Something New
Chapter 9
Something New
Chapter 9
�Hey, Buffy.�
Buffy spun, torn out of thought, blinking rapidly. �Riley? Uh, hi.�
�Are you okay?�
�Uh, yeah.� Buffy pulled some hair back out of her face. �I, I was just, um, thinking about someone.�
Riley swallowed a breath. �Er, someone?�
�Uh, yeah.� Buffy said. �Just a, um� girl. In my class. She was pretty weird. Uh, must�ve been one of those Goths. Not that there�s anything wrong with them. Just very eye-catching.�
�Right.� Riley said slowly. �So how�s Willow?�
�Willow! Willow! What�s wrong with Willow?�
Riley frowned. �I don�t know, d-didn�t her boyfriend break up with her? She was all upset?�
�Oh! Oh, right!� Buffy took a breath, shaking her head. �She�s fine. Well, recovering, but she�s okay. She�s� dating someone else now.�
�Oh.� Riley nodded. �So� are you okay?�
�I� I think I�m just a little loopy.� Buffy said.
�Right. Because of that� girl.� Riley frowned. �In your class.�
�Yeah, well, you know, I also have to keep an eye on my mom. She�s very mischievous. You know, darn mothers take right after their youngest daughters. She�s a regular minx, that woman.�
�Right. But your mom isn�t here right now.� Riley said. �Listen, Buffy, I was wondering if maybe I could come over and we could-�
�No!�
�Huh? But I didn�t even ask the question.�
�Sorry, I just can�t do anything at any time after school today. I have to help my mom. With groceries. She�s very excited� girls night shopping. Just us two.�
�Oh. Well maybe I could watch Dawn for you.� Riley said.
Buffy�s eyes widened, wishing she hadn�t left that flaw. �No, she�s going to visit her friend, and me and mom might go to the Laundromat afterwards. You know, we�re the crazy type, staying up all night giggling and gossiping about all the cute guys with their lights and darks.�
�Okay.� Riley couldn�t help but let out a small laugh. �Well it sounds like you two will have enough fun without me. So I�ll just have to hang out with the guys tonight. Maybe another night.�
�Uh, sure, maybe.� Buffy agreed, thankful as the bell rang. �Whoops, gotta go. Can�t be late to class.�
Riley shook his head, walking the other way.
*****
Spike didn�t even stir until four o clock when Dawn finally stormed downstairs, with Jamie curiously following.
�Spike.� Dawn kicked his bed. �Get up. Get up you lazy flea-bitten thing.�
Spike didn�t even flinch.
�Spike.� Dawn said again. �If you don�t get up I�ll just make dinner myself, and then mom won�t be happy.�
Spike grunted � barely- in his sleep.
Dawn sighed, stomping over to him and pushing against his shoulder as well as she could. �Spike, wake up. You�re a big, fat, heavy thing. You�ve been asleep for over twelve hours. When Buffy gets back, you�re so dead. And I better be getting paid for watching her spawn all day long. Get up you dumb vampire.� She finally resolved to tug hard on his hair.
�Ow!� Spike jerked awake. �Leggo!�
�It�s about time.� Dawns sighed. She looked at James. �See, vampires like Angel and Spike do not like to have their hair touched.�
�What�re you doing?� Spike demanded, sitting up. �You�re not supposed to be in my room.�
�I wouldn�t be, if you were awake and not down here, ignoring us.� Dawn complained. �My sister never has to know that I saw a sleeping naked vampire or that you neglected us if you get up right now and make us something sugary.�
Spike sighed, fixing the sheets on his bed. �Fine. Sorry. Gimme a sec.�
Dawn glared at him, then smiled satisfactory, and went back up the stairs, with James following her. �You should�ve been taking notes.�
Spike waited until they�d gone, then got up, feeling exhausted though he hadn�t done much. He rediscovered the bag of purchases Buffy had selected and pulled a few out cautiously, smelling the new clothing, untainted and clean. He put on his pants from last night for the moment, gathering up something that Buffy would find suitable and went upstairs shirtless, ignoring Dawn�s looks and went upstairs, taking a shower.
