Parts: 21 - 24
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 21~
"I'm telling you, Xander," said Willow adamantly, "It's not normal. Something hellmouthy must be going on." The brunette shook his head, trying to suppress a grin.
"For the last time, Will, my relationship with Cordelia is not the result of the hellmouth running a-muck."
"Massive head trauma?" she tried weakly. He laughed and slipped his arm around her shoulders as the continued their walk to her house. They spent their day at school followed by an evening of research before Giles finally told them they could leave. Buffy left to patrol and Xander left with Willow to go home. Cordelia was busy with cheerleading practice so it was just the two best friends tonight. This was actually the first time they ever discussed the entire Cordelia thing in depth, he realized.
"Come on, it's not that bad, is it? I mean, yeah, she's not exactly a big people-person, in fact she can be down-right rude, but.oh never mind," he finished with an exasperated sigh at her giggle.
"I get it Xand, it's a hormone thing. That must be it. There is no other way to explain Cordy."
"But you're okay with it?" he questioned hesitantly. Taking a minute to think, she nodded.
"Yeah, not happy exactly, but dealing. It's just.well, it's Cordelia. What is it about her really? Even Jesse had a thing for her. She was absolutely awful to all of us and you both still fall for her. Did the fact that she treated you like crap endear her to you?"
"Wish I could explain it to you, hon. I don't understand it myself. But if I ever figure it out, you'll be the first to know." She smiled and frowned when they reached her porch. It felt like old times, before Buffy came to town. Just the two of them, hanging out, laughing and talking about nothing and everything at the same time. She missed that.
"Do you have to go? You could come inside. My parents are still away in New York and I could use the company." He smiled but stepped away from her.
"Sorry, Will. I would love to, but I promised Cordy that I'd meet her at the Bronze after practice."
"You're going to the Bronze?" she frowned. No one mentioned that to her.
"Yeah, Buffy will be there after patrol. You can come too, but we figured that you wouldn't want to see Oz so soon after your break-up. He and the Dingoes are playing tonight."
"Oh," she whispered, "Um, no, I'll just stay in. But thanks. See you tomorrow." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and turned to walk into town.
Willow remained in front of her door, watching Xander walk away. She couldn't believe he just left her out of their plans. It wasn't like he was on a date, really. Buffy would be there and she didn't have a date so it wasn't like she was the third-wheel.
"You don't believe that pathetic excuse, do you?" asked a distant voice. She cocked her head to the side, watching as Spike stepped out from the cover of trees and onto the porch.
The blonde vampire had left the factory earlier that night, dying for a good kill. After he sated his bloodlust, he found that he wasn't ready to call it a night just yet. He ended up following the familiar path to Willow's house when he heard two people talking. He couldn't believe his luck when the boy ended up pushing her away. This would only help his cause. Putting on his best concerned face, he stepped out to join the redhead on her porch.
"Not really," Willow replied quietly. "That thing about Oz.it just seemed like he was stretching to find a reason why they forgot to tell me." She placed her backpack next to the door and moved to sit on the porch swing. Spike watched her movements and moved to join her, his arm finding its way around her shoulder, pulling her into what he hoped felt like a comforting hug. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.
"And *these* are your friends?" he said with obvious disdain. She shrugged but stayed silent. A few moments passed before she spoke.
"They are all I have," she confided. "Xander and I have been best friends since we were five. Buffy is the only girl I've ever been good friends with."
"What about the cheerleader?" She laughed sadly.
"Cordy? She's not my friend. She spends most of her time telling me how boring and worthless I am. But she's Xander's girlfriend so I deal with it. Nothing else I can do."
"And that's it?"
"Pretty much. There's Amy, but after the mess that was Xander's love spell, she's been distant. He still holds her responsible for it all, plus Buffy's still a little upset that she was turned into a rat." Spike laughed at the picture that made. "Then there's Oz, but right now it's still awkward, you know?" He nodded understandingly. "And Giles is there, but he's more of a mentor, a father figure than a 'friend'."
"Well," she amended after a minute, "there was Angel. But you know how that turned out." The blonde's jaw clenched at the mention of his sire.
"Oh? How close were you two?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.
"Close?" she replied with a derisive laugh. "We weren't close. I think we spoke all of ten, maybe fifteen words to each since we met. In case you forgot, all he cared about was Buffy. Sure he saved the rest of us, but he only did it to impress her. Maybe to alleviate some of his guilt. He did everything for her; I was just an afterthought, at best."
