Something New
Chapter 23
Something New
Chapter 23
�You didn�t tell me you were a scientist.� Buffy teased lightly when she�d kissed James goodnight.
Spike looked up at her, chewing a cookie in the kitchen. �I�m not.�
�Sure fooled me.�
�You left me with James.�
�I�m surprised you noticed.� Buffy smiled. �You were just so in the moment, talking to James about the sun and how far away it was.�
�Every six year old should know that stuff.� Spike protested.
�Sorry. It�s just so cute.� Buffy kissed Spike briefly. �How do you know so much?�
�Sinks in when you�ve been alive since the 19th century.� Spike replied. �And science was still new and ridiculed. But I got to see it evolve. Do you know how excited everyone was when they first went into outer space?�
�Some people weren�t.�
�Well us neophiliacs knew it would change science and history and life as we knew it forever.� Spike replied.
�I forget that you got to see the world change.� Buffy said, and then smiled. �So Spike. Were you a hippie?�
�No.�
�Aw, man on. Never turned into a flower person and just got stoned and loosened up?� Buffy asked.
�I went to Woodstock.� Spike admitted. �But I stayed out of this bloody country as long as I could. I came here on a submarine, ended up in the coast of Maine. Pretty, but too chilly for my tastes. I went to New York and fell in love with the punk look. Really, do you feature me in colorful tie-dyed clothing?�
�No, not really.� Buffy giggled. �You looked like you�ve been bad forever.�
�Yeah, nearly.� Spike agreed. �But I did keep up with the times. Even the horrid Italian fashions. Did I mention humans have a bloody stupid sense of what they think is appealing?�
�You didn�t, but it�s obvious.� Buffy said. �I can�t see you in Italy.�
�Neither can I. I hated Italy.� Spike shuddered. �And James wanted to me to let you know that I think he needs a hair cut soon.�
�Ooh, his first.� Buffy smiled. �Maybe a couple days from now or so, we can take him out and get him a trim.�
�Nifty.�
�As long as he doesn�t turn out looking like you.�
�But I�m beautiful, luv.�
�Like a molting bird.�
�Hey.�
�I didn�t know you were a scientist, though.� Buffy said again.
�It�s interesting.� Spike confessed. �Wanted to be one, I guess, but it was too much work. Got to the parts that required a functioning brain and I froze up. Not that much of a realist, I s�pose.�
�It�s not fun to face life.� Buffy agreed. �But I have to.�
�Life�s not that hard when you�re pretty much immortal.�
�I think it�d be harder.�
*****
�Well at least I wasn�t expected to entertain myself with a vampire today.� Giles said in reply to Willow�s question of how his day was.
�Well that�s good.� Willow smiled. �Even though a sleepy vampire is an adorable decoration for any home or workplace.�
Tara smiled shyly. �Kinda wish I could�ve seen that.�
�Spike sleeps here now?� Xander asked. �How lame is that?�
�He�s not lame, he just fell asleep after working hard all morning.� Willow defended.
�Yes.� Giles agreed. �And everyone knows a slumbering vampire is a lovely conversation piece.�
�Guys, girls.� Buffy smiled. �I think tonight�s a perfect night to go stir up those pesky vamps.�
�Ah, perky Buffy. Ready to defend to world with a smile.� Xander greeted. �How are you, old friend? And the vampire man you have beaten into submission. Now, does Spike act like a puppy?�
�No.� Buffy said seriously. �Those he does have those eyes� he acts like a kid. A normal kid, but still emotionally a kid.�
�Like a hormonal teenage girl?� Willow guessed helpfully. �Well you said it.�
�Well I said it wrong. Or geniusly.� Either way, don�t talk like that when Spike gets here, he�s very touchy.�
�Spike�s coming, too?�
�It�s unbelievable. It�s completely unbelievable. It defies logic,� Spike ranted as he came in through the door.
�The sun sets and he appears.� Xander said.
�What�s up Spike?� Willow asked. �Any interesting phenomena?�
Spike looked at her, then Buffy. �If our son is evil, do we necessarily have to kill him?�
�Uh, I think cute evil gets to defend it�s case.� Buffy said. �What�d he do? Use Dawn�s lipstick like crayon again? Because if she called him evil, it�s probably not that serious.�
�I was telling him about planetary orbit all day long and all he did was sit there and absorb it like a sponge.� Spike said.
