Fic: Prisms-Red 1/2

[Mad-Hamlet@xxxxxxx]

Disclaimer: Theirs not mine


Drain Brameged Inc. Proudly Presents
A Mad-Hamlet Prodution



Prisms-Red

Oh, I have to get out of here. 
	
I mean I REALLY have to get out of here. It's awful. I come along to offer=
my services in the hunt not be part of some 'Bonding'. Awful, awful, awful?=
scary even.
And I'm not jealous. I just want out. Out, find the bad guys, spread them o=
ver the tarmac, bid the others a good eve, watch some soaps and get a snooze=
. 

But nnnooooo?I have to hang around and basically be assulted by 'care bear=
' antics. It's was almost a relief when the Watcher drags me out of the room=
. Almost. I can still hear them.
Crying, laughing, crying again? a big emotional slug fest. I myself wouldh=
ave prefered a normal slug fest, y'know, the ones involving actual fists. 

After waiting for what feels like too damn long I brush past the Watcher, =
poke my head in the door. They're hugging again. I close my eyes, just cam't=
stand to see.

"Excuse me." I say with my eyes still tightly shut. "I'm going to go outsi=
de and have me a smoke. If you should take too much longer I would greatly a=
ppreciate it that you bury my ashes with a pack of cigarettes."

>From the jumble of hugging humanity I hear Summer's voice.
"You are unconditially univited Spike."
Mumbling "Thank the bloody gods for that." I shut the door.

I catch the Watcher giving me an amused look. 
"Kids." I snort. 

Exactly three smokes later they join me outside. 

Red looks a little better. She's dressed in jeans, and a light jacket. Wha=
t kind of shirt she's wearing I do not know or care. The Slayer is beside h=
er, like they are glued to each other. I catch a glimpse of Red's hand, the=
one that's gripping the Slayer's. White knuckled, all the way; they won't be=
seperated easily. 

"So." I say. "Shall we depart?" 
With a bow I offer to let Red take point and of course all she does is sha=
ke her head and huddle up next to Summers. I really shouldn't provoke her. I=
t's just so much fun to do so.

**

I should be worried. I've always seen my younger charges as family and the=
behaivore they are exhibiting should make me concerned. Willow seems to hav=
e recovered almost completely from her ordeal mere hours after the fact. Thi=
s is an impossibility and I fear that she will suffer some sort of backlash.=
Particularly with her accompying us on this 'mission of vengence' it is alm=
ost a certainty. 
But I'm not paying much attention to these concerns at the moment. My hand=
s itch far too much for me to concentrate on such matters. They long to be w=
rapped around the throats of the ?things responsible for this night. 
I find myself wondering how high I could make them squeal. The others want=
the same thing I do. To take the pain and put it inside them, to see their=
eyes haunted and afraid. But that will never happen, male bravado and their=
very short lifespan assure that. Or that's how I see things. 

It is facinating. Of the one mind I am still somewhat put off by this whol=
e ring-a-ma-role. Being unsure that I can actaually kill someone?again. Many=
a demon, or vampire, or other agent of supernatural evil has fallen to by m=
y hand and I fully expect someday to fall to one of theirs. But the nagging=
sensation that questions my ability to actually end another humans life is o=
ddly muted. I am fully aware of it's questioning.

"Can you do it Giles?"
"Is it right Giles?"
"Isn't this personal Giles?"

Of the second mind?well that is simple.

"Yes Ripper."
"Yes Ripper."
"Oh yeesss..Ripper."

"G-Man, you alright?" Xander asks me as we left the dorm. "That is a reall=
y unpleasent smile you're wearing."

"Oh, er..yes Xander, I'm fine."

The others want their 'pound of flesh' as well. I can tell.
Well, they'll have to stand in line.
Senority rules and all that.
	 
