Title: Kamikaze Vampire
Authors: DSDragon and Alison Grace
Disclaimer: Not ours, Joss'. Anything else you may recognize is also not ours, but they're too numerous to count, so we won't say them all by name.
Author's Notes: DSDragon-What are you doing reading the stupid disclaimers and stuff???? READ THE FIC! Alison Grace-It's so close, why don't you just read it?
Summary: Answer to this challenge posted by Cecelia on Crumbling Walls:
Here's the deal:
It's New York, 1977.
Spike, Drusilla, and Darla are having a fabulous time in New York, they're reputation as the terrible three in Europe having followed them to the states.
Spike is the happiest he's ever been. Since Angel's second and final abandonment of his family, William The Bloody has become the 'man of the house'. He's madly in love with Drusilla and even Darla has warmed up to him since the loss of her companion. Best even, is that Spike is preparing to kill his second slayer. She's the reason that they came to New York in the first place.
Here's the twist. Instead of Nikki, the slayer we saw Spike kill in 'Fool For Love'... the slayer's name is Buffy Summers. And she'll prove to be much more of a challenge then Spike had imagined.
Requirements:
Lot's of fun stuff with Spike, Dru, and Darla. Remember what a blast Spike and Drusilla were in season two?
Buffy and Spike's first fight of many has to take place in the subway car just like it did in 'Fool For Love'.
You MUST describe what everyone looks like. I loved Spike's look in the 70's and I want detailed descriptions of how he, Darla, Drusilla, Buffy, etc. look.
S, D, and D must encounter "fans" that have heard stories about them and their terrorization of Europe.
Along with Buffy being placed in the 70's, I would like to see Xander and Cordelia, Willow and Oz, and Giles as Buffy's watcher.
Include an alternate way that Spike acquires 'the infamous leather duster'. Whether he steals it from Buffy during their first fight or gets it some other way, I want it mentioned.
Lots of fighting between Buffy and Spike. You know, dancing.
Make sure there's humor. This isn't an angsty piece. But it's not fluff either. Use season two as a guide for how everyone behaves. (Obviously you have to use something else to write Darla)
The rating must be between PG-13 and R. No NC-17 'cause I'm afraid it would detract from the plot.
Optional:
You can decide how the relationships develop. If you want Spike to leave Drusilla for Buffy, go for it. Just make it plausible. Want something completely different to happen? All the power to you.
If you want you can have Darla or someone run into 'Homeless Angel' assuming that he's already arrived in New York at that time.
Be as creative as you want! I'm leaving lots of room for writers to make the story go the way they want it to.
Prologue
The rolling of the ship at sea made a jiggly picture for those watching from the deck. It was a clear night, and the stars seemed to have a life of their own. Up, down, left, right, nothing stayed in the same place as the vessel cut its way through the dark night's waters. Three beings stood at the prow of the ship, deep in conversation.
"I still don't see why we have to go all the way to bloody America." Spike complained, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his brown portmanteau, his hair unruly as ever. "We were doing just fine in Europe and Asia until Peaches left."
"Grandmummy has a secret, but soon the stars will know." the crazy Drusilla crooned from her place behind the other two vampires, twirling underneath the rolling stars. Her many-petticoated brown dress twirled with her.
"Alright. I'll tell you." Darla said, exasperated, clutching her black shawl to her in a very human gesture. "We're almost there anyway, and you need to know why in order to prepare."
For the past forty years, Spike had been cocky over the Slayer he'd killed. Well, moreso than he had been his first twenty as a vampire, anyway. So, earlier that year, Darla had packed up her wayward great-grandchilde and her crazy grandchilde and set off for the Americas.
"Will we have enough to eat?" Dru asked, getting on the boat.
"Yes, Dru," Spike answered, almost tenderly. "There's other passengers on the boat, ducks. Although I don't see why we have to get on the boat at all."
"You'll find out. All in due time." Was the elder vampire's reply.
The two asked and asked, Drusilla trying to see the reason for their "adventure," but Darla would not relent. Until now.
"You've been too cocky." She revealed. "You may have killed a Slayer, and Angelus may believe that that makes you one of us, but I am the elder here, and I say it doesn't. Not yet, William."
"Yeah, yeah." Spike brushed off the criticism, lighting a self-rolled cigarette. "Like I care what you think. It was fun, I killed the Slayer, what more could there be?"
"You have to do it again."
*****
"Listen, wench, I don't have to do anything. I killed that girl, fair and square. I don't need to prove anything to you." Spike was angry. He never let anyone tell him what to do, not even his elders.