�Oh. No, Spike, he was just interested in hearing about planets.� Buffy said. �They�re so big, he can�t even imagine them.�
�Well neither can I, but that�s not the point.� Spike retorted. �He�s utterly evil.�
�Little kids like to hear about things that they�ve never heard before.� Buffy said. �Especially huge chunks of rocks floating in a circle in outer space. It doesn�t mean he learned anything.�
Spike shook his head. �You�ve only got to ask. He even remembers the compounds that create a comet.�
�Well, that�s remembering, not learning.�
�Learning is remembering, innit it?� Spike pointed out. �Remembering and adding to it with common sense, if you can.�
�I guess so.� Buffy agreed. �But even I know that ice is what makes a comet. And that �tail� is when it flies too close to the sun and melts.�
�Comets contain metallic iron, smectite clay, spinel, olivine, silicate enstatite, iron sulfide marcasite, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon dolomite, ice, and dry ice.� Spike said.
Buffy�s mouth fell open. �I don�t know how you manage to remember that stuff, but James can�t possibly remember it for more than five minutes.�
�I gave him simpler terms.� Spike replied. �And it�s not that hard to remember.�
�And to think you�re always calling yourself stupid.� Buffy shook her head.
�Don�t have to be a genius to take an interest in science facts.�
�Spike, how big around is Jupiter?�
�142,800 kilometers around the equator.�
�What�s it�s atmosphere like?�
�Mostly hydrogen and helium.�
�What are it�s rings made of?�
�Dust particles.�
�And how far away is it from the sun?�
�778,330,000 kilometers.�
�How many miles is that?�
�483,654,262.�
�Oh my god, did you measure?� Willow cried.
�See?� Buffy sighed. �You�re way too smart to be hanging out with us dumb-dumbs.�
�I�m not smart.� Spike objected. �Willow is smart. Giles is smart.�
�Even I don�t know the circumference of Jupiter.� Willow said.
�Yeah, but you guys actually figure things out. I just remember stuff.�
�I�m sure that�s not true.� Willow said. �And besides, knowing the stuff if what makes you smart.�
Buffy looked at Spike lovingly. �You are right. Every time we think we�ve figured out the bleached menace, he goes and changes completely.�
�Like a butterfly!� Willow opted.
��Did I just get compared to a butterfly?�
�Erm, sorry. Like coal!� Willow tried again. �Cause, you know, coal gets pressed into diamonds after a whole bunch a years.�
�Nice, Wills.� Buffy commented. �And, mwah.� She tugged Spike down for a quick kiss. �Ha. I like being able to do that.�
�What was that for?�
�Being good last night. And, you know, going this long without killing Dawn.�
�Gotta love check points.� Spike said, sitting down next to her as if he belonged there, and carelessly picking at a nail, having no input.
�So uh, Spike, what brings you here?� Giles asked. �To enlighten us?�
�Yeah. I thought you hated it here.� Buffy reminded.
�What?� Spike looked around, actually realizing now. �What am I doing here? Bloody hell.�
Buffy laughed. �Wanna head home and go preen James?�
�Yeah,� Spike stood up cautiously. �Terribly busy.� He shook his head, bemused at his own actions and went back to the door, taken off guard as Tara was standing on the other side of the door as he opened it.
�Spike!�
�Hello, Tara. Love the dress.� Spike said, giving Tara�s simplistic blue gown a once-over, then made to go around her.
�Spike,� Tara�s hand shot out, grabbing Spike�s arm with a surprisingly strong grip. �I need to talk to you.�
�What for?� Spike asked, trying to shrug off her grip, but she held onto him tightly.
# I told you to come here, don�t you ever pay attention? #
*****
# I told you to come here, don�t you ever pay attention? # Tara�s voice rang in Spike�s head.
�You what?�
Everyone looked at Spike curiously, not hearing Tara say anything.
�Hi, Tara.� Willow smiled. �Spike was just telling us about James being a sponge, and how comets have traces of clay and iron.�
�That�s nice.� Tara said in her quiet voice.
�Yeah. James is picking everything up real fast.� Spike said, prying her fingers off of his arm to free himself, and she abashedly let go.
�C-can we talk o-outside?�
�About what?�
# Can we just talk? #
�How do you do that?!�
# It�s magick. #
�Well it�s not very useful, is it?� Spike asked, making to leave again, and Tara put out her arm to block him.
