Chapter 1.01
Sunday, May 5th, 2002
Sunday Night
Spike moved around the pool table cue in hand,
checking for a viable shot. He absently chalked the end of his
cue and then leant over to go for a cushion shot into the centre
pocket, speaking as he cued.
"...Couldn't give a toss what gets said when it's
the two of us." Straight shot into the two touching balls lined
up for the corner pocket with a bit of bottom to run back to take
the second. "It's not like you haven't been mouthing off as long
as I've known you. Truth be known, I quite enjoy a bit of bickering
now and again. As long as you don't start about Buffy and me."
Clear up that second ball follow through off the top cushion and
down to the other end of the table.
"I know I don't deserve her and I'm not going
to say I do. I understand her and I think I can make her happy
and I'll shift heaven and hell to do it if I have to." Edge that
one into the bottom corner off his and get the right amount of
side on it the cue ball will just trickle into the other pocket
without it being too obvious. "Foul stroke. Two shots to you.
Point is there's nothing you can say on that subject that I'm
going to listen to. Bringing it up isn't going to cause anything
but problems. I'm not asking for your approval, and finally neither
is she." Spike pulled a cigarette from his pack, frowning at how
few were left, before lighting it.
"Other than that, when it's just us blokes, say
whatever the hell you want and use whatever nicknames you want,
but in front of your missus and in front of Buffy we either talk
civil-like or we stay shut the hell up. I don't want Anya upset
and I won't have Buffy upset." Bloody whelp was
going to win now. Bugger! Oh well, at least there wasn't money
involved this time and it might make him a bit too cocky next
time there was.
"Agreed?" Spike asked.
"Agreed, Fangless." The black ball rolled into
the pocket. Two of Spike's balls still left on the table.
"Best head back over and play nice with the womenfolk
then, Whelp. It might be an idea if you 'n' the slayer sort out
your differences on the dance-floor. I don't want her frettin'
over it when it can all be sorted out if you talk to each other
for five minutes. I know I've got a little proposition I need
to talk to your better half about anyway."
Spike walked off ahead of Xander who was left
wondering what the vampire was up to now. When they got back to
their table Willow and Buffy were up on the dance-floor and Dawn
had moved to sit between Tara and Anya.
"How about a dance, pet?" Spike asked Anya. "About
time I claimed a kiss from the bride and you can dish the dirt
on how married life is treating you." He led her over to a corner
of the floor away from all of the others. The pair chatted amicably
enough for the duration of a couple of songs or so it seemed,
though if anyone was to observe really closely they might have
realised that Spike had been keen to assure that none of the other
Scoobies could overhear. After some time the two came back to
the table and Spike gave Anya a kiss on the cheek before sitting
down next to Dawn to watch Xander and Buffy. The vampire savoured
being able to watch his beloved openly and without having to disguise
his feelings.
She had such a frail, graceful beauty, hiding
a core of inner strength. Her long ebony skirt rippled and flowed
as she moved, giving subtle hints as to the figure underneath
in a way that Spike found far more alluring than either a mini-skirt
or her more customary tight pants. Her crimson halter-top was
made of satin and offered a tactile invitation to explore both
the areas it concealed and the soft flesh of her back that it
exposed. Her hair was held back on either side by a small silver
clip so that her face was framed by wispy golden tendrils. It
almost reached her shoulders again and bounced and shone as she
moved to the music. A black choker adorned with a crimson rose
circled her neck. It attracted his attention to that area as it
would that of any vampire, yet at the same time, it created a
barrier where normally there would be none. It drew attention
from the scars left on her by his grand-sire and Dracula, but
in doing so, he was reminded of their existence.
He was aware of every aspect of her appearance,
yet it was her face that commanded the bulk of his attention.
He watched carefully for any sign that Xander might have upset
her, ready to rescue her at a second's notice. At first, things
seemed a little uncomfortable between the pair but minutes later,
when she became aware of Spike's gaze she rewarded him with a
toothpaste commercial smile. For a fraction of a second he instinctively
answered like with like until the Big Bad regained control and
turned it into a leering smirk, which in turn almost made her
laugh.