"Yes, that's right, I was a wench. But, William the Bloody, you will respect your elders." Darla rejoined, leaving four red cuts where her nails hit his cheek when she slapped the youngest childe in her "family."
"What for? They're only older. And in your case, skankier. I bet even you can't claim the privilege of having tasted Slayer's blood." He was trying to incite her to fight.
Darla would not have it. Glaring into the younger vampire's ice blue gaze, the woman grit through her teeth, "The current Slayer is in Chicago. Kill her, and you will truly be one of us. Fail, and we will find the next, and the next, until you do. But until another Slayer is dead by your hands, you are not one of us."
Spike's reply was interrupted when Drusilla spotted the Statue of Liberty.
"The green lady . . . She calls . . . 'Come to me, be free.' Can we go be free, Grandmummy?" The crazed seer-vampire kept dancing in circles while the dark smudge of America came into view.
Chapter One
Drusilla came running out of the large apartment building, looking positively terrified. "Spike!" she called. "If you don't come out, there will be no cookies. No cookies for bad little boys!"
She crept around the side of the building and started to climb the ladder, going up to the roof. When she got there, she was relived to find her Childe sitting there, smoking a cigarette and staring off into the night sky.
"Tsk tsk. Naughty." she scolded. At first, Spike didn't look at her, and kept gazing up at the stars. Finally, he turned his head down and started to shake it.
"I can't take it anymore Dru. It's been thirty-seven bloody years, and if I have to go through another day with it, I will sit out in the sun!" he cried out, letting out pent up anger. "Every time I turn, there she is. Mocking me. Trying to turn me into her...her...prissy Angelus, for god's sake! Oh-" He stood up held his hands to his sides, hands turned out, pretending to walk like a woman. "'Spike, why haven't you killed the Slayer yet?' 'Respect your elders.'" He was talking in an overly female voice. "'Angelus wouldn't of taken so long.' 'I'm too lazy to get off my ass and do something so I'll make poor old Spike's life a living hell!!!'"
Drusilla shook her head and started to sway back and forth. "You shouldn't quarrel with grandmummy so much. It makes her head spin in different directions." She started to twirl. "She sees Angelus. Always him. She wants us to be a family again."
Spike finished his cigarette and grabbed onto both of Drusilla's shoulders, stopping her from spinning. "But you don't understand Dru. The woman is a bitch. She has always been one, always will be one. And if I have to stay with her one more day. I. Will. Kill. Myself."
Drusilla started to cry in his arms, swaying back and forth. Spike instantly felt regret for making his Sire cry, and started to rock her slowly, whispering, "Oh baby, I'm so sorry. I'm a very bad man to treat you so bad."
She looked up to him, and he licked a tear from her chin. "This time, I'll get the Slayer. No more, 'Oh, look, she's already dead.' or 'She's not worth it.' I'll get her for you pet. And then maybe we can convince Darla to leave this damned country."
The two stood there, not talking or moving, for another ten minutes or so, before the eastern sky started to brighten.
Spike sighed and said, "All right then pet. Let's get."The pair climbed down the ladder, and into the building, and made it up to their fourth story apartment just as the suns first lights peaked over the horizon.
*****
"Don't you even pretend that you've been through anything! You haven't see have of anything I saw! I saw men die in my hands! You're just a spoiled brat who decided to 'follow the vibe', while I was fighting the Communists!"
"Oh don't even get started in on the war again. It's over and-"
"You brat! I'll never forget the war! We saved your asses, and this is the thanks we get? All you ever did for your country was braid flower chains and smoke weed!"
"THAT'S IT!! I don't need to take this. I don't need you. I have my brothers and sisters of the group. I can find them within days, and never have to take this from you again!"
Xander's jaw dropped. As much as they fought, he wouldn't be able to stand it if Cordelia left him. "Hey hey baby. I'm sorry. Don't mind me. I didn't mean it." He tried to wrap her in his arms, but she twisted away from him.
"NO! Don't try to sweet talk yourself out of it. Not this time! You don't appreciate me!" she screamed, moving over to the mirror, where she hid her bottle of moonshine her sister Harmony had given her when she left the group.
Xander saw her bring the bottle to her lips, and walked over to her and gently set it down. "No no, none of that. Come on, let's go find Buffy or Willow."
Cordelia pouted, but capped the bottle and placed it back next to the window.
*****
"Giles, you're such a square!" Buffy said, tracing a square with her fingers. Willow laughed and spilled her Coke everywhere. That only made her laugh harder.
