| Restitution | ||
| A/N: So all hell is breaking loose around the Scoobies... Buffy has gone off in search of her sister, and the man she loves... A/N#2: Alright now… a certain part of this chapter was written in an outline weeks before a certain little video aired a little while back from Dragon con… I nearly choked on my chips when I watched it because of what I had written! *LOL* So I decided to keep this certain part in, cuz it made me giggle. *smirk* You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it... hee Disclaimer: Joss For President... of Fox! (:^O Rating: This chapter, quite PG Chapter Nine - Reputations
Clem looks at the older man and tries to remember everything Spike told him about these people. This one must be the Watcher. The one who settled his tab at the bar and bought him the bed. This dude was difficult to fathom, because he had evidently made Spike feel like an absolute prick, and then he goes and does these really helpful things. Perhaps the Watcher's opinion of Spike had changed. "Clem. And you must be Rupert… the Watcher? Yeah, Spike told me a lot about you." Giles suddenly looks very uncomfortable. "Uh, he did? So you're a… a friend of his?" "Spike has a friend? And the universe just never quits with the surprises now does it?" Clem doesn't particularly like the tone coming from this one. The Watcher was at least pleasant enough for someone who was totally shocked by his presence. "And you must be Xander Harris." Clem figures he'll give Xander something to really mull over in his addled brain. He walks over and extends his clawed hand. "I'm Clem. Pleased to meet you." Xander fumbles for words and looks at Anya, then Willow, then Giles and finally back at Clem. Willow covers her mouth with a hand to suppress a giggle. Way to go Spike! I like your friend! Xander cautiously accepts the gesture and shakes his hand. "Clem…" "Spike told me all about you too. By the way, funky lighter! He uses it all the time. But don't tell him I told you that, because I'm sure he'd clock me for saying it." Anya's ears perk at this. "Lighter?" "Ahh nothing, really. It's just… nothing!" "Oh, it's not nothing! C'mon! You totally brightened his day. But he'd never tell you that. He's too cool... got this whole 'Big Bad' reputation and everything, which, you know, works for him." Clem watches Xander squirm. "Xander? You brightened Spike's day? How did you brighten Spike's day?" When she gets a blank stare from Xander she turns to Clem… "Oh, he bought him this really cool glow in the dark lighter. There's this Batman logo on it and everything. Spike leaves it out on the ledge just near the opening of the lair so that it'll charge up with the sunlight during the day, and when it gets dark he shows it off. It's way cool! 'Course, no sun the last couple days..." Everyone turns to Xander who is now beet red and repeating the old wish that if the ground would just open up… Anya walks over to him and doesn't say a word. She gently strokes her hand along his back, letting him know that she wholeheartedly approves of the gift he gave Spike. It's not the lighter at all, but the thought. And the fact that for a moment at least, Xander saw beyond the demon, and took a moment to care for the person. Tara and Willow soon follow Anya and each place a warm hand on a shoulder and give him a gentle squeeze. "Ah geeze guys, it was nothing. It's just a lighter. I mean, Giles bought him a bed, for crying out loud." And now it's Giles who's beet red. "Ohhh!" the girls, (except for Katherine who hasn't the backstory), all rush Giles and envelope him in a tremendous hug. "Giles! That's so sweet of you!" Tara beams and hugs him even tighter. Katherine can't help but smile at this display and think, and he bought the bed from me… thank you Spike... "Well, it was nothing really, I mean… if you'd seen how he was living. Ask Xander even; he's the one who helped me with it. We waited for Spike to leave and then made the switch." "Ohhh!" the girls all rush back to Xander… "Honey! You DO have a heart!" Anya squeals with approval. When the hugging stops, Xander turns to Clem. "So Spike's your friend. Cool." "Yeah, he's my best friend, actually. Best I ever had. He's always watching my back, 'cause I can be a little too trusting with people sometimes. He says it's because I'm too nice…" Willow has to agree with Spike on that one. This Clem is one trusting character, although he certainly isn't dumb. He had Xander pegged the minute he opened his mouth. He's a wise one, this Clem. It warms her heart to think that Spike has found himself such a great friend. Clem obviously thinks the world of him, and the way he speaks about Spike, his voice is filled with such admiration. In Giles' office, on the settee, Janice and her mother begin to stir, but Willow saves the situation quickly. She drifts in quietly and waves her hand. "Sleep," she whispers and the two fall gently back down to their reposing positions, peacefully unaware of the tumultuous situation around them. "Well, Clem… it's certainly uh, wonderful to meet you…" Giles attempts a genuine smile, and pulls it off rather well, certainly Clem seems to be an all right fellow, for a demon, and anyway, maybe he'd be some help to them before the day was done. "I think we need to work on that spell now, ladies, if you don't mind. Let's see if we can't lift this veil of stink once and for all." Katherine approaches him and gives his arm a gentle squeeze. In her eyes she holds an expression of promise, that when this is all said and done they'll have a time of re-acquaintance, and this time they'll be able to share with each other their true selves. She knows for a fact that she won't be disappointed, and she hopes with all her heart he won't be either. The three witches head back into the training room to the mat in the center, having collected the final ingredients for the spell. Clem