The Telltale Heart
New Mexico , while Angel boogies

Spike's head was pounding and that wasn't the only thing. He half expected that when he forced his eyes open he'd be back in his heavy mahogany four-poster bed in Victorian London and that he would discover that Buffy and Sunnydale were no more than dreams brought on by eating too heavily and reading those books by Mr Wells. As his lids lifted, however, he found himself in a rather more modern boudoir. The lighting was electric, the furnishings feminine without being frilly and the heating that kept the room cosily warm was far too modern. Definitely not London. Of course, that idea had been pretty stupid anyway, as he'd already been fifteen years dead when 'The Time Machine' was published. His fingers reached to press against his chest, their touch confirming what his other senses had already told him.

For the first time in almost a hundred and twenty five years, his heart was beating... That and there was a large cat reclining on his chest, purring all the more loudly now that he had inadvertently touched it.

He raised his head off the pillow to look for a clock and instead his gaze was met by a pair of concerned eyes. Then, he remembered. The whole-body pins and needles as an atrophied circulatory system found itself flooded with thick, pumping lifeblood forcing itself through pathways long narrowed with disuse. The stabbing in his lungs as panic made him hyperventilate, and needless to say the more he needed to breathe and found himself unable, the more he panicked... Then, a brown paper bag, brought to his mouth as he curled in a foetal position on the cream carpet, and a coffee stain under the bookshelf that you would never see unless you were lying on the floor. Crackling breaths as the bag expanded and contracted. Finally, quiet, except for the rasping of his lungs and the hammer blows of his heart. Then, helping hands guiding him up stairs, taking off his coat and his boots and laying him on a comfortable mattress where it seemed that his brain simply decided its best protection was to switch off and let sleep claim him.

"Wh-. Time?" He struggled to get the words out before he started coughing, his throat dried out from the passage of unaccustomed air to his lungs.

Luba picked up the feline, moving it onto an empty portion of mattress, where it promptly shifted to rest its head on Spike's arm. "A little after three... in the morning. I'm kinda in the habit of waking up a couple of times a night so I thought I'd check on you."

Despite feeling like he had the mother of all hangovers, Spike tried to push himself upright, noting for the first time that Luba was dressed in satin pyjamas. Clearing his throat, he forced his mouth to form the words. "Look, should be going... I'm keepin' you out yer bed an' you've been more than kind enough already."

Concerned suddenly took a back seat to tough. "Forget it. You're in no state to go anywhere and, since your car disappeared about an hour ago, you've no transport to get there."

Spike gave a snort that turned into a cough, and Luba lifted a glass of water from the bedside table and propped him up so that he could manage a couple of mouthfuls. When she set the glass down, Spike managed to lean back on the heaped pillows, sitting more or less upright without her help. "Good old Liam," he said, his tone more amused than bitter. "I go MIA an' all he's worried about is gettin' charged extra if the hire car's overdue.

But that still don't give me the right to kick you out your own bed."

"Like there's room for anyone else in there?" she asked with a smirk as Spike was joined by the dog and yet another cat. "I'll use mom's room. It's right where our friendly spies have their scaffolding, but I'll be up getting ready for work before they turn up. I think it's best you stay here, out of their way."

Spike's voice was soft, just in case the reason the room was vacant was a touchy subject. "An' yer mum?"

"Mom didn't fancy having lots of strangers around when I'm at work during the day..." She shrugged her shoulders. "She's staying with family until things are back to normal around here.

Look, I don't know if the guy who sent you was expecting things to work out the way they did last night, but I have my doubts about him having your best interests at heart. I think before you let him know you're not a pile of dust, you oughta maybe make some calls or let me make some, check the internet, see what you can find out about that thing."

Spike gave a rueful grin. "Not as I think Peaches exactly sees me as the love of his life, but I always thought if he wanted rid he'd at least do it himself..." Then a thought seemed to occur to him. "'Course that was before I beat him fair an' square... Guess I forgot that under the soul, he's the still the same twisted bastard." Spike began to laugh, but in between he gasped out a few more words. "Might not have been Mountain Dew in that cup after all." When the laughter died away Spike, turned to Luba. "Okay, pet, I'll stay put, send some feelers out, see what I can come up with on this thing... at least until the builders that show up actually look like they can build. None too keen on leavin' you on your own with that lot hangin' around, anyway."

"Deal - provided when I get home after work tomorrow you explain all that stuff you just said." She rose to her feet and headed for the door, pausing with one hand on the doorknob.

"That's kind of a long story, pet."

She gave him a crooked smile that reminded him of Tara. "You don't look like you'll be going anywhere any time soon.

If you need anything, just shout. I'll be in the room opposite. Bathroom's down the hall on the right. If you're still asleep when I leave for work, I'll leave the curtains closed in there and on the landing and in the kitchen. That way if there turns out to be some residual sunlight issues you're covered, and no one will see you if you need to get something to eat or... you want to freshen up."

Spike quelled a vague discomfort at the thought of what he was sure she had really meant and wished he hadn't had those buffalo wings on the plane. Then again, it could be a lot worse... He could've been a woman.

"Night, William."

Her voice drew him from his thoughts, and he almost stumbled over his reply. "Night, love, and thanks... Not many people would take in a stranger like you've done. Guess that earns you a tale or two..."

"A girl, unrequited love and self-sacrifice, you said. Sounds like a doozy." One last teasing glance and the door closed behind her.