Of late, in repose her face had seemed gaunt,
her eyes too big. Yet when she smiled like that the balance of
her features was restored, and she was once again the beauty he
fell in love with.
He was suddenly distracted from his observation
of his girlfriend - finally he could say she was his girlfriend -
by a sharp pain in his arm. He turned to face Dawn.
"Bloody hell. What was that for, 'Bit?"
"When you're quite finished ogling my sister,
and you've wiped the drool off your chin, you might notice that
Tara and Willow have been trying to get your attention to say
goodnight for the last ten minutes."
Spike's hand was halfway to his lips before he
paused. "I do not drool." He turned to where Tara and Willow waited
with their coats on.
"I thought we'd all be walking back together?"
his tone turned his statement into a question.
"We thought we'd stay at the dorm," Tara replied.
"But at least one of us will be around to watch Dawn after school
tomorrow."
"Okay then, pet." He hugged both the women in
turn. "Take care of yourselves."
He looked around for a clock, surprised to see
it was already quarter to eleven. "Great, looks like you're going
to miss your curfew, Niblet."
"Yeah, but Buffy's with me so it doesn't count."
"There might not be anyone sitting at home wondering
where you are, but you've still got to get up for school in the
morning, love. Best get your coat."
Spike had just shrugged into his own coat when
a petite pair of arms circled his waist from behind. He turned
to give Buffy a gentle kiss. "Figured it was time we got Bit home
and into bed or she won't make it to school in the morning."
Buffy looked at the clock. "I guess that bit
of the night where you hid on the balcony while the cops did the
statement thing took longer than any of us realised." She released
her grip on Spike to reach for her coat, but he got there first
and held it out ready for her to put it on. Instead of letting
her shrug her shoulders into position she felt his hands gently
run from her collar down over the top of the lapels laying the
soft hide gently in place. His cheek brushed against hers in a
touch so subtle she almost thought she dreamt it except for the
cool tingling sensation that affected her skin for minutes afterward.
Spike watched as his two girls said their good-byes
to the newlyweds, pleased for Buffy's sake to note that she must
have got things pretty well patched up with the boy if he was
getting a hug. Then he moved forward, enfolding Anya in his arms.
"I hope you're going to be very happy, pet. You
deserve it. I'll see you some time tomorrow."
He moved across to Xander and held his hand out
toward him. 'Go on, Whelp, take it or we both end up looking
like a couple of prats.' For a couple of seconds the other
man stared at the proffered hand as if unsure as to what was expected,
before he grasped it in a brief handshake.
"Take good care of her. You're a lucky man."
Spike's words held the vaguest of threats, which was reciprocated
in the groom's reply.
"You too, Spike." Xander nodded in Buffy's direction
and his voice dropped almost to a whisper. "You too."
Spike and his slayer strolled hand in hand towards
Revello Drive. Dawn teetered along holding on to his other arm
and cursing the vanity that had made her wear her new high heels.
Now aside from having sore feet, the longer the walk home took,
the more certain she was of having blisters by the time she got
back.
Buffy smiled across at the vampire. "Did I hear
you making a date with Anya? She's a newly married woman, you
know and I don't know what your arrangement with Dru was but I
expect you to be a one woman vamp."
"Green suits you, pet." Spike grinned back at
her. ".But if you want the sordid details about my sex-life you're
going to have to ask again when there isn't a minor with us."
"I hope it's just the Dru part of that question
that you're including under that definition."
"You already know the answer to that one or you
would have been asking about it before you agreed to a date. I
told Anya I'd drop in at the shop tomorrow to take back what's
left of the stuff I liberated the other night and pay her for
the rest." '.And to make a little down payment on something
else.'
"So you don't think that I would just happen
to trust you?"
"Have you ever given me any reason to think you
might?" asked the vampire.
"No. I suppose not, but I've got to start practising
sometime."
"Too right, slayer." Spike released his grip
on Buffy's hand and turned to lead her sister over to a waist-high
wall.