watches them disappear and then turns to Giles. "I hope we can get outside soon. We really need to find them. I don't know what you know, but word around town has it some bad boys are trying to raise a Gromolak. And boy oh boy you do NOT wanna be around if he gets his wake-up call." Oh, if only we'd known you when this all started, the advantage we would have had with that knowledge... "What do you know, Clem?" "Not too much, but I've heard of the Gromolak wiping out entire villages in the old days. And in the other dimension? Well, let's just say you wouldn't wanna be around for the clean-up. I hear it was beyond atrocious." Giles removes his glasses and gives them the ceremonial wipe. "Well, I'm hoping that we can take out the demons trying to raise him, before the ceremony. There will be three groups of six, forming a triangle of worship around the earth from which he'll rise. If we can find the place of exit, before it starts, and take out even one, I think we'll stop it altogether. However, if even the first words of the ceremony are uttered, I fear we'll be out of time. We'll have very little chance of stopping it." Clem swallows hard, the flesh hanging from his throat bobbing from the action. He thinks about his family, his place, his funky little car, and the kittens he left in the basket at Spike's. Running away would be an option. Then he thinks of Spike, his best friend, and that he's all alone out there, searching for the girl he adores, and in essence going after this thing that will kill them all. He takes a look at Giles and Xander, and Anya too, and realizes that these are the people Spike always speaks of… the people who never really liked him, rather, who hated him and let him feel it at every opportunity, the very same people Spike would protect and defend at all costs. And suddenly he isn't so sure he should really be here. He looks at the masks on the counter. "Do you think one of those would fit me? I know there's the whole 'lots-of-skin' issue, but you see, my best friend is out there, and he needs my help. So I really need to go." Giles hears the apprehension in Clem's voice and takes a step towards him. "If you'll just wait a little bit longer, Willow and the others will work the spell, and we can all leave. Will you do that? We'll find them all, Clem, Spike as well."
"I know, honey, but I'm here, and I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. You can do this, Willow. You're so strong, so talented… so good." Willow lets Tara's comforting words sink in and closes her eyes and within seconds she opens them, an expression of apprehension on her face once again. Suddenly she feels Tara's warm hand upon hers and then Katherine's as well, and the feeling of security between the three of them is overwhelming. Tara looks at Katherine and smiles, so grateful to have someone like her here with them; someone to ground the both of them as they attempt such an incredible feat. "I realize I don't know you very well, "says Katherine, "but what I felt from you both earlier on was so wonderful. So powerful. You girls are like a breath of fresh air to me, quite literally!" She chuckles then, "That was pretty lame wasn't it? Anyway, I want you to know that I am right here with you, lending you as much of my power as I can. I'll gladly take whatever comes of this with you. Know that I won't let go at any stage, alright?" Tara and Willow both nod and hold her hands tightly. Together they speak, "Let's do it."
Feeling utterly defeated Buffy roughly puts the mask on and walks to her room, reeling from the turn of events. It's all too much. For this to happen to Dawn again is unfathomable, and for a moment she thinks she might have been put on the earth as one big, tremendous joke. She feels like a kicking bag for the powers that be. She'd like to get an audience with those arseholes and give them more than a piece of her mind. She'd really love to shove a mystical stake down each and every one of their throats for all the pain she and her loved ones are having to go through. She'd love to tell them to take their 'Chosen' job and shove it too. She sits down on the edge of her bed and thrusts her hands in the pockets of Spike's duster, pulling it closer to her body, wishing she could just wrap herself up in it and like a new skin. Perhaps if she had been stronger, or smarter, maybe not so closed off to those she loves for so long… Everything would be different. If she'd just prepared Dawn a little better, or made Spike feel like one of the gang long before this… As her fingers settle on a piece of paper in Spike's pocket she looks over at the rose on her night table and notices that it's now fully open. She guesses that at this rate it won't last much longer, much like this town, Dawn, Spike, any of them. As much as she wishes things could really change and somehow be normal she resolves that it must be absolutely impossible. How can anything bad every truly change? Evil is evil. Good is good. Wouldn't she just love to give it all up to live the 'normal' good life? Wouldn't that be better than this seemingly eternal struggle? If she closed her eyes, could she accept it if she opened them again to a world without vampires and demons, and Scoobies… and Dawn? This will never get any better. It's always going to be 'Me Slayer - You Vampire'. No sooner has she aired that thought, that she brings up the stiff paper, like a card, out of Spike's pocket and turns it up to the small light. American Red Cross - Sunnydale Branch Buffy stares at the card in her hand, shocked. She doesn't know whether to laugh or cry… and what was she just thinking about bad things never being able to change? She reads it over and over until she finally bursts out in laughter. Soon Buffy's laughter dies down and tears well up as she realizes how wrong she really is. She lies back on her bed, clutching the card and the