Buffy shook her head and sighed; while she was inside learning about vampires and other various demons, her friends were going out and having a life, something that she had come here to get in the first place.
It had been a year and half since she had left her mother and sister in Boston to follow the supposed "love of her life". His name was Parker, and he was the hippest guy in the world to Buffy. He sang the most beautiful songs about peace and love, and hushed Buffy at night when she was too drunk or high to even remember her own name.
But then, as soon as they had reached New York City, they had met up with another group, and he had left her for Harmony, a slutty tree hugger from California who could mix up a great drink.
In her grief, she had met Cordelia, who had traveled with Harmony. Cordelia was staying in New York with her lover, Xander Harris, who had served in Vietnam during the Cambodian Invasion. And then, she had met Rupert Giles, a British man always saying nonsense things about vampires.
And as it turned out, she was some kind of Slayer of vampires, and was required to fight them. It cramped her bubble, but what was she going to do about it? And through Giles, she met Willow Rosenberg, a flower child who knew quite a few things about magic, and then her boyfriend, Oz, who was a guitarist in the local group Daredevils. And Oz was a werewolf, although he didn't remember being bitten.
"Anyways, as I was saying, you will be patrolling tonight in the southern district on this side of Central Park. There's been word of a small vampire clan residing there. Nothing too terribly dangerous, but it should still be taken care of." Giles said, polishing his Elton John glasses (large and blue tinted).
Buffy groaned. "But Giles. That is so not cool. I was supposed to go with Willow to the Daredevil's concert!"
"Yeah, and we were gonna watch Oz." Willow said.
Giles sighed. "Yes, well never mind then. You go ahead. And while you are out there, smoking God-knows-what and having sex with multiple people all at once, innocent people are going to die."
Buffy rolled her eyes and said, "Not cool." She paused, and then sighed. "Fine. I'll do it."
"Superb." Giles said. "And be prepared to train tomorrow afternoon at four." He walked out of the main room of his house, and just as he did that, the front door banged open, and a disgruntled Cordelia walked in with Xander trailing her, his head down.
"Woah. G-man hold up!" Xander said, trailing the man he saw as the father he never had.
Cordelia flopped into a chair and tossed her braided hair behind her shoulders.
"You guys have another fight?" Willow asked. She got a groan in return. Turning to Buffy, Willow said, "You don't have to miss the concert you know."
Buffy gave her a puzzled look. "Yeah, and what am I supposed to do? 'Smoke God-knows-what and let innocent people die.'"
"Well...kill the vamps, and then take the 54th Subway to the Customs. You won't be that late."
Buffy smiled and then stood up to grab her stuff. "Okay. Thanks sister. I'll see you both there." She ran out the door and started sprinting down the street.
*****
Drusilla ran through the large apartment, screaming happily. Darla caught her outside of the main living room and shook her.
"Hush! There's people downstairs, and if we get evicted again, I will personally nail you to a cross and leave you in the sun."
Drusilla stopped screaming but starting jumping up and down instead. Darla shouted, "Will you stop that already? What the hell is your problem anyways?"
Drusilla smiled and said, "I thought I had lost the sun. Daddy took it away, but I found another sun. It's the most glorious thing I have ever seen! It shines so brightly! Come grandmummy, you must see the sun!"
"Don't call me that." Darla murmured as she allowed Drusilla to drag her through the place.
When she saw him, her first reaction was the first thing she said.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO YOUR HAIR???"
Spike was standing in his and Drusilla's bedroom, trying on new clothes. His hair, which had been dark brown and partially long and shaggy, was now white-blonde, and spiked straight up.
Also, he was wearing a black leather vest, with cut-off sleeves and a rip down the front, with several safety pins attached to it. And he was wearing a pair of jeans, also holey. And his eyebrow was pierced.
"So, you like it?" he asked, running his hand through his hair. "I decided that I was tired of the dark brown clothes and the dark brown hair. Wanted to do something different."
Darla, for the first time since her turning, was speechless. She turned to Drusilla, who was grinning. She bent over and whispered, "I picked out the color. Like the sun."
"But, it's missing something." Spike said, running his hands down his sides. "Don't know what it is though."
Darla remembered how to talk and said, "Do whatever you like. You're 97 now, after all. Are you going to go out hunting for the Slayer tonight?"
Spike shrugged and said, "Well, I wasn't exactly going to go out hunting for her. If I run into her, we might do some fighting, but I'm not in much of a killing mood."
