| Slayerworld by Michelle |
| The sun would rise in an hour. Spike could smell it, had been able to for what seemed like forever. Waiting for the end was horrible. It was almost a form of torture, knowing death was coming and having the time to think about his life and his decision. All he had were those unwanted thoughts and the primal instinct screaming at him to find shelter before dawn. Sighing, the vampire leaned against the wall of the warehouse. If there was another way besides waiting for the sun, he would have taken that avenue. Falling on a stake was too hap hazardous. Holy water hurt like hell, and even his self-destructive frame of mind could not bear that. Decapitating was hard to do on his own. Asking the Slayer to kill him was too embarrassing. That left the sun. Spike hoped it wouldn�t hurt much or for a long time. Not like his miserable excuse for an existence he was living. His demon still shuddered at the delusion it had suffered from. The Slayer? How could he have even thought of it, let alone acted on it. But confessing his love for Buffy was only one of a million wrong turns ever since the Initiative implanted the chip in his head. There was, of course, the unending agony that was Harmony. Then there was the mess with Drucilla, his princess. Of course, there was the whole thing with the Scooby Gang. His only means of protection, entertainment, and sustenance hated him for what he supposedly put the Slayer through. Spike hated the entire lot of slayer-wannabes, but at least they were companionship. Now he was completely and totally alone, without the ability to defend or feed himself. So he decided to just end his life and keep any future embarrassment off of his name. He wanted to go down in history as William the Bloody, one of the most savage and feared vampires of all time. Already his reputation was damaged, all because the chip forced him to find a different way to survive. That had lead to an insanity he really didn�t want to analyze anymore. Spike continued to lean against the outer wall of the warehouse, staring at nothing, when a bright burst of light momentarily blinded him. He heard a few screams; it sounded like three, but he couldn't be sure. When his retinas managed to register images again all he saw was the slightly dimmer light closing in on itself. Even for the Hellmouth, what he witnessed was beyond normal. Since he had nothing else to do for the next hour, the blond decided to head over and investigate. At worst, it was a waste of time. At best, it would involve violence and death. There wasn�t really any loss on his part. He wasn�t more than a few feet away when he heard voices and froze. �What the hell just happened?� Spike groaned, because the owner of the voice was Xander Harris, founding member of the Scooby Gang. He didn�t want to get anywhere near that group tonight, because they would �talk him down�, so to speak. Just as he was about to move away, another voice caught his attention. �How would I know?� replied the very familiar voice of an annoyed Angel. What was his sire doing in Sunnydale? Deciding to err on the side of caution, more out of curiosity than safety, he paused to listen. �You wouldn�t, cause other than sex you�re useless.� �You didn�t feel that way when I rescued you from those Armin demons.� �I would have beaten them.� �That would have been an impressive feat I�d have paid to see.� �Come over here and say that, Dead-boy.� A third voice interrupted the other two. �Would you two just shut up for five bloody seconds?� Spike didn�t know what surprised him more � the silence that dutifully accompanied the command or that the owner of the third voice sounded exactly like him. �All right then,� his doppelganger said. A silence settled, one in which Spike moved to a better vantage point. Xander looked like he normally did except his hair seemed neater and his clothes were . . . like other people�s. He was wearing tan cargo pants, a blue dress shirt, and a leather jacket. Angel looked exactly the same in his black slacks, wine colored pullover, and leather duster. Since he could find nothing out of the ordinary with his sire, Spike tried to focus his attention on the owner of the third voice. But a stack of crates hid Spike II, his presence known only by his disembodied voice. �Um, Will?� Xander spoke up. �If I have something constructive to say, can I speak?� An explosive sigh sounded from the area of Spike II, now named Will. �If it�s constructive, go ahead.� �Look around,� Xander said. �This is Sunnydale�s warehouse district.� �You�re right, Xan,� agreed Angel, who took the younger man�s hand in his own. �Sunnydale hasn�t existed since pre-Quake, and this is the pre-Witch War warehouse district. Something weird is going on.� A pause. �You two wait here,� ordered Will. �I�ll be right back.� Suddenly Spike lost all of his curiosity in the scene before him. As quietly has he could he took off at a full run. Something inside of him told him to get away, and that was one instinct he was glad to listen to. Rounding a corner, Spike collided with a hard but mobile object. They both tumbled to the ground under the force of their impact. �Bloody hell!� two identical voices exclaimed. Spike looked up and into a pair of blue eyes, identical to his own. His twin had long brown hair, the color from his mortality, which was pulled back into a ponytail. He was wearing faded blue jeans, a green T-shirt, and a blue denim jacket with a pair of Keds on his feet. Slowly, the two stood up, analyzing the other with disbelieving eyes. Per usual, Spike broke the uneasy silence first. �Who are you?� �Will. Who are you?� �Spike.� The brunette�s jaw dropped. �I haven�t gone by that name in at least fifty years. This really is pre-War Sunnydale. And tonight . . .� �I don�t know who you are, but you have five minutes to get out of my face,� Spike warned, deciding threats would help him better than diplomacy. �Uh-huh.� Will was clearly not impressed. �I�ll just get Xander to come over here and set off that chip of yours. Fancy a headache, mate?� A mixture of shock and rage coursed through the blonde�s system. �How�d you know about that?� growled Spike. �Because I am you,� Will replied. Spike scoffed. �You can�t be me. You�re a poof.� �I am you, idiot. From about . . . two hundred years into the future.� Will sighed at the look of rebellion and disbelief on his double�s face. �You�re in the warehouse district tonight to kill yourself. Which is really stupid, but hindsight�s twenty-twenty.� Crossing his arms, Spike leaned against the wall behind him and raised an eyebrow. �Let�s say I play along with this. If you are me, you know the misery this chip has caused. Why shouldn�t I end that misery?