Author's Note: Chapter Five... Here we go. This is a short chapter, an interlude really. Reflections and things. Oh yeah, and Buffy has a moment with a rose. ;^)

Disclaimer: See me bow down before the great and mighty Jossificus! Ahhh I would polish your boots for all eternity so long as you promise not to sue me! Actually, don't hold me to that. Just don't sue!

Rating: This chapter, PG13

Chapter Five - Reflections - an Interlude

"Clem?" Spike asks as he lies back on the hilltop, taking in all the stars… There was still so much night left, and he didn't feel like being alone. And he felt uneasy about leaving Buffy to her own devices like that.

"Yeah, pal?" Clem is also lying back, looking up, searching the skies…

"What's the worst thing you've ever done?"

"Oh... that's a toughie." He takes a moment to think, rakes his claws along the abundant flesh of his ear. "I guess the worst thing would be the time, oh this is way back when I was just a whelp... I snuck into the neighbor's back yard with a sack and kidnapped all their kittens. I just had to have them... they were mewling and crying and driving me nuts. And, there's nothin' like fresh meat you know? But the neighbors' little girl cried for days. Course, I didn't know any better back then, but it kinda hit me later on how she musta felt."

"Ever killed a human?"

"Nope. Never."

"Oh." Bloody good for you Clem…

"What's it like?"

"You don't wanna know. Stick with your kittens, mate."

"Are you sorry? Oh hey, you know, don't answer that. It's a bit like asking the lion if he's sorry he killed all the pretty little gazelles."

"'Cept that lions aren't evil. So it really doesn't count, Clem."

"Oh right. Well, I mean, you're the evilest, baddest guy I know! Hands down! But still, are you sorry? Bet the chip made you stop and think about all you did."

"The chip didn't make me sorry at the time at all. I'm a vampire. It's what Vampires do, right? Hunt, feed... The chip didn't stop me from feeding as such. It just changed the menu." Spike takes another swig of his whiskey. "It's funny, but when I think of the thrill of the fight with a demon, compared to the thrill of the hunt for a human? I'd take the demon fighting in a heartbeat. No challenge in a human."

"Yeah, and humans are OK too. I know some fines ones. Guess you're kinda sorry now, right?"

"S'pose, in a way, you're right there…" Spike thinks about Giles, and the stupid bed, and Xander and the stupid lighter and he wonders how the hell things got so turned around. He knew where he stood when they all hated him. He knew his lot in the world. Sure, he wanted nothing more in this unlife than to have Buffy Summers, slayer of vampires, look upon him as anything other than monster, but he never really held out hope that it would happen. Still, even then, he knew his place. Evil, disgusting, thing. She said it plain and simple. Evil, Disgusting, Thing, that would do anything to help her.

And then there's Dawn, who used to look to him for understanding, because there wasn't anyone else who'd give her the time. Spike misses Dawn, but he figures she's snapped out of it since he failed her on the tower. Sure, she coulda cut his head clean off with her cool tongue that night in the cemetery when she was snooping around with her friend. She'd been so cold. Who'd have thought she'd have learned the icy tongue so quick from Big Sis? He thinks maybe it's a Summers gift.

He hates to think that these people can hurt him. He disgusts himself sometimes if he lingers on the thought too long. Why should he, in all fairness, give a shit? But he does… "Tell anyone and I'll clock you."

"Yeah, your secret's safe with me. Hey Spike… it's OK to do good, you know? I mean, sucks in the eyes of the larger demon community, but still… it's OK. You're giving something back, on your own terms of course."

"Of course."

Clem takes out his wallet and flicks through his various cards till he finds what he's looking for. "See this card?" he hands it to Spike, who vamps out so he can read it better in the dark, "That's me giving something back. It's a small gesture I know… could be doing a lot more for the cause, but it's something."

Spike reads… 'Sunnydale Animal Shelter. Valued Donor! Thank you for your support!' and smiles, fangs and ridges and all.

"You're a strange one, Clem. Wouldn't see me carrying a card for anything. 'Cept maybe A-Neg-A."

Clem looks at Spike in his game face and burst out laughing. "A Neg Anonymous! Hah! Good one, buddy!"

Spike allows his face to shift back and he watches Clem peel in laughter over something he didn't think was that funny. How come Clem can be so easy to be around? And being with the Scoobies has always been like walking willingly in front of the firing squad, except their bullets never quite kill him. He wonders if the Scoobies would like Clem, and then kicks himself for even thinking such a thing. He'd never do such a thing to Clem; let them abuse him as well. No, he'll keep his friend to himself. A fella's gotta have some things decent for himself in this life.