Darla rolled her eyes and stalked out of the room, slamming the door to her room behind her.
Drusilla smiled and said, "Oh, can I dress in a costume too? I want to be a...a...flower person. I think. I don't remember the names."
Spike smiled and said, "Of course pet. Let's get you into a costume."
By the time they were done, Drusilla was wearing a tight pair of hip huggers, and low-cut, long sleeved and bell sleeved purple shirt. Her hair was partially put into braids, and she was wearing a pair of purple sunglasses. And on the top of her head, there was a flower crown.
"Gods pet, you look stunning."
Drusilla looked into the mirror and said, "I see me."
Spike gave Drusilla a look (she wasn't in the mirror at all), but he didn't disagree with her.
"Now, where do you want to go?" he asked her.
"They have these underground trains. Like worms." she said. "I like worms."
"Okay, the subways it is."
*****
Buffy finished off the last vampire and looked at the moon. It wasn't too terribly high, she could still make it if she ran.
"Not cool." she muttered.
*****
Drusilla jumped into the subway first. Spike was about to follow her, but she accidentally pushed the button that closed the doors. They shut in front of Spike's face, and Drusilla started to scream from inside the car. She was the only one on the subway, and although Spike tried to instruct her on how to reopen the doors, the subway started to move.
Drusilla waved goodbye to Spike, and she disappeared down the tunnel. Spike groaned and waited patiently for the next train to come.
*****
Buffy made it into the tunnel just as the subway pulled in and opened its doors. She ran straight into it, and sat down, wiping vampire dust off of herself.
She didn't even notice the vampire in the corner.
*****
'This is the Slayer?' he asked himself. She was nothing like the one from China. Then again, it had been 77 years. Times change.
She had beautiful blonde hair which cascaded down her back over a long black leather coat. She was wearing a beige-colored halter-top, and her jeans were huge flares. And on the top of her head were a pair of purple sunglasses. She was beautiful.
Spike was shocked that he found her beautiful. He had found the last Slayer repulsive.
But, no time to think about that. He had a girl to kill.
"Well well, what do we have here?"
*****
Buffy turned around when she heard the voice and saw him. He was a vampire, probably from the gang she had just dusted. It would be no big problem to finish him off before the train stopped.
"God, you squares just don't give up, do you?" she asked him.
It laughed, and then resumed to glare lightly at her. She kept on talking.
"I mean, it's sad really. Your entire clan, wiped out in ten minutes by one person. And you, probably a new vampire, were sent out to hunt, and now you're all alone. Well-" she pulled her stake out of her coat pocket. "You'll see them again in hell."
He started to laugh. In fact, it looked like he would start rolling on the floor for a little while, but he managed to stay upright.
"A fledgling?" he asked incredulously. "I'm not a fledge love. And I'm not in some little vampire clan that you just dusted. 'Fraid it'll be a little tougher than that."
Buffy rolled her eyes. This punk vampire would only take about ten minutes or less. And by then, the concert would just be starting.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Peace?" he asked her.
That's when she took her first swing at him.
*****
'Oh, she's definitely someone different from the last one, that's for sure. Her technique is so much more forward, and she has no swords or anything. Just a stake. Pathetic, really.' Spike thought as he ducked every one of Buffy's punches, not hitting her back. Yet.
'What the hell is his deal? Is he just gonna duck and avoid moves until I tire out?' Buffy thought as she took another aim. And missed. Of course.
"Will you start fighting already? Or, better yet, just let me kill you." she said, stopping to take off her coat. It was suddenly very warm in the train.
"Maybe I don't want to waste any energy fighting you. You'll just tire yourself out, and then I'll kill you." Spike said, ducking another punch. He noted how nice she looked out of that jacket. 'Baby, wear less clothes.' he thought...and then got hit in the face.
"Ha! Gotcha that time!" Buffy yelled, swinging her arms in the air. Suddenly, she felt very childish, celebrating over landing a punch on a vampire, so she stopped dancing around and faced her opponent.
"Okay love. You want a fight?" Spike said, and let her have it.
Buffy took at least three good hits to the stomach and chest before she regained her poise. She rethought her 'new vampire' idea. He was definitely experienced with fighting.
They traded blows forever, each one not really getting anywhere. One of them would get the upper hand and knock the other down, and then the other one would get back up and get the upper hand. On and on it went, for the entire train ride.
Finally, the train stopped and Buffy jerked forward, crashing into the seat. Spike paused, and then leaned over her, his hands on her neck. Buffy started to panic, convinced that she was going to die, in a subway of all places.