"Never thought you were a cynic, pet. Isn't that my job?"
"I'm just sick of it, Spike. I'm tired of being left out of everything. I don't want to be an afterthought. But I just don't know what to do to change it."
"You've got a couple options, love. Either tell them all that you won't stand for it anymore, or find new mates."
"I'm not good with confrontations," she admitted softly.
"Well then that leaves option number two. Get rid of them." She shook her head sadly and pulled away from him, standing once again.
"You don't get it, do you?" she said. "So I get rid of them. Then what? I don't have *any*one else. And in case you missed it, Spike, I'm not exactly popular. My own parents don't even spend time with me. So if I don't have them, who *do* I have?" He stood slowly and moved to stand next to her, taking her hands in his.
"You've got me," he whispered, pulling her into his embrace. She stiffened but didn't fight his hold on her.
"We aren't friends, Spike," she murmured into his leather covered shoulder.
"We could be," he replied, releasing her hand and moving to caress the side of her face, his thumb brushing her cheek before softly tracing the outline of her lips. "We could be more."
She didn't know what to say to that so she remained quiet. She forced herself to meet his gaze and with much effort she finally did just in time to see him lean closer, closing her eyes, purely a reflex, when she felt his lips over her own. Spike puller her to him, his tongue teasing her lips until she gave in.
Willow pushed him away after a moment, taking deep breaths. He smiled indulgently at her flushed face.
"Sorry, forgot about that pesky need to breathe," he told her with a chuckle.
"Hmmm? Oh, okay." she replied distractedly. He walked her to her front door, picking up her backpack and placing it in her hand.
"Better get inside, pet. Time for all good girls to go to bed," he added, kissing her on the forehead and remaining on the porch until she unlocked the door and went inside with one final glance his way.
Taking an unneeded breath, he pushed himself off the porch and started walking down the street, only stopping when he heard someone applauding.
"Nicely done, boy," announced Angelus with glee as he joined Spike at his side and they resumed their walk. "She really does trust you," he said with amazement. Smirking, Spike could only reply.
"I told you, mate. Like a bloody walk in the park."
~Part: 22~
Leaving Spike to drink the night away, Angelus debated between going back to the factory he now called home, or staying out awhile longer. The latter won out and he continued to wander the streets of Sunnydale. He couldn’t contain the grin on his face as he remembered the confused look on Willow’s face. Poor little girl had no clue what was going on.
His plan was working perfectly. Spike was back with him and Dru, but unfortunately the blonde had a bit of an attachment to the redhead. Initially, he was angry. She was his to do what he wished. He didn’t even know how those two became so familiar with each other. He knew that Spike was not totally honest about his feelings regarding the hacker. Even that night, he could see that beyond the manipulating, Spike honestly cared for her. One would think that would be a problem, but Angelus saw nothing to worry about.
His reasoning was simple. Spike was determined to continue with the plan that he had discussed with him. The blonde wouldn’t back down. He felt that he had to prove himself, prove that he was demon enough. So he would alienate Willow, make her depend on him until she had no one else. Then he would show her that her faith was misplaced. He’d show her how foolish it was to trust him and he would break her. What then?
That was where Angelus planned to step in. Willow would be the most susceptible. She would be inconsolable and heartbroken. In need of someone to help her put the pieces of her life back together. He was determined to be that person. After all, he was used to dealing with unstable women; at least she wouldn’t be insane. Emotional instability was much easier to handle than mental instability. He would woo her broken heart until his childe was nothing more than a hated memory. She would be his best creation. He had learned what not to do after his game with Drusilla. He didn’t want her broken, just a little bent.
Now, his only concern was making sure that Spike finished what he started. He couldn’t change his mind; otherwise his entire plan would be shot to hell. Shaking his head, Angelus strode into the Bronze, frowning as the loud music hit his sensitive ears. Slipping into the indiscernible shadows, he allowed his thoughts to wander once again.
Once he was finished with Willow, he’d have his revenge on the slayer. Now, all of this wasn’t about Buffy, she was just an added bonus. He could imagine the look on her face, a cross between jealousy and utter sadness when he showed off his new girl. His only problem would be Spike.
Angelus would have to do his best to rid Spike of any feelings for the girl except for hate. The blonde was bound to be furious when his sire’s complete plan revealed itself. Even if he didn’t care for her, Spike would still see Willow as his property. Even with the right of sire and all that historical nonsense, Spike wouldn’t be happy with him. Lucky for him that he couldn’t care less what Spike thought of him.