tears pool along the edges of her mask. "Oh, Spike… I'm so sorry." What was she thinking? Nothing is written in stone. Nothing is cut and dry. And her black and white view of the world? Certainly black and white are only elements of the infinite shades of grey… and suddenly everything begins to make sense. She looks over at the rose again, and at the picture of herself and Dawn and cries some more… "I couldn't live without you... without either of you." Whipping the mask off her face she gets up and wipes her eyes. Braving the stink, she hopes for not much longer, she goes over to her mirror and has a good long look. "Not gonna lose anybody today… or ever again if I can help it." She goes over to her weapons chest and grabs a cross bow and a quiver of arrows, slinging them over her shoulder. Buffy then walks over and lifts the rose out of the vase, hissing when one of the thorns pierces her skin. The pain reminds her of what Angel told her about Spike, about why he loves deep red roses and her face flushes with heat. Examining her fingers she notices a large drop of blood forming on one finger tip. *** To Spike, the rose symbolizes incredible love… a love for which he'd risk the worst pain… that's why he likes the thorns, because without the pain, the thorns, the value of the experience would be lost. Spike can't do anything half assed. He needs to fight for what's his. He needs to claim it and cherish it above everything else. If he can't have that, he'd rather not be. Of course, the whole blood-stained rose thing is a major turn on for him too, but don't you dare EVER tell him I told you that. We're talking about the eternal pain in my ass here, Buffy. Still doesn't sit well with me, the thought of you two. *** Buffy runs the bloody tip of her finger along the edges of the petals, coating them ever so finely with her life's essence. The act, to her, seems so simple, but she knows that the gesture, for Spike, would be overwhelming. She realizes right then that she has to give him this gift now. She can't wait any longer. She knows that when she finds Dawn, and she will, Spike will be right there too. Next chance she gets, she won't waste any time on nerves or second thoughts or questions. She'll lay it all out for him with one simple gesture, and give herself over completely. Quickly she goes to her desk and rifles through the drawer, looking for a pin. When she finally finds one she flips over the lapel of Spike's coat that rests over her heart and pins the rose to it, making sure it's totally secure. She folds the lapel back over, making sure that the rose is completely hidden and heads downstairs then and out into the night. She carries the mask in one hand as she runs towards town, noting that the sun will be up soon, and she hopes like hell that Spike is underground.
"DAWN!!" he screams as he enters the next alleyway, searching every nook and cranny he passes. Somewhere deep down he kicks himself for not having the cop-on to stick around for a few minutes and get the run down on this latest Big Bad from Giles and the others, then he'd know exactly what he was dealing with, but if his memory serves him right, and judging from what the others had been saying around town, the nasty on the way likes to eat pretty little girls, and everything else in it's path.He decides to try at the site of the old high school. If anybody's into raising evil things and looking for the perfect venue, well that area is just humming with activity. He's not gonna let her come to any harm this time. He's going to find her before it's too late. And when he does find her he's gonna rip that nasty to shreds and anybody else who might stand in his way, even if he gets dusted in the process. Dusting after the saving would be perfectly honorable in his eyes, because then he would truly have fulfilled his promise to protect her… till the end of his world at least. He would be making up for the monumental failings at the tower, and maybe they might actually respect him, even if its just a little. As he trudges along towards the old school his thoughts veer from Dawn to Buffy. He had her right there beside him in the Jeep, and he couldn't talk to her. It pained him because he had always been the one to provide yards and yards of conversation in the past, quite often unwelcome conversation, but nevertheless he always had spoken his mind. He had Buffy right there alongside him, the woman of his dreams, and he couldn't tell her anything. He knows she probably would have clocked him if he'd tried, but still, to think he missed an opportunity to let her know what she means to him, makes him incredibly lonely for her then. Should have let her know she's everything to me… should have told her that she made me want to be a better man. He plows his way through the rubble and grabs a long piece of metal pipe, determined to beat any nasty's brains in he might encounter, new shirt be damned. Then he stops and looks down at his shirt, rubs the stained parts between his fingers, an expression of sadness on his face. I'd give anything to have her beside me again. Anything at all. He rubs his arm where she caressed him, when they were at the Magic Box, and remembers the warmth she showed him, that he couldn't quite fathom, and he wonders if perhaps she really did see him as something other than monster, finally? As he takes off again to look for Dawn and her attackers he decides that if he gets to see Buffy again before he dies, he's gonna grab her and kiss her like she's never been kissed before, and he's gonna tell her that she's the sun and the moon and all the stars to him. He'll lay it all out in simple terms for her, that she's worth more than all the universe to him, and then he'll gladly meet the real monsters and have his real One. Good. Day. Ahhh I love the influence Clem has on Spike... in this story anyway :^) More soon! Promise! |