Coming close to her face, Spike whispered into her ear, "I'm not done with you yet. You're not like the last Slayer I killed. I wanna get to know you." And with that, he kissed her roughly on the lips.
Buffy was too shocked to do or say anything. When he was done with her, he walked out of the train, taking her coat with him, and slipping it on.
Buffy waited till the doors were nearly shut before getting up and walking to the door. Peering out, she didn't see him anywhere, so she started to run, and didn't stop till she reached the Customs.
*****
Xander laughed and passed the pipe to Willow, who took a nice long drag. She smiled, exhaling the smoke, and turned to the girl they had just met, Drusilla.
"Would you like a hit?" she asked sweetly, grinning at the strange girl.
She smiled, and nodded excitedly. "Oh yes! I'm in a costume!"
Xander and Willow gave each other "looks", and Willow taught Drusilla how to take a drag off the pipe.
They had met her on the way into the Customs. She had been wandering around, and it looked like she had been crying. She kept talking about 'Spike', or something, and Xander and Willow just assumed that she had been to the concert from earlier, and had drank some of the stuff that they offered there.
Forty minutes passed, and by the time the concert actually started, they were all quite high. They started to sing with the band, and Xander started to talk about the war. Drusilla seemed very interested about hearing about the war.
"Was it...b-bloody? Woo, my hand makes pretty patterns in the sky..." she said, staring at her hand and waving it in front of her face.
Xander laughed and started talking about the major battles, when a strange man walked up. He was blonde, and was wearing a coat that Xander swore was just like Buffy's.
Drusilla..." he cooed, and she staggered to her feet and into his arms.
"My pretty Spikes!" she yelled. "All million of you! As many as the stars, my beautiful sun..."
Spike smiled and then looked at the humans who were staring at him. Taking Dru into his arms, he started to walk off.
When they were about a block away from their house, Drusilla crooned, "I smell no blood on my dearest black rose tonight. But, he reeks of the Slayer. Did you two play nice?" She started to laugh, and Spike had to calm her down before he could answer her.
"Yes Dru, we fought. I coulda killed her too, and I'll probably regret not doing it real bloody soon. But, there's something off about her Dru. So, I took her coat, and gave her a kiss, and walked triumphantly into the night." He spun around as he said that, and the pair laughed all the way home.
*****
"So, you met another vampire?" Willow asked the next morning at the 'After concert' stay at Giles' home.
"Yeah. He could've killed me. I was all tumbled up into a little pile on the seat of the subway, and he put his hands on my neck, and then he kissed me."
"Oh my goddess! Was he any good? Wait! No, not that. I mean, was it horribly disgusting?" Willow stammered, holding on to her head.
Buffy's nose turned up. "Oh god, yes! It was horrible....and wrong....and-" She stopped for a second to think. "-and he was good. Really good."
Willow's eyes got all big and beady. "So, he kissed you. And then what happened?"
"He just said that he would be back for me and wanted to get to know me. It was freakish."
"Wow!" Willow said, and fell backwards into a pillow. "It's sorta romantic, in a very scary and psychotic way."
"What's romantic in a very evil and psychotic way?" Xander asked as he and Cordelia entered the room, followed by Oz.
"Buffy got kissed by some vampire and he said that he wanted to 'get to know her'." Willow said, grinning. Buffy rolled her eyes and looked at Xander.
"So, what did he look like?" Xander asked, sitting down on the floor, and making room for his girlfriend.
"Well, he was blonde, and his hair was really short with spikes. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a black vest with pins all over it, and his eye brow was pierced. He stole my coat too. And he was British." Buffy said.
Everyone else's (besides Oz) eyes started to get really big, and Willow felt a wave of shock settle in the pit of her stomach. "Oh goddess no..." she murmured, looking at Oz and leaning back into him.
Buffy was concerned. "What? What's wrong? It was just some suicidal kamikaze vampire out for some blood."
Xander cleared his throat, and said softly, "Last night, we met this girl. Her name was Drusilla, and she was really nice to us. We talked with her for about an hour. And then-" he paused, and looked to the ground. "-some blonde haired British man who was wearing a coat that looked just like yours and a black vest with some jeans walked up and took her away."
Buffy's mouth made an 'O' and she said, "Oh my god guys, I'm so sorry."
"He must've killed her." Cordelia whispered. They stayed silent for awhile, but Willow said, "But didn't she say she knew his name? She acted like she had seen him before. And she kept calling him...oh, um, Spike! Yeah, she called him Spike."