Drusilla would be the wild card. She liked Willow and worried about Spike. She would protect both of them even if that meant standing up to her sire. He would have to do his best to keep her busy so she wouldn’t suspect a thing. Maybe he’d buy her a new doll, or something. She wasn’t really a threat to his plan, just a little distraction.
He gazed upon the tiny club with a sneer. He heard Willow mention to Spike about Xander, Cordelia, and Buffy being there that night. Angelus searched the dance floor, seeing the boy and the cheerleader dancing but little Buffy was no where to be seen. He scanned the tables, finally seeing the slayer sitting near the bar. Smiling he pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning on. It had been awhile since he’d seen her, it would be impolite to not say hello.
~~~*~~~
Spike downed his drink and watched Willy nervously clean the bar out of the corner of his eye. It amused him to no end how scared the man was after spending day after day catering to demons. You would think he would have grown a backbone at some point. Silently signaling for another drink, he returned his attention to his empty glass.
He was angry with himself right now. What started out as a way to get his sire off his back had escalated into something bigger. Now he was stuck playing a game he wasn’t sure he wanted to. Sure he longed to hurt the girl, make her pay for betraying him and throwing him out of her house. But part of him hadn’t been lying to her when he told her they could be more. He hated that some mortal, some schoolgirl had made such a mess with his unlife. But he couldn’t back down now. Angelus was expecting him to follow through and he knew that his sire would make his life hell if he stopped now. So he found himself stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Placing another glass down in front of the bleach blonde vampire, Willy studied the hunched form before him.
“Bad night?” he asked, in that whiny voice that grated on Spike’s nerves. Spike looked up, raising a scarred eyebrow in questioning. “You look kinda down, buddy.”
“Not that it’s any of your business, mate, but yeah, bad night…” he drawled, his voice slurring slightly.
“Let me guess, it’s a girl, right?” Spike snorted and ran a hand through his hair.
“Isn’t it always? Not worth the bloody headache, I tell you,” he declared, but his heart wasn’t in it. “Everything was good, you know. Me an’ Dru, terrorizing the world. No Angelus in sight. Then the wanker comes back and Dru left me…”
“It’s like that, is it?”
“That’s not the half of it,” interrupted Spike. “So I finally say, ‘hey, I’m not gonna take this anymore’, and leave. But does the prat leave me be? Noooo, of course not. So Peaches drags my arse back home. Now I’m playing bloody mind games, which is his cup o’ tea, not mine, and I don’t even want to hurt the chit! Can you believe it? Me, William the Bloody, not wanting to hurt some mortal. Maybe I am going soft…” he said, more to himself than Willy.
“Nah, the Spike I know ain’t going soft,” Willy started but shut his mouth at the annoyed snarl that came from Spike.
“You’re still here?” growled the vampire, glaring at the bartender until he turned tail and ran. “Useless pillock…” The blonde stood, kicking the barstool he had been sitting in as he turned to leave.
“Hey, Spike!” called Willy, “ya forgot to pay!” Spike spun on his heel, in game face, daring Willy to try and stop him from leaving. “You know, never mind. I’ll just add it to your tab,” added Willy hastily, breathing a sigh of relief when the blonde merely walked away.
~~~*~~~
Willow threw her clothes into the hamper, after slipping on her ‘Curious George’ nightshirt. She crawled into bed, leaving the lamp sitting on her nightstand on as she lay there, thinking. Tonight definitely did not turn out as planned. She was still smarting from Xander’s dismissal earlier that night. Her life had changed so much since Buffy came to Sunnydale. Finding out that vampires do exist, losing Jesse, Spike and Dru trying to kill them all, Angel turning to the ‘dark side’. But the one thing she never expected to happen was starting. Xander, her life long friend, was abandoning her for Cordelia, of all people. That hurt.
As if her life wasn’t confusing enough with Spike’s sudden interest in her, she didn’t even have her best friend to talk to. Not that she could talk to him about Spike, but still. She couldn’t even have five minutes alone with him for pointless conversation. She missed that.
She didn’t even want to try to comprehend what Spike was doing. He went from vowing revenge on her for disobeying him, to give her love and advice and comforting her when she was down. And the kissing, she couldn’t forget the kissing. She just couldn’t help but think something was going on with him. He couldn’t be completely trusted. That’s why she still hadn’t invited him inside her house again. Little did she know he could come and go as he pleased.