When the blonde finally resurfaced Dawn was trying to convince James that potato chips were deep-fried in vats of cow snot, when she noticed Spike. �Sheesh! What kind of demon are you and why are you possessing him?�
Spike ignored her. �What kind of sugary treat did you have in mind?�
�Cupcakes.� Dawn said, walking over to Spike. She poked his chest. Solid. She touched his arm. Skin. She pressed her face to him before he could step away. �Geesh, you don�t even smell like a vampire anymore. You sure don�t look like one.�
�Don�t get cute with me.� Spike frowned. �I�m only doing this for Buffy. And Joyce.�
�Huh. Well at this rate she�ll be making out with you in no time. Good luck.� Dawn smirked.
�What�s that supposed to mean?�
�Well don�t you want to kiss her?� Dawn asked. �That�s all Riley ever wants to do.�
�Yeah, well I�m not Riley.� Spike retorted. �I�m here for Jamie. Buffy and I are only working together.�
�Ah. Yup. She kills things while you baby-sit.� Dawn said. �I think you got a crappy deal.�
�Well, sometimes I kill things.� Spike retorted. �Now be nice, cause I am the baby-sitter.�
Dawn sighed. �Riley is so gag-worthy. He acts like a puppy dog around her. And Buffy is so scared that he�ll find out about her being a Slayer and they�ll be all torn up. But you�re different at least. Angel was all souled and pathetic and they were whiny about it. You don�t have a soul, but you�re good, and you don�t whine about everything.�
�I do, Peaches just whines about everything constantly.� Spike said. �Let�s not talk about the Slayer and her men tragedies now. And do you really expect me to know how to make cupcakes?�
�Fine.� Dawn pouted, walking over to James and whispering with him, then turning back and folding her arms. �We�ll renegotiate for cookies, and you have to do something special for Buffy when she comes back from the store with mom.�
�I�m not kissing her.� Spike refused. �Not even Willow�s spell could make me do that again.�
�Liar. And it�s not kissing.� Dawn and Jamie giggled together.
�Better not be bad or you�re gonna get it when your sis gets home.� Spike warned.
�No. You�ll know when she gets home.� Dawn said. �Now for the cookies. We want chocolate chip. And if you burn them, you have to make new ones.�
*****
Two hours later Dawn and James had their gooey, chocolate cookies after diner and Spike had some peace and quiet.
There was a knock at the door, and Spike got up to answer, careful to duck a ray of light that came inside without invitation. �Oh! Oh! Uh, hi, Spike!� Willow said nervously. �Uh, silly me, I forget that you�re staying here. Is Buffy here?�
�Sorry. Blonde Slayer, perky little fighter, yea tall?� Spike asked. �She�s not here. Out with her mom, �parently. And I�m on duty.� He gestured to Dawn and Jamie sitting inside.
�Oh. Hi.� Willow waved. �Well will she be home soon?�
�I don�t keep tabs on her, but she is anticipated at any time.�
�Okay.� Willow frowned. �Well when she gets back tell her that she�s needed at the Magick Box. Giles is calling a Scooby meeting at eight. The usual thing. Patrol afterwards, but we�re discussing the Initiative, too. So I�m pretty sure you�re invited.�
�Alright. I�ll let her know.�
�Thanks.� Willow smiled. �I like your shirt, by the way.�
�Yeah, thanks.� Spike shut the door and returned to the living room to supervise the two troublemakers.
�Willow likes me.� James chirped.
�Not with all the chocolate on your face.� Spike retorted, going to get a washcloth and cleaning off the chocolate.
�James, Willow doesn�t like you like you.� Dawn said. �She�s likes Tara.�
�So? Tara�s pretty too.�
�You�re impossible.�
�Thank you.�
Spike allowed the two to watch TV, and half an hour later Buffy came home with Joyce, carrying about eight grocery bags.
�Hello darlings.� Joyce smiled, bringing in her three bags.
Spike stood up, taking he bags for her. �Want me to get the rest?�
�Sorry, William, this is the rest.� Joyce laughed. �Buffy cleaned out the car.�
Buffy smirked, setting down her dozen bags, brushing off her hands. �Have fun with the brats?� She looked at the trays of cookies.
