell you just… how I feel
Spike's began to move his head side to side with the words he sang as the jazz band began to pick up on the notes of the song.
So if you ever love somebody,
You gotta keep them close,
When you lose grip of their body
And Buffy felt her eyes prickle with the way his voice sounded on the next few lines, her heart pounding fast for a reason she couldn't name.
You'll be faaaa…aaaaaaallling,
And the way he paused caused everyone to realize he was singing the words from deep within himself.
Giles jerked and started at the feel of Joyce jostling his arm and turning to look at her…and she turned and looked at Buffy. And Giles saw the look in the young girl's eyes he hadn't seen before…and he shared a small grin with Joyce. Maybe Spike's plan wasn't going to go according to plan despite his best efforts.
'Cause I'm faaaaa….aaaaaaallliinnn'
Deeper in loooove….in looooove
Deeper in loooove…in looooove
Deeper in loooove…in looooove
Deeper in loooove…in looooove
In looooove
In looooooooooooooooooooooooovve
Spike slowly opened his eyes to a completely silent audience when from the only table that really mattered applause started and quickly a roar of clapping and whistling with women shouts in the mix filled the bar.
The smile he gave caused Buffy's heart to do a little flip flop it had never done in connection with Spike…and the way she saw how almost all of the women in the room were now looking at him…it caused an anger that began to percolate in her bones as jealousy again hit her for no apparent reason.
Giles looked over at Joyce and they shared a smile. Joyce could see the pride in Rupert's eyes and knew her eyes more than likely held the same look.
Spike looked at his father and waited until the old man was looking at him before he spoke into the microphone as the cheering finally died down.
"Got the old man here tonight ladies and gents! And if you enjoyed that little song…let's get him up here and do an oldie but goodie! Come on Rupes! Show these youngin's somethin'!"
Giles shocked face didn't last long as everyone that had been shocked by Spike's performance instantly began to laugh and push the man up towards the stage. Buffy laughing alongside Riley as Giles looked positively horrified.
The Scoobies may have had their issues with Spike…but Giles was one of them. To see him be flustered at any time was funny to them.
They didn't know just how good he was yet.
As people made sure there was another stool and mic next to Spike, Spike adjusted the direction of the mic stand so both he and his father could look at each other.
When Rupert finally was in front of Spike glaring at him, Spike gave him this HUGE shit eating grin.
"Was it really necessary to bring me up here?" Giles was heard saying due to the microphone.
"Evil! Remember?" Spike smarted off with a little wink that only the band could see due to the angle.
"Yes…well…" Giles slightly jumped as Norah brought him an acoustic guitar and gave a quizzical look at his son. Did William know he could play?
"Alright old man. I know you know this one…so don't make me look bad!" Everyone laughed as Giles glared at William who then began to strum and incredibly familiar tune to which Giles found himself grinning widely as he recognized exactly what song his song was playing.
And with two knocks against his guitar, Spike began to sing.
Dance with me,
I want to be your partner can't you see
The music is just starting night is fallin' and I am fallin'
Dance with me
Giles began playing with William and joined in the singing. Giles harmonizing for his son. Neither of them noticing how Buffy flushed with the words of the song.
Fantasy, could never be so killin'
I feel free
I hope that you are willin'
Pick your feet up and kick your feet up
Dance with me
Let it lift you off the ground,
Starry eyes, and love is all around us
I can take you where you want to goooooooo
Oh..oh oh
Dance with me
I want to be your partner can't you see
The music is just starting night is fallin' and I am fallin'
Dance with me
Then Giles and William were strumming together smiling at one another at how seamless it truly was to play together. Faith watched with a side smirk as Buffy stared at Spike with a look that showed longing. Weirdly Faith shared a look with Joyce who gave her a small wink and then turned back to watch the duo on stage.
Let it lift you off the ground,
Starry eyes, and love is all around us
I can take you where you want to goooooo whoa-whoa
Both paused playing and started again as if they had rehearsed.
Dance with me
I want to be your partner can't you see
The music is just starting night is fallin' and I am fallin'
Dance with me
So all the world can seee
That you dance with meeee!
Again they paused and began again.
Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do
Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do
Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do
And with a few final strums the song was over and the crowd clapping and shouting began. Not shockingly both Joyce and Faith were the loudest as the others clapped loudly for Giles more than Spike…though they were most incredibly impressed with his talent…more so than the man that they had considered more of a father than friend.
Giles and Spike blushed prettily and both made their way off the stage with a finally wave from Spike and an awkward one from his father as he tried to stop himself from preening like his son.
"That was incredible!" Andrew said as Giles sat down next to the boy as that was where his chair was. And Spike found his arms wrapped around a very exuberant Joyce Summers!
A kiss was delivered to the side of his face making him blush even more, making Buffy squirm in her seat as the sight did something to her she wasn't prepared to name.
It was only a preview of the weirdness and emotional rollercoaster that she would go through that night.