Sighing, the redhead reached over and turned off the light, snuggling deeper into the covers, trying desperately to forget every thought that plagued her mind.
~~~*~~~
Drusilla wrung her hands nervously, feeling increasingly uneasy. This wasn’t right. Spike was fighting what he felt for Willow and the seer knew that his actions would only hurt the girl and ruin any chance they had for any sort of relationship. But she was unsure what to do. She knew her sire wouldn’t be of any help, he was pushing Spike to play with the redhead. So she was left on her own to stop him. Spike wouldn’t listen to reason. He wouldn’t believe her if she told him that this was fate. That he needed the girl in his life. So what to do now?
Standing suddenly, nearly dropping Miss Edith in the process since the doll was previously perched on her lap. A devious smile crept onto her delicate face as she came to a decision. She had a call to make, her boys were in for a surprise.
~Part: 23~
Morning and afternoon passed quickly for the group of vampires living in the abandoned factory. Spike had returned an hour before dawn, avoiding Dru at all costs and heading straight to bed. Angelus also came home maybe fifteen minutes after his childe, grinning like an idiot. He couldn’t help it. Pissing off the slayer did wonders for his attitude. Dru remained unusually quiet when her sire returned. He knew something was bothering her but he simply wasn’t in the mood to care. After all, things were going so well.
As night fell, Angelus began to stir. Shifting in his bed, he reached over to his right, surprised when he only encountered cold sheets. Shrugging, figuring Dru was probably having a tea party with her dolls, he slipped out of bed and left to shower.
Spike too felt the call of the night, waking from a turbulent sleep. Looking at his empty bed, he sighed discontentedly. He hated waking up alone. Ever since his turning, he always had someone warming his bed at night, whether it was Dru, a pet, or his evening meal. He wasn’t insatiable; it was just that it made him feel truly alone if he woke with no one next to him.
Growling at his thoughts, the blonde slipped on a pair of jeans, not even bothering to button them as he stalked out of his room. This was going to be a long night, he could feel it.
~~~*~~~
Drusilla left the factory as soon as the sun had set, eager to meet her old friend. She had spend the previous night trying to contact her, it took a few hours considering the last time the insane vampire had spoken with her was 1965. They were in ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />France at the time, she recalled with a reminiscent smile. She knew if there was one demon that could help her with her brother and sire, it was her.
Walking briskly, she turned the corner and smiled as she saw her destination only a matter of feet away. The old house before her was a bit run down, but she could feel the presence of at least twenty vampires inside. It was a lair, a vampire hotel if you will. Any vamps coming into town that needed a decent place to stay and had the permission of the Master, either Spike, Angelus, or Drusilla, could stay here without fear of the slayer. Her pace picked up as she stepped up the porch and went through the front door, the heels of her shoes clicking noisily as she ambled through the living room. There was a group of ten fledglings congregated there, each bowing their heads in acknowledgement but she paid them no mind. She walked straight through the house and out the back door, halting her steps as she finally saw who she was looking for.
The vampiress stood at 5’6”, long brown hair cascading down her back in soft curls. Her head was tilted upwards, studying the stars above her. Hazel eyes, which had seen much in her many lifetimes, shining in the darkness. A wicked smile crossed her face as she felt the presence of the elder vampire behind her.
“I knew I would find you here, staring at the stars, lovey,” commented Drusilla with a gentle smile.
“What can I say Dru? Learned it from you,” answered the woman, turning to face her friend. “It’s been a long time, sister.”
“Yes it has, my pet.” Dru walked those final steps that remained between them, moving to embrace the woman in a tight hug.
“I’ve missed you so, poppet. My lovely Lisa…” she purred happily.
“Missed you too, Dru. But you know why I haven’t been around. I wouldn’t have even come here but you asked and I could never turn you down. Tell me, is it true? Is Angelus really back?”
“Mmmm, yes love. He’s back, no more soul for Daddy,” announced Drusilla with a large grin.
“And I’m sure my sire can’t wait to see me,” added Lisa, sarcasm lacing her voice.
“Angelus does not know you are here, pet. He can’t. Not yet. He’s being naughty,” said Dru with a frown. “I cannot wait to see his face when he sees you, ducks.”
“Yeah,” replied Lisa with a sharp laugh, “he’ll either lose it and stake me, or lose it and stake you.”