"Spike? Well, I can sick the Conservative on it. We need to find anything about a vampire named Spike. I don't want another Drusilla to happen." Buffy said, standing up and looking out of the third-story window.
"Next time we meet, I'll kill him."
Chapter Two
"And now, at number ten, we have Aerosmith with "Walk this Way," here on WKRP, KRaP FM, New York..."
As the hot new song blared from her radio, the Slayer danced around, preparing for patrol. Stakes, crossbow, holy water, battle axe, each went into her duffel, carefully placed for easiest access.
There was a loud banging at the door. Thinking it was the flower-wicca come to help on patrol, Buffy cried, "Come in, Will."
The person at the door, shrugging, turned the knob and walked silently into the door, climbing up the steps.
Willow usually makes a lot more noise than this, Buffy thought to herself. She's always tripping over her hallucinated extra feet . . . so why am I not hearing anything?
She called again, an eerie feeling growing in the pit of her stomach. "Will?"
"That's my name." A male voice startled the Slayer from behind, making her jump a foot in the air as she turned to face her stalker. "Don't wear it out." The british vampire from the subway leered at Buffy's skin-tight black leather jumpsuit.
It hadn't been anything stomach related, the Slayer realized, too late. The eerie feeling she had gotten was her vampire senses going haywire in her drug-fogged and punch-drunk brain.
"You! How did you get in here?" the petite blonde demanded, swinging at the vampire angrily. "I didn't invite-"
"Oh, but you did, Luv. I heard it, loud and clear. 'Come in, Will,' you said." the punk retorted, matching the Slayer blow-for-blow.
"But your name's Spike. My friends saw you with a girl last night who called you Spike . . . I did not say 'Come in, Spike.'"
"Spike is just a nickname." Rolling his eyes at her stupidity, the vampire threw Buffy across the room, giving himself enough time to throw his arms to the sides and speak. "Allow me to introduce myself. I . . ." he put the tips of all five left fingers to his chest, "am William the Bloody, also known as Spike. Therefore," and here, he resumed the fight as Buffy charged, 'Come in, Will' works just fine for me."
"Note to self," Punch, kick, jab. "Go to the door from now on.
Their fight ranged all over the house; luckily, nothing had broken yet.
"Oh, come on." Spike taunted. "You can do better than that, Slayer." for the past five minutes, Buffy hadn't gotten a single hit.
"My name . . ." she retorted, teeth clenched as she sent an uppercut to his jaw, sending the vampire flying. "Is Buffy." She grabbed Spike by the lapels--which lapels, she noticed, belonged to her coat--hauling him back up.
Suddenly in the mood for payback, Buffy didn't let go of the coat as Spike had expected. Instead, she pulled him closer, crushing her mouth to his.
Shocked that the tables had turned while he wasn't looking, and a little disgusted that he had enjoyed the kiss a little too much, Spike abruptly pulled away, running out the door and into the chilly February night.
I did not just do that . . . Buffy mentally berated herself. Oh my God, I did . . .
*****
"Where have you been?!?" Darla demanded as Spike tried to sneak into the apartment. "We've been waiting two hours to go celebrate, and you just now show up? Honestly, William, if Dru wasn't so fond of you, I'd have staked you myself decades ago!
Celebrate, celebrate . . . What was it we were celebrating? Oh yeah! Slapping the heel of his left hand to his forehead, he exclaimed, "Dru's birthday! I almost forgot . . . Went out to find the Slayer . . . Alright, let's go. I'll get her a gift on the way." he quickly explained his tardiness to the irate blonde vampiress.
"Dru! Drusilla? Ready to go, ducks?" he called, swallowing hard when his black goddess walked out, wearing Darla's gift: A dark blue crotcheted dress that barely covered her--accenting her long, pale legs--with a hole-design at the midriff, sleeves, and hem; she had eaten the girl previously wearing the dress already.
The trio walked along the darkened streets of the Big Apple and passed a movie theater with the title Star Wars glaring out at them in black against brightened white.
"Oooh, naughty stars, fighting like that." Drusilla commented. "I bet they make pretty pictures in the sky. I met a fighter once . . . He was nice to me. He made my hands make patterns in the sky. I want to see the sky fighting . . . Can we see the sky fighting, my Spike?"
"Maybe later, my plum."
Spotting the perfect gift, Spike went off to stalk a young redhead. A moment later, he came back, a beautifully adorned charm choker in his fist.
