TITLE: The Eight Day
AUTHOR: Rainie
EMAIL: [email protected]
DISCLAIMER: Joss, not I.
DISTRIBUTION: Please ask first
CATEGORY: B/S/other
RATING: PG
PART: 8/8
8. day
Scene 8.1
After midnight.
Silently Buffy and Angel stare at Spike, who's still unconscious. Slowly Buffy approaches the girl, while Angel checks on the other vampire. The signs and symbols have disappeared form his chest.
Buffy:
She's pretty bad off. (she points to the huge pool of blood next to the stranger)
Angel:
Hm. (he suppresses his demon and kneels beside the girl)
Buffy:
Is she dead?
(before he has a chance to answer, he a pair of booted feet meet his chest sending him to the ground)
Spike (domineeringly):
Away, both of you!! (his eyes fade to yellow, however, his face remains human)
Buffy:
Spike!!!
(she rises her hands, ready to fight, but the blond vampire doesn't intend to attack, he quickly grips the bleeding girl dragging her along with him)
Spike:
What is it, slayer, she is dead.
(he tries to push past Angel only to run into Willow and Giles, who just appeared in front of the little cell)
Willow:
He is Janus-faced...
Giles (explanatory):
...the Messenger...
(Angel and Buffy nod in confirmation)
Willow:
Oh, you already know...
(Giles eyes meet Spike, he quickly pulls aside Willow, trying to get her as far away as possible)
Angel (picks up the thread):
She is not dead (he approaches Spike) the question is, what want you from her!
Spike (ironically):
Protect her, take care of her... (his lips curve in a bitter smile)
(it takes some seconds for Angel to realize what he is talking about - he clears his throat, but is cut off by Willow)
Willow:
She'll bleed to death. (she points at Spike's blood soaked shirt)
Giles:
W - w - we should take her to the hospital. (he tries to take the girl away from Spike)
(Spike growls, vamps out - Giles hurries to get away from him)
Buffy (registers, something to be wrong):
Angel, what is this all about?
Angel (points to Spike):
You tell her.
Spike (arrogant):
There's nothing to explain, she'll come with me - fin!
Giles (not less arrogant):
Very traditional, for somebody, who allegedly has no sense for traditions.
Angel (disconcerted):
You know about it?
Giles (stiffly):
Of course I know about it. I haven't always been a simple librarian!
Buffy:
Giles???
Giles:
Oh, it is a very old ritual amongst vampires, I guess it's the only code of honor there is amongst them - a debt which can't be made up for...
Buffy:
Giles!!!
Giles:
...eh well, she saved his life with her own life...
Willow (visibly irritated):
And that's why he wants to kill her now?
(Spike growls at her)
Angel (feels he should interfere):
Oh no, on the contrary, he was serious in what he said. (he feels sympathy with Spike) He will take care for her, protect her... well, at least that's the way such bondage ist dealt with amongst vampires.
Giles:
Yeah, may be amongst vampires, but...
Buffy:
You mean he wants to take her along and...? - No! - Or???
(they all stare at Spike)
Buffy:
Spike, that's a bloody nonsense, let's get her into hospital. (she wants to take away the girl from him)
Spike (tempted, however, finally stubborn):
No!
Angel:
Do you really want her to live a life we do? (he declines, as Spike wants to contradict) Yes, I know, you will take care, and nobody is going to harm her - but do you really think that's enough?
Buffy:
And as you've never been Mr.-Reliable...
Willow (tries to adjust):
If we take her to hospital now, you literally saved her life. She saved yours - you saved hrs - so you should be quits?
Angel (explanatory):
It's not that simple. (he turns to Spike) Nonetheless, she will bleed to death. You are no doctor - there's nothing you can do!
Giles:
Let us take her...
Spike (grimly):
No!!!
Buffy:
Then you do it - the only thing important is, anyone does it.
(something in her voice makes him realize, she's right - with a silent nod he walks off)
Scene 8.2
Hospital entrance - early morning.
Buffy, Angel, Willow and Giles are leaving the building.
Giles:
That was tight!
Willow:
Yes, it really was.
Buffy (turning to Angel):
Can you tell me why... (this serious look makes her rephrase the question) ...eh, well I always thought he hated teens...
Angel (with a shrug):
Poor Spike (he is lost in thoughts) the ritual, the blood... (to Buffy) it's like us, like looking in a mirror.
Buffy (unbelieving):
Spike is in love with that girl???
Giles (picks up the meaning of his words more quickly):
You let him feed some of your blood?!?
Angel:
Well, I...
(it is hard to say, who's more embarrassed - they all talk simultaneously)
Giles:
Buffy, Angel, I have to talk to you!!!
Angel:
It's not what you think...
Buffy:
How dare telling him, Angel!
Willow (trying to change the topic):
Where is Spike?
(they all fall silent)
Willow:
What do you think he'll do...?
Buffy (emphatically):
That, hopefully we'll never ever find out.
Giles:
Although, I eh suspect him to.... (sets for a longer monologue)
Angel:
Hm. (his look is all sad ++ Flashback: with his minds eye he sees Angelus licking his bloodstained lips, a brown-haired man lying in front of him)
Girl (in an outmoded dress and skillfully woven hair):
William??? (her voice trembles and fear is clearly written across her face - she kneels down - not taking her eyes of the supposed murderer) Your killed my brother! (her eyes drill into Angelus)
Angelus:
You should be grateful, Mylady, to me and him (he points to the lifeless figure lying in front of him). He offered his life for me to spare yours. (he bows, a diabolic smile on his face)
(William alias Spike opens his eyes)
Spike:
Catherin-Darling!
Girl:
William... (she relaxes, hugging him)
(for a second he returns her smile, before his demon is in control)
Scene 8.3
A dimmed room in a hospital. In the bed the foreign girl lies. Her
curly brown hair has been washed and combed. A fine needle, connected to
a blood conserve, sticks inside her hand. She is sleeping. A dark figure
is sitting next to the bed, watching her sleep - Spike. Stiffly he stares
he at the fragile girl.
Spike (grimly to himself):
You are mine! (hate and anger speak from his look)
(suddenly he startles, feels observed ++ present and past seem to coincide - his eyes no longer face a sleeping stranger, but a face from his past - a delicate brown-haired girl, confidently looking into his eyes)
Spike:
...mine...
Girl (wordlessly):
Always.
(he reads the word from her from their lips)
Spike (nodding, before confirming the statement):
Always (in his minds eye he still faces the old-fashionably dressed
girl, who died centuries ago - in his face a muscle is twitching, when he
brings out one final word) - Catherin!
-End-