“Come, love. Let’s go inside. We have so much to catch up on. Then I shall tell why you are here.”
The two brunettes walked back inside, going upstairs and into a private sitting room. Dru smiled as she took in the form of her sister, Angelus’ last childe. Lisa and her sire did not have the best relationship. He was too domineering and she was too headstrong, they always found themselves in pointless fights which usually escalated into use of extreme violence. They just couldn’t help it, it seemed.
They came across the young mortal in 1897 while she, Angelus, and Spike traveled along with Darla in Northern Italy. Lisa had caught they eye of Angelus, much to Darla’s dismay. That was part of the attraction on Angelus’ part. He used the girl to make his sire jealous. Darla was livid when Angelus actually had the stones to turn the girl without her permission. Angelus and his sire had a massive fight the night of her turning, and Angelus had won of course.
Darla threw a fit and left them to join the Master in Paris soon after and Angelus was left with his new childe. But the girl was even too much for him to handle. Spike took an instant liking to the girl because of her tendency to piss off the mighty Angelus. Drusilla loved having another woman around, Darla didn’t count. The blonde was always so demanding and harsh to all of them. Drusilla wasn’t always happy with Lisa though. They were great friends, sisters, but she didn’t like to see her Daddy so upset all the time. Lisa practically un-lived to anger their sire. She thought of it as a game.
Then one night, it all came to a head. Angelus and Lisa weren’t speaking, hadn’t been for nearly three days since their last fight. Usually, Angelus would punish his childe and just be done with it. But this time, it was different. Angelus was truly angry with her, even now Dru couldn’t remember what happened between them, but it was bad. Anyway, Darla returned one night. She never approved of his new childe and the two women got into a large argument. Angelus simply watched the women fight, all over him he thought arrogantly, his eyes filled with amusement. That was until Lisa managed to stake Darla, just missing the blonde’s heart.
That was the last straw. Angelus had one rule that she was not to break under any circumstances and that was threatening his sire. Lisa had just gone too far. He actually threw her out. Warning the girl that if he saw her again, her dust would be at his feet. Normally she would have fought him, but she knew he was serious. She left that night.
Soon after there was that whole mess with the gypsies and Angel now had a soul. Drusilla and Spike were soon on their own. They ran into Lisa in France in the mid 1960s. That was the last time she had seen her favorite sister. Normally she would not have risked her sister’s life asking her to return to their sire, but if there was anyone who knew how to deal with Angelus, it was her. And Angelus definitely was in need of punishment.
“So why am I here, Dru?” asked the younger vampire curiously.
“I told you, love. Angelus is being naughty. He needs discipline. Who better to do it than you, sweet?”
“That it?”
“No,” Dru replied softly. “Spikey is treading in stormy waters. I am afraid he may drown…you must make him see. He listens to you.” Used to years of Drusilla’s odd phrases, this didn’t phase her.
“He listens to *you* Dru. Or did you forget that the poor guy’s head over heels for you?”
“No, pet. Spike isn’t in love with me any longer. Just as well, I love my Daddy. But I’m afraid he’s falling for my little one. He fights it though. And Angelus is pushing him to hurt her. That cannot happen. That is why I need you.”
“You want me to deal with Angelus?” She chuckled softly. “Not that it doesn’t sound very appealing, Lord knows the bastard deserves a sound thrashing, but how can you ensure me that I won’t be dust by the end of this little plan?”
“He won’t stake you, deary. He can’t bring himself to. You infuriate him, but that is what he loves about you. Its your passion and ruthlessness that he craves. He could never destroy you. And you would get revenge…” she added to entice her. “Make him regret pushing you away. Did you hear that Darlie is dust in the wind…do you know who finally killed Mummy? Angel staked her…”
“You’re kidding me! He threatened to kill me to protect her and then stakes the bitch himself?!” Drusilla grinned at the anger she saw on the girl’s face.
“Yes, lovey. I told you he’s been a bad boy. Make him pay. That’s all I ask.” Dru saw a familiar gleam in the woman’s eye and amended her statement. “You can’t stake him, though. He is to be punished, but you shall not hurt him permanently. Understood?”
“Understood,” agreed Lisa. “I can’t wait to see the old man’s face when he sees me,” she laughed. “When can I pay a visit to dear old Dad?”
“If you want, love, tonight.” Lisa smiled wickedly. “I’ll leave you now, ducks. I’m famished, be seeing you when I return home. Give Daddy my best,” Dru said, giving her a peck on the cheek.