"Why didn't you just bring the girl too, lame brain?" Darla queried.
"Well, you already gave her a girl . . . I didn't want to spoil Dru's dinner." He replied, fastening the clasp behind Drusilla's swan-like neck, effectively curtailing any more conversation about the movie.
"I feel cold, Spike . . . Do you like my costume?" the insane vampire switched subjects with the ease that only the crazy--or stupid--had.
Spike looked at Drusilla tenderly, knowing that she wouldn't really feel cold, but humoring her nonetheless.
"It's a bit of alright, Luv. Very . . . captivating." he couldn't stop staring. "Would you like to wear the coat I stole from the Slayer, Pet?"
"Oh, yes please, my naughty sun man." she answered as her childe took off the duster and placed it on her shoulders.
"There . . . All nice and toasty." he tenderly kissed her forehead and snaked his arm around her waist as the club they were looking for came into view.
*****
"G-man, you really are a square." Xander remarked as he walked into the apartment. He had caught the older man watching the ultimate square's show--Jeopardy.
"I'll take DUH for $100, Alex." Buffy retorted as she walked into the apartment as well. "Oops . . . I mean 'Xander.'"
"Oh, Buffy, I have the information on that vampire you asked about. When everyone gets here, I will explain." Giles seemed enthusiastic to be in "lecture mode."
"Alright." Buffy answered, not really caring as she plopped down on the floor by the sofa distractedly.
When Oz, Willow, and Cordelia came in, Buffy hadn't moved much.
"Hey Buffy, what's up? Why the million-mile stare?" Willow asked. "You can't tell me you've been getting into my 'secret stash,' 'cause I ran out this morning, so what's up?"
Giles noticed the new arrivals, interrupting Willow's interrogation.
"Ah, there you are. Now we can begin.
I've managed to find information on the vampire you all saw the other night, and I must say, I am quite surprised that you are all still alive--including you, Buffy.
You see, Spike, also known as-"
"-William the Bloody." Buffy interrupted, almost smugly.
"Y-Y-Yes . . . Ho-How How did you know?" the watcher was a bit befuddled . . . he had never been beaten at information gathering before--especially not by Buffy. He pulled off and cleaned his glasses, just for good measure; surely, the occasion warrented a good rub.
"I, um, I kinda accidentallyinvitedhimintomyhouseearlier." she tried to speed through the explanation, hoping the others would let the subject drop.
They didn't.
"You what?" Xander exclaimed. "How stoned were you at the time?"
"Not at all, actually." the Slayer retorted, a little hurt that her friend wasn't being supportive. "I thought Willow was the one knocking on the door, so I called, "Come in, Will," and he came in. I didn't know his real name until the middle of the fight!" she stood up to get into the army vet's face.
"Hey, hey you two. Calm down a nudge." Willow soothed, ever the peacemaker. "It was an honest mistake, and we should all just be glad that Buffy is still alive . . . And, speaking of that, Giles, why does it surprise you that she is?"
Everyone's attention turned back to Giles as they sat back down.
"Um, yes, well, you-you see, twenty years after William the Bloody was turned by his Sire Drusilla-"
"What?!?!?" chorused Xander, Willow, Cordelia, and Buffy.
"Yes, that is correct. Drusilla the Mad--insane since her sire Angelus made her that way before turning her on the day she was to take her holy vows--sired William the Bloody, also known as Spike, who killed a Slayer twenty years after his turning . . . Can we move on now?" all the interruptions were starting to irritate the Watcher.
The news of Spike's former conquest did not surprise everyone, which was what Giles was trying to do.
"Yeah, I think he mentioned that during our first fight . . . Said something about the last Slayer he killed, but at the time, I wrote it off as bragging . . . Guess it was a little more worrisome than that, huh?"
"Hold on there, Sister . . . first fight? As in, there was a second?" Cordelia broke in.
"Well . . . yeah. Had to get him out of the house somehow."
"So . . . he's dust now?" Willow asked.
"Well . . . not exactly." Buffy answered sheepishly, trying to sink into the space between the couch cusions, and failing to make herself invisible by sheer willpower.
Now, everyone was on the edges of their seats as Buffy re-told the tale from the beginning.
*****
As soon as the three walked into the club--Leftovers--they were accosted by a green-skinned, red horned demon in very tastefully-styled, but loudly-colored clothes.