Just a librarian indeed.
**

Won't leave her behind again. Not gonna do it, not gonna happen. She's nev=
er going to be alone again, strickly unalone twenty four-seven. Twenty five-=
eight if needed. Be right there for everything ..everything?her wedding, hel=
l her wedding night..who know's she might fall for a demon or something. Chi=
ldbirth? Gonna be there. Gonna, gonna, gonna.

I should join the Wiccans too. Can I do that? Being a slayer? 
What would that make me? 
A Sliccan?

It doesn't matter I will be there, I have to be there. I can't let her get=
hurt again. I won't let her get hurt like that again. I can't protect her f=
rom everything, I'm not that crazy. Paper cuts will happen, stubbed toes too=
?sharp edges on beer cans..can't stop that kind of stuff but the big stuff?n=
ope. Life is knives and it's foolish to think I can stop all of them. Wouldn=
't be fantastically healthy either but nothing's gonna cut her like this, ne=
ver gonna let her get cut this deep again.

Not gonna happen to Willow. Not my Willow. 
	
Won't let her get hurt.
Can't let her get hurt. 
Hold her close, protect her always gonna protect her, just like I should h=
ave..just like..just..
	
I have to.
It's not something I have a choice in. I have to protect her because?becau=
se?

I have a secret.

**

Ooohh man this is so uncool yet?not. But I can deal, can cope. In the word=
s of a great twentieth century poet I'm 'jiggy with it.' 

'Cause I'm gonna kill someone. Several someone's in fact. It'll be odd and=
I might find that I'm hating myself for some time to come?later. Right now,=
at this very second I'm pretty sure I'll be hating myself if I don't kill t=
he someones. 

The Someone Bunch, being butchered by a Xander near you. Fun for the whole=
family, let the kiddies tag along. Angst, drama, friendship, tragedy, comed=
y and vengence in one little package.
Best of all its's for free.

BYOP?bring your own popcorn.

I don't get it. I can feel it..on my outside. Cold..ruthlessness cold. My =
face is set in stone and I don't think I could giggle if Barney walked out i=
n front of me and got hit by truck. It's sliding over my skin like a..a?seco=
nd..skin..and..

Start over. 

It's sliding over my skin like ..THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING..no..thinking ab=
out!!
	
I'm ready to put my fist through someone's head. I have no weapons that's =
about the only thing I can do, unless I pick something up along the way. I k=
now I can do it? There's this absolute resoluteness to the whole way I'm fee=
ling, it's almost surreal. Yet here?right here I'm babbling and tossing stup=
id jokes..to who? Honestly I ask you is there anyone else around in here?

And Buffy would respond 'Thump, thump, hollow sound.' 
Or she would?if I said anything. But even if I said anything now the mostI=
'd probably get is a pained smile. From Willow. 

Buffy's so wrapped up IN Willow that I doubt she'd snap too if The Master =
and Angelus driffted by doing the Cha-Cha. I mean?look at her..just LOOK AT =
HER. She's not looking where we're going just drifting down the street eyes=
on Willow who's eyes are on Buffy who's eyes are of Willow who's eyes?

I'm feeling left out. 

It's not okay either. Yes we seemed okay in the dorm, yes Willow hugged me=
and I even managed to almost ignore it when she stiffened just a little bit=
. It's there and she seems to have bounced back so fast but it's still there=
. 
No matter what happens tonight we're just at the beginning and something ha=
s?marked us..marked Willow. And we have only begun to feel the impact of it'=
s?it's.. IT'S. The 'It' Spike talked about.
It is still there and It will never not be there again. And I want It not=
to be..want it so much that I can feel the nails on my tosies rolling up be=
cause even they are..

If Moses supposes his toeses are roses then Moses supposes errounously 'ca=
use Moses toeses aren't bunches of roses as Moses supposes his toeses may be=
.

I'm going to kill someone tonight and suddenly I am SO very cool with that=
.
**
Didn't take too long. 
To find the place where 'it' happened. Bloody figures too. Right in someon=
es back yard. I could smell it. Same thing I smelled on her. 