Dru left to hunt and Lisa turned her attention to her belongings. Searching her bag, she found the two things she was looking for. Her favorite dagger, a present from Spike, and the one piece of jewelry she still had. She gazed at the necklace in her hand, made of silver, covered in diamonds and garnets. She never really cared for gems, but this was something she couldn’t part with. Slipping it around her neck, she let her fingers trace the lines of it before dropping to her side. The necklace was the one thing she had that was given to her by Angelus. The only token of affection he ever gifted her with. She was eager for his reaction when he saw it and the woman wearing it.
She tried to ignore that part of her that was elated to finally see her sire once more. It had been so long. But she had a job to do. After all, this is what she did best. She only really felt alive when she fought Angelus. He managed to awake a fire in her and she had spent so long in the cold.
“Goody, I get to play…”
~Part: 24~
Spike watched ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Willow as she spoke to the slayer over the phone. He saw what her friend couldn’t see as he observed her through her window. Her voice was filled with interest, adding ‘uh-huhs’ and ‘you’re right’ with enthusiasm every few moments. But her face. Her face was impassive; her eyes lacked that spark that he only saw when she spoke with him. Shaking his head, he pushed those kinds of thoughts away. She wasn’t meant for him. It didn’t matter if she only seemed alive when they talked. It wasn’t important that he only felt whole when he was around her. He was tired of needing someone. It made him weak. His sire wanted him to prove that he was strong, then he would. His plan was coming along splendidly. Willow trusted him, her lingering fear had dissipated. He never felt a hint of nervousness from her when she was around him any longer. His demon despised that. He was to be feared, now this little girl wasn’t even afraid of him. Well, fine. She deserved whatever she got.
Knocking on her front door, Spike stepped back a bit, waiting for the redhead to answer the door. Hanging up the phone, she peeked out the peephole, a smile tugging at her lips as she saw who it was.
“Hey Spike,” she said softly as she stepped out of her house to join him on the porch. She just wasn’t ready to invite him back inside yet.
“Red,” he replied with a nod. They both remained silent for a few moments and Willow shuffled her feet awkwardly.
“What brings you here, Spike?” she asked finally. He *was* the one that came to her after all.
“Needed some air, metaphorically speaking,” he replied, shrugging. “Thought I’d come by, say hi.” She smiled and he looked away from her. He couldn’t focus on the plan if he kept seeing that beautiful smile.
“I’m glad you did,” she told him, “you’re nice to talk to. It’s kinda funny. I feel more comfortable confiding in a vampire than my best friends. Twisted, huh?”
“Well, I *am* quite the charming bloke. You’d be a fool not to choose me over them,” he said with a smirk. “And *you* are definitely no fool, pet.”
“Thanks, I think,” she responded with a laugh.
“So love, tell me about you’re day…”
~~~*~~~
Reaching for the doorknob, Lisa’s hand began to shake. Growling at her own nervousness, she forced her hand to steady and pushed open the door harshly. Striding into the factory, she observed her surroundings quietly. She was beginning to regret agreeing to help Drusilla. Especially after hearing about what Angelus possibly had planned for the slayer’s best friend. Brought back too many memories and long-standing hurts.
“Dru?” called a muffled voice. Angelus. “That you, Princess?” The tall brunette waltzed into the meeting room like he owned it. “Where have you been--” he started but couldn’t finish his sentence. He stared at the woman before him, unmoving, deciding what to do or say next. She still looked as beautiful as he remembered. And she actually wore the necklace he had given her on her first rebirth-day.
“Dru’s busy,” Lisa replied softly, but her voice was firm. “Actually, she’s the reason I’m here.” She took small steps toward her sire, cautious and calculating.
“And since you disobeyed a direct order from *me* I assume she has a good reason?” he asked.
“Up to your old tricks, sire?”
“What could you possibly be speaking of?” he questioned as he took a seat at the table in the middle of the room.
“She wanted me to teach you a lesson. Expected me to hurt you, torture you…I don’t know. Do something to make you see how wrong this little plan of yours is. But I am not going to, hurt you, that is. But I do plan to make you see reason.”
“Do you have a point? I don’t mean to cut our little reunion short, but I am a busy demon. People to kill and all that,” he interrupted snidely.
“I know you’re game,” she added grimly. “You don’t know how much restraint it is taking for me to stop myself from staking you at this very moment. You don’t understand all the pain you cause. This plan you have, this girl that has struck your fancy, you’ll destroy her.”
