Villains

I'm including some of the Buffy scenes, just to shed light on the ship.

But this one's going to be vague, I think. Not sure what to make of it yet...

The coroner has come and picked up Tara's body, and Xander, Buffy and Dawn are talking. They're trying to figure out where to look for Willow, and Buffy doesn't want to take Dawn. She says Dawn needs to be somewhere she feels safe. Dawn wants to go to Spike's.

Buffy is silent for a second, then gives a deep sigh. "All right," she says.

Xander, who can't believe Dawn said that, looks up. "What?" he says. "NOT all right! Are you kidding? After what Spike..."

Buffy cuts him off sharp. "Xander!" She goes to get the coats, and Xander follows.

"You're not going to leave Dawn with Mr. Attempted Rape?" he says, keeping his voice low.

"He won't hurt Dawn, okay," Buffy says, without hesitation. "He...he physically can't. Besides, he wouldn't." She's absolutely convinced of this.

But Xander isn't. "Well, after the other night, I'd say all bets are off on what he's capable of," he says.

Buffy's starting to get impatient, and comes thiiiiis close to an eye-roll. "Dawn feels safe with him," she says. Xander still isn't convinced. She fixes him with her Resolve Face. "We don't -have- a choice. Right now, he's all we've got." She stares at him, and she's not going to hear any more objections.

The television is on in Spike's crypt. Buffy and Dawn come in.

"Spike," Buffy says, and her tone is...normal. As though she's just there to chat. She's not mad, or defensive, or on her guard at all.

Clem, sitting in Spike's chair, jumps up, flinging popcorn all over the floor. "Suffering cats...!" She's startled him out of about half his wrinkles. "Where did you come from?"

Buffy, surprised herself, blinks at him. Then, remembering her manners... "Oh,Clem. Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you."

He so doesn't want her to know she scared him... " 'S okay, you just snuck up on me is all," he says.

"I made you spill your snacks." She's a little embarrassed.

"Ah, dont' worry about it," Clem says, and flaps the skin under his arm. "Like I need any more of this." He notices Dawn. "Oh, hi." And, remembering -his- manners, "Can I get you ladies something? I was just bout to mix up some CountryTime..."

"We're looking for Spike, actually," Buffy says.

Clem is taken aback. "He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Buffy says. Not suspecting...

"He left. Town." Is there a little sympathy in Clem's voice?

Buffy blinks. Didn't see THAT one coming. "Oh," she says. Maybe sounding a little lost. She looks down, swallows. Trying to take that in.

"He just took off?" Dawn is surprised. She'll get to hurt in a minute, but she didn't expect this, either.

" 's why I'm staying here for him," Clem says. "Sweet pad like this goes empty for a few days, you'll lose it for sure. Plus, I don't have a tv."

Buffy is still looking down. She purses her lips, and her shoulders sag. She's clearly not happy about this, but is it because it puts a kink in her plan, or...something else?

"Surprised he didn't tell you," Clem goes on. "He left in kind of a hurry, I guess. Sure I can't get you anything? I've got Bugles, liverwurst..." Clem's mama raised him right.

Buffy gives him a big, genuine smile. "We're fine, thank you," she says.

She asks if Dawn can stay with Clem for a bit. Dawn protests, Buffy cuts her off. Clem says he'd love the company, and asks if Dawn likes to play Parcheesi. Or maybe they could rent videos--he's been dying to see THE WEDDING PLANNER. Buffy hugs Dawn, thanks Clem, and starts to leave, but turns.

"Did he say when he'd be back?" She doesn't seem to doubt that he is coming back.

"Spike? No," Clem replies. "Only that he could be gone a =while=."

Establishing shot of African veldt, at sunset.

Spike, all in black, strides through a village. There are drums in the background, and the murmur of the villagers winding up their day. A man steps out, speaking in a language that's not English. He's obviously trying to stop Spike, who understands what he's saying.

"Not asking for prmission, mate," he says, and walks by the man, who calls after him, clearly not happy. Maybe trying to warn him..

Spike enters a cave. He uses his lighter to illuminate the walls, which are painted in crude, gory drawings that depict people having their hearts pulled from their chests, their bellies cut open with their entrails spilling out.

In the shadows, a demon, half visible, with green, glowy eyes, speaks. "You seek me, vampire?"

Spike, wary, resorts to the Big Bad. "You do the finger paintings? Nice work." But there's something strained in his voice.

"Answer me," the demon demands.

Spike pauses a moment before answering. He's half in shadow, half in light, drawn and pale, looks like he hasn't slept in days, and the remnants of one mother of a shiner are fading beneath his left eye. "Yeah," he says, maybe not wanting to give anything away, but... "I seek you."

"Something about a woman," the demon says. "The Slayer."

Spike gives a slight nod; his lip curls. "Bitch thinks she's better than me," he says, very bitter. "Ever since I got this bleeding chip in my head, things ain't been right. Everything's gone to hell." He seems not to get the irony of that statement...

"And you want to return to your former self."

"Yeah." He draws the word out, relishing the thought.

The demon laughs, low and sinister.

"What?" Spike snarls.

"Look what she's reduced you to," the demon taunts.

Be damned if he'll admit that Buffy's done this to him. "It's this bloody chip..."

The demon cuts him off. "You were a legendary dark warrior and you let yourself be castrated." It lingers on the word, and Spike's eyes narrow. The demon continues, voice dripping scorn. "And you have the audacity to crawl in here and demand restoration?"

"I'm still a warrior." Soft, dangerous. Narrowed eyes.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a demon."

"Yeah? I'll show you pathetic," he says. There's an undercurrent of hurt in his voice, beneath the pissed-off machismo. "Gimme your best shot."

"You'd never endure the trials required to grant your request." Contemptuous. Dismissive.

"Do your worst," Spike dares him. "But when I win, I want what I came here for." His voice is almost shaking with some deep emotion. Maybe rage, maybe pain, maybe determination. Maybe all three.

The demon growls and steps back, accepting the challenge.

Spike's lip curls again. "That =bitch= is gonna see a change," he whispers, his voice breaking.

--

Dori

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