# Halt, vampire. Don�t you realize that I can pick your mind, and hear your inner thoughts? Don�t you know what a witch is? I can destroy you, vampire. I can move within your mind and drive you insane. They can�t hear me, only my voice in your head. #
�Um, guys?� Buffy asked impatiently.
�I�m tired of mind games.� Spike said, making to move again, and his arm tingled, unable to turn to the door and walk away.
�Come with me, p-please, I�m not playing.� Tara said, pleading with her eyes. �I need a favor.�
�Fine.� Spike decided, wanting the tingling to stop. �Fine! Leggo!�
�I�ll bring him back in one piece,� Tara promised Buffy, and grabbed Spike�s shoulder and turned him, the tingling that was beginning to spread and itch leaving him instantly and discreetly forced him out the door, letting it shut behind them.
�What the bloody hell?�
�I-I�m sorry,� Tara said, eyes stinging with moisture. �I can�t have you a-asking questions in front of them. I wouldn�t hurt you, but I can. I know I can.�
�S�wrong with you?� Spike asked.
�Everything!� Tara blurted. �Just everything.� She took a ragged breath. �Willow doesn�t even know.�
�What�s going on?�
Tara took a deep breath. �About a month or so ago it was my birthday. Willow got me a really pretty bracelet, see?� She showed Spike her wrist, tied with a silver chain thread and a small heart pendant on it, silver with a pink spark of a crystal glittering in the tiny center. He seemed to recall one on Willow�s wrist, but with a green crystal. Tara quietly hugged the bracelet back to her chest. �I love Willow so much.� She said in a heartbreaking way, as if she had to say goodbye.
�Tara? Is something wrong?� Spike asked in a lower voice. �Something I can help you with?�
�Yes.� Tara nodded, trying to bravely wipe away the start of tears. �My father�s come to Sunnydale. He d-didn�t even call me, but he knows I go to UC Sunnydale, and one of my friends said that h-he was asking about me, and her description matched him, and my brother Donnie, and my cousin Betty.�
�I don�t know if I should get involved with a personal-�
�No!� Tara protested. �He doesn�t know about Willow. He d-doesn�t even know that I�m practicing witchcraft. Willow is so beautiful, and so good and pure. My father only think that witchcraft is all evil. H-he said that, he had to let me go out on my own, b-but I know if her finds I�m still into magick, he�ll kill me.�
�Parents don�t actually-�
�He�ll make me go home with him.� Tara blurted emotionally. �I love Willow, b-but I don�t, I-I can�t just, I mean, I don�t even know how to� to stand up to him. I like it here. But I just turned nineteen, and now� now I-I�m going to� he�s gonna make me go home.�
�Tara, you don�t have to go anywhere.� Spike said firmly. �You�ve been on your own for� however long, and you�re just as well off. Willow�s a great girl, and friends of Buffy are in good hands. I know it�s not your grades, because you�re bright, and you�re good, too.�
�No, I�m not.� Tara said, upset and crying now. �I�m not good at all.�
�Well, you can be scary, but you�re still little Tara, and it�s not bad.�
�I am bad.� Tara said quietly.
�Tara-�
�Shh,� Tara pleaded, calming herself as best as she could. �I just need one favor. One small favor, okay? I just need you to meet my father with me.�
�What?� Spike blinked. �Uh, Tara, I�m dating Buffy, and if you�ve never seen an angry Slayer first-hand, you don�t want to.�
�Not, i-it doesn�t have to be like boyfriend,� Tara said. �J-just a friend, even. Just be good and very respectful for a few hours, and I�ll do everything I can to get you off of the Initiative�s death list. I�ll exhaust every resource, just please, I don�t want to face him alone.�
�Couldn�t you ask Xander to go with you?� Spike asked.
�N-no.� Tara shook her head. �I don�t really � I-I�m not so sure about him. He�s nice, but I don�t think he�s entirely comfortable about Willow and I. It doesn�t faze you at all, but I just don�t want him making jokes about everything while he�s there. Xander does that a lot, and he doesn�t even know when enough is enough.�
�I didn�t notice.�
�My father has to be called �sir�, and try to be polite.� Tara said.