� �Because you�re in for the best years of your unlife,� said Will. �Very shortly the most wonderful thing to ever happen to you will convince you not to do it. And trust me, the chip won�t even matter after that.� Spike didn�t believe him, but talking to the brunette killed time. �What about those two?� he asked, motioning his head towards Xander and Angel. �They are going to make you really sick,� Will responded, grinning. �They�re good for a decent shag, though, and handy to have around in a fight.� A light bulb clicked inside the blonde�s mind. �Wait, if you�re from the future, how can Xander be with you and still be human to set of my chip?� Will snorted. �It�s nothing overly dramatic. Xander got hurt in the Coven Skirmishes and Angel was too impatient to wait for a healer. He performed the healing spell himself and ended up binding Xander�s life to his own. As long as he lives, so will the whelp. They�ve been inseparable ever since.� �Hey, Will,� called the subject of their conversation. �Everything okay?� �Real stealthy, Xan,� said Angel. �Bit me, Dead-boy.� �Is that an invitation?� Will sighed and walked back to his companions. Bewildered, Spike followed. �Do you two want to attract all the nasties around?� �We want to go home,� said Xander. �This place is giving me the creeps.� �What do you think we should do?� asked Will, very serious. �Track down a witch to send us back?� �There�s only one witch I�d trust, and she isn�t powerful enough yet,� replied Angel. Xander nodded. �Plus there�s the whole �sleeping with the enemy� thing.� �Then I don�t know what to do except wait,� said Will. Spike really didn�t know why he was still there. In a short time he�d be gone permanently. What did it matter if these �visitors� were still around later? Shoving his hands in his pockets, he moved deeper into the shadows. Fate, it seemed, had other plans for him. Another bright light appeared, this time next to the trio. A figure stepped out and Spike�s jaw dropped. It was Willow. Her red hair fell to mid-back and she was slightly taller. She was wearing tight leather pants and a green shirt that showed off her stomach. The figure was clearly not his Willow, though she didn�t look much older. �Hey guys,� she greeted, her form silhouetted by the circle behind her. �Red!� Will exclaimed, walking over and giving her a thorough kiss. When he pulled back, he frowned. �Have we been gone long?� She shook her head. �Only a few minutes. Dru got into the storage room again and performed the transport spell before I could stop her.� �Why don�t you two just take her to SlayerWorld and save us all from the agony?� questioned Angel. �I refuse to let my daughter anywhere near anything �slayer�,� stated Will. Xander shook his head. �Then at least learn how to control her so this stuff stops happening.� �As soon as you learn to lock the storage room door,� Willow countered sweetly. Before the young man could respond, Angel grabbed Xander�s hand. �Come on, let�s go home.� Together they stepped into the light, disappearing from sight. After another kiss from Will, Willow soon followed. But brunette vampire paused at the edge and turned to where Spike was standing. �Red�s not a vampire. I know you�re curious about everything else and I�d explain, but where�s the fun in that?� With one last grin, Will disappeared through the circle, which in turn vanished. Spike was absolutely stunned by what had just happened. Exhaling an unnecessary breath, he sagged against the wall behind him. Automatically his hands set about pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. The nicotine felt wonderful and comforting in his lungs. Sunrise was little more than half and hour away, and what had taken forever to arrive was now too soon. How was he supposed to decide if Will was telling the truth, or more importantly if the truth was worth it? It was too much information yet not enough. He never was good at improvising. It fell second on the list after patience. Gradually he became aware of footsteps close to him. Lazily, he moved his head to see Willow walking up to him, uncertainty written all over her face. This was his Willow, from jeans to what could only be described as a hippie shirt and her brown coat. That wonderful red hair was cut close to her head, and for the first time Spike took a good look at her. She really was beautiful. �Spike?� she began. �Is everything okay?� �Sure,� he answered sarcastically. �Everything�s just peachy. Life is soddin� wonderful, pet.� Biting her lip, she regarded him with solemn eyes. �If I tell you something, do you promise not to go all crazy on me?� He shrugged. �Why not.� �I � I had a dream. About you.� She looked down at her clasped hands. �You were going to commit suicide in it. And I think it was real, like a vision.� �What is it with you slayer-wannabes and keeping me alive?� he asked annoyed, taking another drag of his cigarette before tossing it aside and turning to completely face her. �This effin� chip has taken away my life. I can�t kill, I can�t terrorize, and worst of all the weakness it caused made me think I was in love with the Slayer. I don�t have anything to live for.� He didn�t miss the relief that flashed in her eyes. �You�re not in love with her?� �Not at all. In fact, I want nothing to do with women ever again. Hence the waiting for the sun bit.� She took in a deep breath, as if reigning in her strength and resolve. �What about having a woman as - as a friend? Would that be okay?� His scarred eyebrow rose. �You�re offering to be my friend, luv?� �Yeah, I guess I am.� Immediately she ducked her head, preparing for his rebuff. Which was his first reaction, but instead a daze over took his mind. She wanted to be his friend? What had he done for that to happen? He was not expecting anything from her, no matter what his futuristic counterpart eluded to. �No one�s ever wanted to be my friend before,� he said quietly. Then a huge grin grew on his face. �I suppose I could hang around for a while, see if this friendship thing is worth anything.� She looked up, bewildered green eyes meeting with amused blue. �Really?� �Yes, really.� He glanced back at the spot their future selves had occupied not ten minutes before. �I have a feeling things are going to get really interesting.� -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The challenge was to have Spike try to commit suicide. Future Spike somehow goes back and time and either talks him out or into it. Happy Birthday, Saber! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- back to archive |