April Rain: Chapter 8
by orchid17
Willow leaned over the coffee shop attendant who has collapsed to the floor. She didn’t blame her. First her friend was kidnapped, then she was scared shitless by Spike who broke out the vamp-face when she punched him. Willow had to admit it was a good punch. Strong and well executed, even Spike had been thrown off.

“Look what you did,” Xander said in his whiney annoyed tone, “I think you may have scared her to death.” Spike rolled his eyes. He wasn’t the kind of person to be caught up in sentimentality. He didn’t feel bad about scaring the girl, and Willow knew he wouldn’t.

“She’s fine,” Willow whispered, more for her benefit than that of the guys. The girl had begun to stir slightly, raising her head off the floor. She put her hand on her forehead as she sat up, like she was trying to steady herself.

She made a soft groaning noise. Pulling her knees to her chest, she rested her head on them. For a minute, Willow thought she was crying, but then she climbed to her feet. She walked to where Spike was sitting and stood in front of him. Her hands were shaking and she refused to make eye contact.

“Sorry I hit you,” she said calmly. Spike stared at her. If he had been any other person his mouth would have been hanging open. Since it was Spike, only the slight rise of his eyebrows divulged his actual feelings.

“My name’s April and I’m coming with you,” she said with complete resolve.

“No offense,” said Xander, “but we really don’t need your help, we’ve done this before.”

“That’s not it,” April replied. She looked out the window and her eyes grew distant. “It’s a feeling, like something I just have to do.” Here she turned to face them again. “I’m sorry you don’t understand, but I can’t let you go without me.”

Spike and Xander both began to argue, but Willow raised her hand. “No, it’s okay. Buffy used to get those feelings.” The last bit she said very quietly, almost inaudibly.

“Thank you,” April said to Willow, her eyes shone with tears. Although they were present, Willow had a feeling that they weren’t for this woman, Celia, that they were about to save. There was something else, something darker buried in those blue eyes. The same instinct told her that this girl would never cry those tears, although she wasn’t sure why.

April was afraid as she rode down the main street in the cramped car. She was going god knows where with people she’d met only an hour ago. Worst of all she was in the back seat with something that definitely wasn’t human. Spike hadn’t spoken to her since she hit him, but she could feel him watching her every so often.

The car was driving into a part of town that April hadn’t ventured to. The buildings were run down and there weren’t any people. She shivered, most from nervous fear than from cold. Willow, the redhead, turned from the passenger seat and gave her a sympathetic smile.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity of awkward silence April said timidly, “Where are we going? How do you know where this guy took Celia?”

“We don’t,” replied Xander from the driver’s seat, “but we do know someone that could tell us who this guy is and who he’s working with.”
The thought of the man working with or possibly for something more terrible made April shiver even more. She leaned against the window of the car, feeling as if she might inexplicably vomit at any moment.

At length, Xander pulled the car up to a ratty old building. There weren’t any lights on and there didn’t seem to be any form of life inside. Then April shuddered as she thought of the dead that could be inhabiting the building. She scooted further away from Spike. He seemed to ignore her.

“Come on,” said Willow to April, “We’re going to see a friend of mine.”

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