"Hello! My, don't you just look fab tonight?!? Entrance for three?" the demon took the cash from Spike. "Thank you very much. Now, I must impose a no-violence rule while on the premises. You're welcome to purchase all the drinks you like, even food, if you go for that sort of thing. Oh, my name is Lorne, and if you need anything else, I'll be around . . . Just whistle!"
As suddenly as he had appeared, the overly-enthusiastic demon was gone--much to Spike and Darla's relief.
"Ooh . . . he sees people in their songs. Do you think he sees the stars when they sing to me, my Spike?" Drusilla turned to him, a crazy, curious look on her face.
"I don't know, Luv. Maybe you could ask him later? . . . How about we get on with the party?" Spike suggested, pulling his sire onto the dance floor and leaving Darla behind.
"Happy 117th, Ducks."
*****
"And so, I did what he did the first time we fought, and he ran away." Buffy still hadn't told Giles that she had been kissed by Spike, and everyone else was hoping that he wouldn't ask.
"But what did he do the first time, Buffy? Even the tiniest detail could be important in finding out how he is to be defeated." the Watcher succeeded in squashing Buffy's hopes as everyone else hemmed, hawed, and shuffled, trying--and failing--to not let on that they knew what Giles did not.
"Alright, you all know something, and I want you to tell me now." showing a false sense of patience, Giles calmly removed and cleaned his glasses.
"Giles, it's really not that important." Willow started, only to falter at the man's Ripper-esque glare.
The gang had learned of Ripper one night the year before when they tried to play a practical joke on the Watcher involving telling him that Buffy was dead. When he had found the Slayer alive and well, with the other four giggling from dark corners, Giles had made them regret that they had ever met their lovable, "square," prophecy-finding, all 'round translator guy in the first place . . . His alter ego scared them that much.
"Oh second thought, Xander, why don't you tell Giles the one tiny detail Buffy's left out of her story?" Willow noticeably gulped.
"Ohhhh no, you're not gettin' me mixed up in this." Xander started to back toward the door.
"Oh, alright!" Cordelia broke in. "You wusses! I'll tell him that there's been Vampire/Slayer liplocking every time the two fought!"
Oz just sat silently as everyone else's eyes widened, more shocked than usual at Cordelia's usual lack of tact.
Giles, if it were possible, looked even angrier than before.
*****
"Look!" someone yelled, pointing at Spike and Drusilla as they walked onto the dance floor. "It's Drusilla the Mad, I saw her in England a couple decades back with Spike and Darla! . . . But who's that guy with her?"
Many heads in the club turned as they saw the dark-haired beauty dancing with a "different" vampire than usual. Then, the trouble started.
About two score vampires, demons, witches and seedy-looking humans started flocking toward the oblivious dancing couple.
"Drusilla! Can I have your autograph?" one over-zealous fledgling begged.
Darla, who had wisely--even in a demon-friendly club--kept to the shadows, pushed through the crowd to her grandchilder.
"Dru! Spike! Time to go!"
The mob did an about-face, immediately silencing at the blonde's commanding tone and posture.
"It's Darla!" someone whispered as the crowd parted for her.
"The terrible three! Here in America!" others gawked. "You heard her, Spike's changed his look, that's Spike with the platinum hair!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," the elder vampiress answered the whispers, shouting back to the still-dancing pair, "Come on you two! Let's get going! Party's over!"
"But Grandmummy," Dru said, almost sanely, "We just got here."
"Come on, Dru." Spike thought fast for a way to get his sire out of the club. "Do you want to see the sky-fighting movie?"
"Oh yes, the sky fighting shall be colorful and naughty . . .
Author's notes:
We know that the hippy movement pretty much ended in the late 60's/early 70's, but we decided we wanted the gang to be "leftovers" of the movement... you know, people who just COULDN'T let go?... well, yeah, that's them.
The name of the club COULD have this connotation, but I'm leaving the ACTUAL meaning of the club's name to my co-writer for the next chapter. :-p
Aerosmith's "Walk this Way" really WAS number 10 on the hit charts in February of 1977... show's you how old Aerosmith really is, doesn't it? :-p
The radio station WKRP was actually the station in a TV show called "WKRP in Cincinnati"... I just couldn't think of any call numbers that sounded better... oh, and I (DSDragon) made up the "KRaP FM" part. :-p again.
The first Star Wars movie actually DID come out in 1977 . . . how 'bout that? :)
Jeopardy has been around since 1964, but wasn't very popular until the '80s... I bet Giles would have liked it from the start, though, so I put it in. :)
WE LOVE LORNE! Just thought we'd put him in here to show you that! :-p