�Black mail.� Spike said, setting the bags on the counter. �Your sister can be a pain.�
�Yup.� Buffy agreed. �Glad you�re finally getting a taste of sibling life. I brought something for you.�
Dawn and James both broke into laughter.
�Great.� Spike sighed.
Buffy frowned. �They find out about everything. Pests.�
Buffy made Dawn help put groceries away, and then found the bag with Spike�s gift. �Here.� She giggled. �This is yours. Idea of Xander�s.�
�Well he always was the genius.� Spike said, trying not to giggle himself at the absurdity of the gift.
�They didn�t have black.� Buffy continued, holding down her laughter. �So I got blue. Which is good, because now it matches.�
�At least it�s multi-sized.� Spike smirked, opening the package and figuring the thing out, putting it around his neck.
Buffy literally doubled over briefly in laughter, and even Joyce covered her mouth. �Buffy, that�s not nice.�
�But mom, I�m just playing.� Buffy protested, flicking the bell on the cat collar, making it jingle, and giggling again.
�I�m sorry, William.� Joyce giggled, too. �My daughter has the most awful sense of humor.�
�S�okay.� Spike said. �Getting used to the Slayer�s type of humor. But I�m not wearing a bell on patrol. Which, by the way, Willow says you�re to do tonight. And which may mean that I�m doing it.�
Buffy sobered up. �Willow came over?�
Spike nodded, making the bell jabble. �She said your Watcher called an eight o clock meeting. And I�m invited.�
�Are you gonna wear your new collar?� Buffy flicked the bell again, the sharp sound clearly entertaining her.
�No way.� Spike denied. �That�s your personal joke, Slayer. Just for you.�
Buffy pouted, but smiled at Spike�s clothes, happy that he was wearing blue jeans, the white t-shirt and the blue dress shirt that matched. �Okay. At least you�re making every effort.�
�You bet.� Spike took off the collar and put it in his pocket.
�Don�t change. It�s too good. I won�t be slacking off tonight, you can keep the clothes.� Buffy informed.
�Thanks ever so.�
�I�d better go change my clothes,� Buffy said. �If I�m going to be going on patrol.�
�Okay, sweetie.� Joyce said. �I�ll have to watch the young ones. Have they eaten?�
�Yeah. And they�ve already had two cookies each.� Spike informed, stealing a cookie himself.
Buffy headed upstairs and Joyce fixed Spike�s collar, making him frown at her.
�Sorry. Motherly instincts.� Joyce apologized.
*****
�I�m just saying. There�s a whole level we don�t know about.�
�Well we just don�t know the motive.� Xander argued. �I mean, there could be two totally different personalities.�
�Where do even get that?� Willow cried.
�From everything anyone has ever read or seen, ever.� Xander retorted. �Every evil villain has a front.�
�How can there be a front if there�s no back?�
�There is a back!� Xander said. �Everything has sides. This is no excuse.�
�Well there�s sides, sure, but we don�t know which side is front and which is back.� Willow said. �And we haven�t seen the front, we�ve always been seeing the back � or middle.�
�No, we�ve seen the front for a long time.� Xander said. �It�s always been right under our noses, and only layers away.�
�What�re you saying?�
�I�m saying that maybe we knew all along, we just never knew we knew.�
�Are you saying we�re closer than we thought?�
�Exactly! We�ve always been close than we thought!� Xander cried. �It�s right there, we�re just too cross-eyed to make sense!�
Willow frowned deeply at this. �What�s the most evil things we know?�
�Th-the school?� Tara guessed.
�The school?� Xander frowned. �What are you guys talking about?�
�The Initiative.� Giles, Willow and Tara replied in unison.
�Oh! Yeah, the school�s evil, but there�s no way that the Initiative is the school. Only the equivalent of nuclear evil could make the Initiative.�
�What were you talking about?� Willow looked at Xander suspiciously.
�Spike! Buffy!�
Willow and Tara looked up as Buffy came inside, followed closely by Spike.
�What�s the scoop, Giles?� Buffy asked. �Any new evils?�
�Just the demon dog-catchers.� Xander said.