"When are you going to start wearing shoes you
can walk in, Bit?" he asked the rhetorical question. Picking her
up by the waist, he stood her on top of the wall and turned round
to allow her to climb on his shoulders. The movements smooth and
practised as if it was almost routine, which it had been last
summer. Once the younger sister was settled he lit a cigarette
before he took Buffy's hand in his own again.
"So do you make a habit of carrying my sister
home after a night out?" Buffy queried.
"Now and again, when she can't walk and there
aren't any witnesses," was his response.
"I can see," said the petite blonde.
"Yeah, but you already know that I can act like
a right soft poof. If the likes of Harris saw this I'd have to
kill 'im. Besides, this way we might get home before midnight."
He ran his tongue along his upper teeth, his scarred eyebrow slightly
raised.
Buffy flushed, feeling a familiar tingling sensation
in the region of her abdomen and quickened her pace towards home.
"Well, it is a school night. The quicker we get Dawn home the
better."
"Yeah, right," came an unconvinced voice from
high above her head. "I'm fifteen, not deaf, dumb and blind."
Spike collapsed on the sofa and turned the TV
on, flicking through the channels until he found one that was
showing the news. Buffy was through in the kitchen making hot
chocolate and Niblet was upstairs getting showered and changed
into her pyjamas. He was there, in their home, accepted. The only
thing that could have made it any better would be if Joyce were
still alive, but then it would be extremely doubtful that he'd
be allowed to stay overnight in Buffy's room. Even Cardboard only
stayed the night when Joyce was in the hospital and presumably
didn't know he was there.
The main news program finished and was followed
by a local news show. The nerds' capture actually made lead item.
They were being charged with Katrina's murder as well as the bank
robbery and the diamond theft. Spike was wondering how they had
come to be charged with murder when the girl's death had been
ruled as accidental, when the report revealed that one of the
group had turned state's evidence against the other two, in hopes
of lighter sentencing.
The report also stated that the bank had agreed
to pay a finder's fee on that portion of the money that was recovered.
The money was to be shared by a group of people who detained the
bank robbers until police could arrive following a fight in a
local nightclub.
"Buffy! Niblet! I think you might want to hear
this."
The two girls came running through to the living
room, Dawn's hair still wet from the shower as the chat between
anchorman and the reporter at the local jail continued. Once Buffy
was safely installed in front of the TV Spike went through to
the kitchen to take over making the drinks.
<<Do we have any word yet as to the identity
of the people to receive the reward? >>
<<Well, word has it that witnesses on
the scene spoke of the group being detained by two young men and
two young girls, but one of the men appears to have left the scene
before police were able to take a statement from him. The bank
has stated that the reward will be split between the remaining
people if the man does not come forward within the next seven
days. As yet no names have been given out. >>
<<Now, the reward is based on the amount
of cash recovered. Has there been any word as to how much we could
expect that to be? >>
<<There are some unconfirmed rumours
around that as much as half to two thirds of the money stolen
may be returned. This is especially hopeful in light of the fact
that one of the group has turned state's evidence, as disclosing
the whereabouts of the remaining money would no doubt be part
of any deal that has been made. If we assume that say half of
the $160,000 which was stolen is recovered, then a ten percent
finders' fee would come to about $8,000.>>
"So, are you going to give yourself up and claim
your reward?" Dawn asked Spike as he brought the drinks through.
"Nah, no point. I'd just end up giving the money
to you two anyway and it would start all sorts of questions about
green cards and visas and all that crap. I'll steer clear."
"What are you going to do for money now
that you've promised to be a good boy?" Buffy asked.
"I never promised to be good, pet. Just that
I wouldn't nick stuff anymore. And that depends on you."
"If you think you're going to turn pimp and put
me on the streets you can forget it," she teased.
"Me neither," Dawn added.
"Well, what do you think of how that lot got
those orbs? Assuming they didn't have to kill anyone to get them
and that even if they used to belong to someone, they were long
dead. say it was just a matter of digging them up? Is there anything
about it that violently offends your moral code?"
Buffy's head tilted slightly to one side as she
considered the matter. "No, if nobody was harmed and they didn't
really belong to anyone. I don't suppose there's any harm. Why?"