�When exactly are you dragging me off to meet him? And why me?�
�You�re eligible.� Tara said, and smoothed out Spike�s shirt. �I�m really glad that you got rid of your blonde hair, because my father wouldn�t like that. He�s old fashioned that way.�
�Giles is old fashioned, too.�
�I think my dad would like the idea better that any boys around me are good and not sex ravenous, and Giles might portray the wrong message of my socializing. He might think I prefer old men.�
�I�m three times older than Giles.�
�No one has to know that.� Tara said. �You�re still pretty, and you look exactly like you�re about my age.�
�What do I say? Besides, �Hello, sir, I will resist biting you tonight.�
�Just� act like you�re my friend. Roommate. And you still have a son, with a girlfriend you are happily dating.�
�Wait, is it best to say that I�m in your dorm but I have a son? And I think they separate the guys, don�t they? They used to.�
�Well, you�re my friend from trigonometry.�
�Ah, the study of� triggers.�
�What do you know about?�
�Um� science?�
�Don�t you know math?� Tara questioned.
�Of course I do. Two plus two is four.�
�What�s 241 plus 685?�
�Uh-� Spike looked down, trying to add the numbers in his head. �8,126?�
Tara shook her head. �Just go with whatever you know. I don�t want him questioning whether you�re a college student or not.�
�Tara, I still don�t understand, why don�t you just take Buffy with you?�
�Because she wouldn�t understand,� Tara blurted. �They can�t know. They�d hate me. And I need you there because I know you�re strong and I trust you.�
Spike tensed up, ready to fight. �Your father?�
�No, I don�t trust myself.� Tara said, eyes wet again.
�Tara, you�re the sweetest girl-�
�No I�m not!� Tara stamped her foot childishly.
�T-�
�Am I evil?�
�What? No!�
�Am I a demon?� Tara asked. �Can you tell?�
�Tara, you�re not a demon.� Spike reasoned with her. �Demons have distinct smells.�
�But maybe I�m a different kind.� Tara insisted. �Something you�ve never smelt before.�
�No, it doesn�t really work that way.� Spike shook his head. �Why would you think that, anyway?�
�My father always told me that my mother was an evil demon.� Tara said, looking down. �H-he warned me that that would come out in me when I turned 20. That part of me would take over, and it�s evil, and I would be evil. I d-don�t want to be evil.�
�You�re not evil, Tara.� Spike persisted, rubbing her arm in some attempt to comfort her. �You�re too sweet for that. And it doesn�t work that way. The evil wouldn�t take over all of a sudden, it would be present in you throughout your life. What kind of demon was she?�
�He � he didn�t say.� Tara whispered. �He just told me that, when, when it happened that he�d take me home and he�d help me. That they knew how top control it. But he didn�t say how.�
Spike tilted his head, realizing the lie for what it was worth and gently hugged her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder while he rubbed her back. �You�re not bad.� Spike repeated after a long moment. �I�m bad. Remember? Big Bad vampire, turned good for the sake of puppies and the pitter-patter of little feet?�
Tara sniffled and straightened up, able to stand on her own now. �Don�t forget kittens. Like Miss Kitty Fantastico. Sh-she�s mine and Willow�s little black kitten.�
�Like a witches� cat?�
�No.� Tara said. �Like a pet.�
�Ah,�
Tara nodded and wiped at her eyes. �I�m sorry about that.�
�No problem. Most girls I knew didn�t cry so much as they came at me with very sharp, very deadly knives. Been stabbed before, and it�s not a picnic. Crying is nice, for once.�
�So� will you meet me tomorrow? At the angel statue in Walker cemetery?� Tara asked. �I-I�d meet you at your house, but then Buffy would be wondering, and I can�t really meet you here, and if Willow was still at my dorm. I don�t want anyone to even know my father is here. I-it gets complicated, and I get nervous, and I start to stutter a lot more then I already do.�
�It�s okay.�
�Just, wear something good.� Tara said. �And if he says �Hello� you say, �Hello, sir�. A-and, if he says, �Where are you from?� You say, �England, sir. But I moved to California for my sophomore year.� Stuff like that. With, �sir�.�
�I get it.� Spike said. �You gonna be okay?�
Tara nodded. �I�ll be fine. Because later, W-Willow will ask me �what�s wrong?� And then I�ll get little kisses and cuddling. Willow always knows how to make me happy again.� Tara smiled at herself. �What about you? I-I mean, are you and Buffy-�
�No.� Spike interrupted. �We�re not doing anything. Not cuddling, if that�s in a Slayer�s vocabulary, and certainly not sharing a bed, �cause that would be impossible, what with me not getting any privacy between James, Dawn and Buffy as it is. So right now, �sexual� really isn�t anywhere on the radar. It�s clearly platonic.�
�Oh. Sorry.�
�Nah, s�okay. Least one of us is getting some, hey?� Spike asked. �By the by, is red any good in the sack?�
Tara� mouth fell open. �I � I��
�Forget it, I�m just curious.� Spike said dismissively. �Just that, the whole red hair thing,�
�Is mine.� Tara said territorially. �Willow is mine.�
�Ah. Good on you, then.� Spike encouraged. �Least you got someone to warm your bed with. Me, too. I got Jamie. �Course �e likes to hog all the covers. Tricky little thing. And he�s not even that big, either. Bed hog.�
�You sleep with Jamie?�
�When he wants to share my bed.� Spike replied. �Otherwise he goes and snuggles up with Buffy.�
�James is cute.� Tara smiled. �You�re very lucky.�
�Or very compatible with Summers� blood.�
�Or both!� Tara said, regaining cheer. �Well I�d, I�d better go. But you can tell Willow I�m at the dorm, and she can meet me there whenever she comes back.�
�All right, I�ll do that, then.� Spike agreed. �You gonna be okay?�
�Just knowing that I have you to accompany me.� Tara answered. �It makes me feel safer. And that you care.�
�We all care.�
�I know you all do.� Tara said. �I�m just afraid� I-I�m afraid that they won�t understand. What would they think if they found out I�m a demon?�
�I�m a demon.�
�Buffy knows that.�
�You�re not a demon.� Spike said solidly.
�I�m not so sure.� Tara said. �Willow would be so disgusted with me.�
�What for? They can�t do anything or say anything.� Spike said. �You�re not bad, even you are a demon, and Buffy�s dated two, Xander�s dating an ex-demon, Willow went out with that� werewolf guy, �fore you stole �er heart, and Giles� knows for a fact that demons aren�t all bad. So if they say anything about it, I�ll tell them to shut the hell up �fore I slap �em.�
�Don�t do that.�
�I will. For you.� Spike promised. �And a Spike promise is one that will be held.�
�Well, l-let�s just not let them find out, okay?� Tara said. �It�s simpler that way.�
�Won�t tell a soul, pet.� Spike promised, tilting his head. �Not even a critter lacking one. What time tomorrow?�
�Oh. Uh, eightish.� Tara replied. �I�ll see you there, and we�ll meet my father where he�s staying, just to� acknowledge him like mature adults, and explain that I am perfectly capable of living here by myself. And you can maybe help me find out if I really am evil or not.�
�Even if you are demon, pet, I�d bet my life you�re not evil.� Spike said. �Maybe your magick comes from that bit of demon ancestry.�
�That�s what he said.� Tara recalled. �B-but with more, �demons are evil�, �magick is evil� things.�
�Why would he say such a thing?� Spike shook his head.
�W-when I was younger, I could always tell when it was going to rain.� Tara said. �And when there would be a flood, or an earthquake. I could smell fire in the air, and know where a lighting bolt would strike before the energy could build up. And a couple of times, I could make my dolls levitate.� She told him. �But it was too hard. And when my father saw me do it, he knew I was like my mother.�
�You�re not evil. Look at Wilow.� Spike shrugged to the Magick Box. �You�re just naturally inclined to magick. It comes easier to you. Most girls have to work their entire lives to get the faintest result. You�re blessed. You�re just more in tune with nature.�
�Like how I can read your mind?� Tara asked.
�Yeah. Let�s not have that again.�
�You can trust me.� Tara smiled. �Now, do you always think about kissing Buffy?�
�Hey!�
Tara giggled. �It�s okay. I�ll stop picking at your fantasies.�
�F- you�d better.�
Tara laughed again. �It�s neat to see you turn different colors. It�s okay, I won�t tell anyone. Tomorrow?�
�I�ll see you.� Spike agreed. �What else can I do? I�m surrounded by girls.�
�And you love us to pieces.� Tara finished.
�That�s the kind of thing best left unspoken.�
�But then no one will know what a great guy you are.� Tara hugged Spike lightly, and kissed his cheek. �Remember, be nice to my father. He�s kind of� overbearing.�
�I�ll be a good boy.�
�I really have to go now.� Tara said regretfully. �Make sure Willow doesn�t stay out too late.� She slipped away, waving good-bye and Spike watched her go, head tilted as he watched her blue dress waver in the wind, her hair long and brown. Really beautiful. Hardly a demon at all, and certainly not an evil one.