�I was actually wondering, Spike,� Giles said. �If you�re quite certain the Initiative shot at you � and we are certain � did you ever see a face for your attacker?�
�Sorry, not quite.� Spike said, going over to sit on the stairs. �Just saw a glimpse of your typical military soldier. Scruffy, square-jawed, but I couldn�t tell you enough to make a sketch, or you�d end up hunting down every one out of three guys in the world. They all had typical green jump-suit kind of things.�
�All?� Willow echoed.
�Yeah. There were six or so.� Spike replied. �Guns, gadgets; I didn�t really stop and wave. They recognized me right away. And they weren�t happy.�
Buffy folded her arms. �When we find these guys, they�re gonna get it. Do we have any leads at all?�
�Only that there�s been a large sighting of them in a half mile radius around the school.� Giles said.
�So maybe they�re, like, zombies from the Hellmouth.� Buffy suggested hopefully.
�Spike,� Willow said. �Where were you when the guys attacked?�
�Uh, cemetery. Claybourne.�
�That�s about four hundred yards from the school.� Willow estimated.
�What�re you saying? Do you think that the Initiative is part of the school?� Buffy frowned.
�Or near,� Giles said. �Or possibly a smaller facility is there.�
�Smaller?� Spike muttered.
�Wait, Spike, when Willow�s spell � well, when you broke out for a second, before I found you, you were at a field near one of the cemeteries, and you started digging at the ground.� Buffy remembered. �We never investigated there.�
�Yeah, so what? It�s the sodding government, they do a nice clean-up job.� Spike grumbled angrily.
�But-� Buffy was confused. �You said it was underground. You were really sure.�
Everyone looked to Spike, and he finally sighed. �Look, all I remember was getting zapped. And it hurt like hell, thanks for asking. My whole sodding brain shut down, and I woke up and everything was white and sterile and not heaven. I barely got out of there with my skin attached. I don�t even remember how I did it. Just � animal instincts took over. Escape. And yeah, I probably either found one of those mysterious lifts or I managed to claw my way out of the ground, it doesn�t really matter. I don�t really care to go back there.�
�You don�t have to.� Buffy said. �So maybe this thing really is underground. But how big would it be?�
�Huge.� Spike opted. �They�re towing in hundreds of poor demons, and bad ones, and all of the cells were at least ten feet cubed.�
�Okay, why are you helping us now, Mr. Hormonal Attitude Changer?� Xander demanded. �And where were you when you could�ve just told us all this to begin with?�
Spike opened his mouth. �I was getting my brain fried.�
�Is there anything else you remember?� Giles asked.
�No. Like I said, animal instinct. My whole brain kinda shut down. I went to see Harm, and she sodding kicked me out. Oh. Cept, I came back to kinda kill Buffy. Or try. It was a thing. And that was a week before I actually woke up. Sodding bastards. Harm was pissed. I had no idea that I was actually gone that long. The whole time there was just a daze. Guess I was still on painkillers or something, cause I did �urt a doctor and I didn�t feel anything. But they wore off by the time I got back to the real world.�
�Ugh. The Initiative makes me so mad.� Willow said. �Not that I don�t value my life, and for that, I thank them, but they can�t just abduct vampires, drug �em up and do god-knows-what kind of experiments on them.�
Spike looked down. �Thanks so much, Red.�
�Sorry. But, I mean, they could�ve just chipped you. There�s no reason to keep a vampire in a government lab.�
�There�s every reason, Red.� Spike replied, standing up. �Starve the vampires, demons, whatever, and the government puts them in little boxes. Little boxes on planes, see? Or ships, even. And release them, and control the chips, and you control the vampires. Take out whole villages. Armies of vampires. Huge numbers, cause we�re poison, and no other army would be able to kill us � easily � because they�d be shooting at us, and that hurts, but there�d be armies of hungry vampires. So then the American government wins again, because there�s no enemy to worry about, and as for the vampires and demons, we�re not even a factor � just press a little button, and I bet they could make all of our heads explode, then just burry the bodies in the ground with the others. Good old USA, huh?�
�Wait, Spike!� Buffy was shoved away from her attempt to grab him.
�Piss off.� Spike stormed out of the shop angrily, leaving all of the Scoobies stunned.