"Don't know about you, mate, but my bottle's empty, and the clouds are comin' in. Can't see the stars anymore. And I hate lookin' up and seein' sweet F.A."

"Strange that it's so cloudy all of a sudden, don't you think? I mean, it was blistering earlier today. Of course, you were safely asleep in the lair, and it probably wouldn't bug you anyway, but ho man was it ever hot." Clem had spent the entire day fanning his many folds of skin. It hadn't been fun, and it hadn't been pretty. "And now this? Doesn't make sense."

"Mother Nature never makes sense Clem. Wanna head in?" Spike suddenly senses an unwelcome change in the air.

Clem rolls over and gets up, dusts himself off. Ah, nothin' beats stargazing! "Sure, Spike, lead the way!"

As they head back down toward the lair the clouds begin to swirl and roil. And as he looks back toward the sky one last time, Spike feels an unsettling chill and suspects that perhaps something other than a bit of weather is coming. And he knows what this'll mean. Scoobies will be 'round soon, he thinks, and although he hates himself for it, he allows himself the briefest of smiles.

~~*~~

Buffy shivers slightly as she walks towards town, amazed that she'd need a sweater in the midst of the summer, but when she woke up this morning the room was so chilly, and when she looked out her window it was so strange. Not a spot of blue sky in sight, just a thick layer of grey cloud. It wasn't like a typical storm cloud scene either. And she knew in her heart and soul that this had nothing to do with any storm… She had called Giles who was equally suspicious, and he'd asked them all to meet at the Magic Box. She'd have to have her talk with Willow and Tara a little later.

As she passes the florist on her way to the Magic Box, Buffy spots a display of the most beautiful red roses she thinks she's ever seen. She just has to stop and smell them. The deep crimson blooms are only very partially open and they look so perfect, so unspoiled. She carefully takes one from the deep, narrow bucket and suddenly finds herself thinking of what Angel had said about Spike and his favourite flower. She almost cautiously lifts it to her nose, as if smelling it's beautiful fragrance is so sacred… and when she does finally breathe it in deeply, she feels such an enveloping warmth take over her body. Her mouth opens slightly as she shuts her eyes and thinks of him. The fragrance, mingled with the image of his beautiful face send waves of pleasure throughout her body and she gasps at the sensations and opens her eyes.

"My god, honey, it's just a rose…" says the smiling shopkeeper. She's obviously watched Buffy and her show of something more than appreciation for her beautiful roses.

Buffy's a little embarrassed at first, but can't help smiling at how thinking of him and smelling the rose made her feel. "It's not just a rose, actually…" she says quietly. Oh god, if you only knew. She blushes a deep shade of red at the thought.

"Ah, I see. It's that kind of rose… Honey, you keep that one. It's on me. I don't think I've ever seen such appreciation for my flowers."

"Oh, no I couldn't… I'm sorry. How much are they?"

"Honey, you take that rose, and you go home, and you let that man of yours see just exactly what I saw just now…" she grins a wicked grin, " and then you send him to me for more."

"Oh, there's nobody at home," Buffy! Too. Much. Info! "Well, I mean… he's somewhere else, and I, well, it's just…"

"Say no more, sweet girl… go on. Take the rose. Think of your love. Show him what you just showed me."

If it's possible, Buffy blushes more! "Um, thank you… I think."

"No, thank you honey." The lovely shopkeeper giggles then and Buffy feels a little better.

"How long will this rose last? I mean, if I take care of it? Put it in water?"

"Three or four days, not much more. Plenty of time to give it that man of yours." She winks and walks back into the shop, shivering a little as a chilly breeze picks up.

Buffy carefully holds the very thorny, beautiful deep crimson rose as she rushes to the Magic Box. An even chillier wind envelops her and she shudders, knowing that this is more than just foul weather. There's something much darker at play.

She looks down at the beautiful flower and then shields the bloom with her palm, mustn't let it suffer the elements. She has to keep it alive, has to let it mean something. Symbolize something for both herself and Spike. She's determined to give it to him, make it something so memorable for him that he'll never ever be able to look at another rose and not think of her.

Secretly she thanks the evil that's brewing, because now Spike will have no choice but come out of hiding, and fight at her side. She'll get her chance to give him this special gift, and make him see just exactly what he means to her.

~~*~~

Brief, I know... but necessary I think... now on with the nasty! Um, shortly *smirk*
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