“And that is supposed to make me feel bad? Evil here,” he said with a sardonic eyebrow.
“You’re a bastard, you know that?” she growled. “Let me guess, Angelus. You want to break the girl. Make her dedicate her life to you, to satisfying your desires. You want to separate her from those that love her until she is dependent on you. Am I getting close?”
“And how would you know my plans?” he asked disinterestedly.
“Because you did the same thing to me!” she screamed with rage. “You did all that to me. Remember? You hate me, Angelus. And trust me the feeling is mutual, but I am only what you made me! Don’t make the same mistake twice. This girl deserves more than you have to offer. You’re a demon, I get it. I am too. But you can’t play with people like this. These sick, twisted mind games only hurt all those involved.”
“Isn’t that the point?” he asked in a low voice. He was becoming annoyed with her attitude. Who was she to judge him? He hadn’t even seen her in decades. He was beginning to remember why he wanted to stake her before.
“You are an idiot,” she ground out, walking to stand directly in front of him. “You won’t get what you want. You should realize that. It never worked before, why would it work now? I mean, you’ve tried this scheme before. With Dru, with me. But it never turns out right. Does it?” she asked sharply. “You drove Drusilla insane before she could stomach the idea of loving you. And me? I hated you, always have and always will.” The superior gleam in his eyes dimmed at her statement.
Lisa turned away from him, hating all the emotion that had resurfaced because of him.
“I had a plan, you know?” she added with a depressing laugh. “I had this whole revenge scheme, to make you pay for your treatment of me. Now, I can’t bring myself to. Damn it.” She began to walk away from him, halting her steps before she reached the door. “I used to just watch Spike with Drusilla,” she commented. “He was always so gentle with her. Loved her like no one else could. And then there was you. You did your best to break his spirit. To make him believe he was pathetic and weak for feeling love. But you know what, Angelus? You are pathetic, you are weak. Because you can’t feel love you think that makes the rest of us weaker for it. But did you ever wonder if it was you that was inferior? Why can the rest of us feel and you can’t?”
Stepping closer to the door, her hand reaching for the knob and turning it in preparation to leave.
“So you play games,” she continued, “you try to make us like you; heartless, loveless. But it never works. So I will leave you with this piece of advice. Leave the girl alone. Let Spike love her like only he can. For once, Angelus, think of someone but yourself.”
She hovered in the doorway, facing him one last time.
“Consider this the goodbye I never got to say before. I am done with you. Give Spike and Dru my regards. Tell her I’m sorry I couldn’t stay longer…and please, sire, for once, just think about what I said. You’ve done enough damage in your lifetimes.” Lisa walked out of the factory calmly. Things didn’t go as planned at all, but seeing him again was more painful than she expected. She only wished she was able to say goodbye to Dru properly, but she wanted out of this town, out of this state as soon as possible. She only hoped she made a dent in that thick head of his.
Angelus watched her, not moving a muscle. If there was one person he never expected to see again it was her. And he couldn’t believe what she said. But still he sat. Was she right? She couldn’t be. Dru didn’t hate him, but then again Drusilla was insane. And Spike. Well, Spike loathed him, no doubt about that. His own childer despised him. He was a demon, he was supposed to revel in the pain and hurt he caused. But he loved, didn’t he? He was capable of that kind of emotion, wasn’t he?
Standing, he gripped the chair he had been sitting in before throwing it harshly into the nearest wall, watching with satisfaction as it splintered and broke. Damn her for calling him weak and damn them all for making him care. Scowling, he stalked out of the factory, not to hunt or feed, but to do something he hadn’t done since he lost that annoying soul. Angelus actually brooded.
~~~*~~~
Spike listened as Willow recounted her day. She had avoided Xander most of the day, the incident from the night before still on her mind. Buffy had angrily told her about her latest encounter with Angelus at the Bronze. Apparently words had been said and the slayer had her knickers in a twist, again. Nothing new there.
“So what were your plans for tonight, pet?” She shrugged sheepishly and looked away from him.
“I was kinda hoping you would show up,” she admitted. He grinned at her admission and pulled her closer to him, resting his chin on the top of her head.
He loved the feel of her in his arms, it made it harder for him to hurt her eventually but he couldn’t pull away.
“I was kinda hoping you would say that,” he whispered softly, feeling her smile against his shoulder. Somehow this would work out, he knew it, well, he hoped.
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