"'Cause that means you can't complain about me
living off the stuff I found along with the Gem of Amara."
Buffy cast her mind back to the room filled with
golden jewellery. "You sneaky little vamp. No wonder you said
you could get money."
"Yeah, well. It's not like I didn't offer and
if knowing where it comes from makes a difference you can take
it that I'm offering again."
"And you can take it that I'm refusing again
at least until I'm totally desperate or we've made some sort of
formal commitment."
"How about, if this reward doesn't give you enough
leeway to get out of that burger joint and get a decent job, then
you let me make you an interest-free loan that you can pay back
as and when?" Spike gave her his best puppy-dog look. "Please,
love, I hate the idea of you working in that place. It's killing
you a bit at a time. There's got to be other options."
"We'll see. If the reward doesn't cover it I
might take you up on it. But I want to be sure I'm not cleaning
you out. It would be like me selling the house and then living
off the proceeds. It's destroying what you do have in the way
of capital."
The vampire sighed and pressed his argument further.
"Okay, time to come clean. The Amara stuff is kind of like my
spare change. Most of what I've got is tied up in investments
and stocks and shares. The bulk of it is basically legit. When
I died it wasn't officially reported. I was able to sell the house
and most of the valuables and convert them into investments, which
have since multiplied. On occasion I've added to the accounts
by not so legitimate means but the overwhelming bulk of it is
honestly come by. With enough warning, I could pay the mortgage
and the bills for this house and put the two of you through college
and still not touch the capital, if you would let me."
"If you were never officially reported dead,
then how did you end up getting buried? You wouldn't be buried
unless someone found the body and surely even then they would
try to have it identified."
"Or unless it amused grandpa dearest to stick
me in a coffin and bury it just so he could see my face when I
finally crawled out."
"You mean Angel."
"Yes, pet, or if you prefer, Angelus. Look, just
say you'll let me give you enough to get you out of that bloody
place and let's change the subject."
"You didn't exactly look that wealthy in that
dream you had. You looked more like the poor relation."
"Yeah, well, my grandfather made some bad investments.
Ended up selling half the land that originally went with the house
to cover his debts. After that the income from the estates barely
covered the upkeep on the house. There wasn't a lot left over.
Father did his best to keep things afloat, but even if I hadn't
been turned I'd probably have had to sell the house eventually
and get something a bit smaller. The house itself was still worth
a fair bit.
Like you say I didn't exactly look wealthy so
Angelus never suspected that I had money hidden away or he'd have
spent it all on frilly shirts and hair ribbons."
"Okay, I will accept a loan so that I
can get out of that place, if I need more than my share
of the reward."
"Thank you, pet."
At this point, Dawn who had been quietly listening
piped up. "So does this mean that I can keep my share?"
"Yeah, you can keep it... in your college fund,"
replied her sister. "And get your hair dry, and go to bed or you'll
never get to school in the morning."
"Whatever. Don't bother getting up tomorrow morning.
I'll get myself ready for Xander coming round... if you can give
me my lunch money now?" Spike fumbled in the pocket of his duster
and came out with a ten-dollar bill. Dawn snatched it from his
hand and headed upstairs calling her thanks as she left.
Buffy moved to the couch, snuggling in against
his side and taking the remote from his hand to flip channels.
Finally, she switched the TV off having failed to find anything
to hold her attention, other than the vamp at her side.
"It's going to be a while before Dawn gets off
to sleep. Maybe we could go sit on the porch for a bit... if you
want?" Buffy suggested nervously.
"We could." A slow smile came to his face, his
deep blue eyes holding her own. His hand came up, gently stroking
her cheek pushing a few stray hairs aside before his cool lips
claimed hers with a soft sweep. His fingers brushed a trail over
her earlobe and around to the back of her neck where they kneaded
gently at her tense muscles. "...Or I might have a better idea."
He kissed her again and her hands moved to his shoulder and into
the short curls at the back of his head deepening the kiss. She
wasn't even aware of his other arm slipping beneath her knees
until he had already carried her halfway up the stairs.
|
