| Summer Series 2002: The Journey of the Fool Story the 6th ~ The Lovers By Kuzibah |
| Disclaimer: Spike is not mine, more's the pity. Spoilers: For "Grave." Archive- Please email request. Feedback- Absolutely. ******************* ~ Aboard the �Estrella Verde,� crossing the strait of Gibraltar Spike and Ariel sat side by side in lounge chairs in deep shadow on the deck of a ferry carrying passengers from Morocco to Spain. They had actually boarded early that morning, and endured three round trips secured in a storage bay that was normally used for mechanical equipment. It was dark, and almost unbearably loud, and the demon which had been so stoic going to its doom all week now apparently felt free to express its emotions and had stayed close to Spike, shaking with fright. Spike wasn�t all that confident himself, and found himself irritated, to boot. In addition, it had taken three rubies, each the size of a bumblebee, to bribe the mate into smuggling them aboard--- an exorbitant sum, in Spike�s opinion, but apparently the cost of traveling without papers or visas these days. It was a new world, even for vampires. At this rate, they�d be lucky to get as far as England with their booty, let alone Sunnydale. Which raised the question that was really winding Spike up: What was he going to do with Ariel? Should he let the demon go to fend for itself once they reached Spain? Should he try to return it to its natural habitat, wherever that was? Or should he try to bring it back home with him? And if so, then what? Would it be a pet or a companion? How could he take care of it when he hadn�t the vaguest notion how he would take care of himself? The night air was warm, and the ferry was filled with travelers, mostly students on holiday. Spike wanted to take Ariel to the rail--- the demon seemed to enjoy watching the water shimmer under the boats lights--- but the deck rails were crowded with people doing the same, and he didn�t want to risk anyone seeing Ariel. The demon was making very quiet noises of contentment, now, purrs so soft only Spike�s vampire hearing could pick them up, and he found the sound re-assuring. They would be alright, he thought. He was doing the right thing, and for once, he could feel the rightness of it. It was a new feeling for him, and he was beginning to think he liked it. He glanced over at the rail and saw two young people holding hands and gazing out to sea. The girl was petite, with long blonde hair, the boy, slightly taller, thin, with longish dishwater-blond curls. He wore bookish wire-rimmed spectacles. Spike wasn�t aware he was staring until the boy turned to glare at him angrily, then put his arm around his girl protectively and lead her off. �Damn it,� Spike swore under his breath, and Ariel gave up purring to look worriedly in his direction. �Sorry,� he said. �Just a little unpleasant reminder.� The demon looked in the direction the couple had walked off to, then turned back to Spike with an expression of keen curiosity on its face. Spike sighed, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. He hadn�t told Ariel more than the barest bones of his story: He was a vampire that had recently received a soul in Africa and was now on his way home to California. But that didn�t really explain anything, and Spike wasn�t surprised that the demon wanted to know more. �I went to Africa because of a girl,� he said. �I loved her. I still do love her, I mean, but it feels different now. Before it was this consuming, burning need. I loved her, but she didn�t love me, and I hated myself, but I couldn�t stop. I had this doll-thing, a robot, I mean, made up to look like her just so I�d have something to hold that I could pretend� That would tell me it loved me back.� Spike turned to Ariel, a small rueful smile on his face. �Yeah, disgusting, I know,� he said, and the demon patted his arm sympathetically. �But she, the real girl, I mean, she was so� radiant,� Spike went on. �Beautiful. Like the stars. I could see her, but she was far away. I tried everything to get close to her. And then she died.� Ariel made a soft, sad murmur. Spike took a long pull on his fag and held it a moment before blowing out the smoke in a thin stream and continuing. �I thought my world had come to an end. I threw myself into continuing her work. I took orders from children. It was humiliating. And then she came back.� Off the demon�s questioning look Spike gave a short, bitter laugh. �Yeah. Rose from the grave, but not like me. Alive. But something went wrong. They�d brought her back, but away from paradise. Dragged her soul out of heaven.� Spike crushed out his cigarette and lit another. �I wanted to help her, but it all got twisted up. We shagged, but there was no love, no caring. I had more tenderness with Drusilla, and she was a sadistic psycho vampire.� Spike paused, giving the memory of his pain a few seconds to work through. �I had what I wanted, but I didn�t, and it tore me up. And then she even took that away. So I tried to hurt her. I didn�t mean to, but I just wanted her to see me.� Spike covered his eyes with one hand and said nothing for several minutes, not until his cigarette burned down to his fingers and he flung it away, cursing. �I just wanted it over,� Spike said then, the strong emotion gone from his voice. �So I went to Africa, to try and get myself straightened out, stop torturing myself. Give her what she deserved for making me feel this way.� Spike took the last cigarette out of the packet and put it between his lips. ��Course, I got knocked on my arse as usual,� he said, striking his Zippo and lighting the cig. �This soul, it�s turned my whole perspective around. I remember what I felt, but it seems like it happened to someone else. Some nasty, petulant child I read about in a book. I don�t know what I feel now. I think I love the girl, but it�s not so simple anymore. It�s such a little, stupid thing beside all the horrible things I�� Spike trailed off, feeling the horror anew, a sensation that had overwhelmed him several times a day since he�d gotten his soul. Ariel, sensing his distress, leaned closer and began to purr. Spike gave a small laugh, forced out of him in spite of his grief. �You�re a good friend,� he said, stroking the demon�s arm. He finished his cigarette in silence, pulling deep on the smoke to calm his nerves. �Still, it begs the question,� he said, crushing the butt under the heel of his boot. �My soul. Was it pulled back from heaven, too?� Go on to the next part - The Chariot Main Menu ~ Return to Summer Series 2002 Menu |