We all know it at almost the exact same time, me because of my senses and =
the others because Red just freezes solid. She hadn't been looking where we=
were, her eyes had been on the Almighty Slayer the entire time. I knew a spl=
it second before she did when she happens to glance up from her 'adoring gaz=
e', she looks up, took in the scenery and ?statue time. 

She just stands straight, stiff as a board eyes wide open. Under full moon=
her green eyes really stood out. Red hair and the green eyes?rather angel l=
ike. Whoever they were I couldn't begrudge them their taste in women. 

Tsk tsk William, such thoughts. 	

Bad boy.


Buffy just grabs the Witch, turns her around and pulls her into yet anothe=
r hug. Good lord, why not just ask for some thread and a needle, I'd happily=
sew the two of you together. Xander too joins the little huddle but does no=
t actually touch the two women leaving the Watcher standing behind them look=
ing uncomfortable. 

"Wait here." I say. "I'll be right back." And vanish into the darkness.

It's a back yard. Small surburban house, sun deck, round pool for the kidd=
ies. Lights on in the windows too. Whoever was inside that house probably he=
ard. Didn't do anything obviously. 

None of our buisness they think.
Doesn't really matter they think.

I move them to the top of the list of people I plan to use as munchies be=
fore going after the Slayer after I get this chip removed. A warm up exercis=
e. I find the spot where the rape took place. Yes it was a rape, sanatizing=
the word by replacing it with 'it's and 'that's' is a bloody waste of time.=
Doesn't change anything and probably winds up causing more pain in the long=
run.

Mental note: Refer to the rape as 'it' from here on out.

My my, a heady experience. I'm getting quite a buzz from being in the vici=
nity.
Willow was obviously here and ..ah..our two friends. Defiently two. Such p=
ain in the air as well. It's almost palatable. Some poltergiest will make it=
a lovely home someday. 

I backtrack the scent and follow it around the house to the sidewalk. Then=
I turn around and return to the Huggabunch. Summers is still comforting Re=
d who was is staring into space, not really home at all. Can't say as I blam=
e her as much, if this was home I'd want to be somewhere else too.

"I found the trail." I say. "We can go around."

Buffy nods and carefully leads the Witch away from her personal Hellmouth.=
 

Ooo, I like that, 'Personal Hellmouth'. Going to have to remember that one.=

**

We leave the house behind. I mark it in my memory with a mental note to re=
turn one night with a can of gasoline. Burn it to the ground, just ..all of=
it. Leave nothing behind, nothing to remain as a landmark to my..yes..yes..d=
aughter is the right word..my daughters pain. The people inside are just as=
responsible for this tragedy as those we hunt right now. Restitution demands=
payment. 
	
I believe Churchill said it best. 'For Evil to truimph it requires only th=
at good men do nothing.'

Come now Giles, I mentally chide myself, you cannot really expect to burn =
someone's house down, possibly put their entire family in dire peirl just to=
satisfy your baser insticts. Just because they were cowardly wretches who n=
o doubt listened to the screams of a girl lost and did nothing. Just because=
these are the people me and mine have risked our lives, our very souls to p=
rotect. No, I couldn't do anything so rash. 

'Ah,' I hear Ripper. 'But I can.'

Oh..well..yes..yes that is true I suppose.

**

"You know they probably heard everything."

I look up from my musing to see Spike strolling next to me. 

"The people in the house where Red was..um?entertained. They probably hear=
d everything. Didn't do lickity though. Typical humans. Shame really, maybe=
could have prevented the whole thing." 

He shrugs. "Guess we'll never know now. Hey Xand-Man, where ya goin'?

I glare over my shoulder at him. "Why to sell some girl scout cookies Spike=
-Baby."

He reaches over and lazily hoists me off the ground with one hand. "Cool ye=
r' jets Harris. They'll get what's comings to them. In fact.." His features=
shift and all pretense at humanity he has are just..we call it a vamps 'Game=
Face' but it's not really a funny game. I'd actaully like my money back. Pl=
ease.

"Payback's a bitch!" he says through his fangs. 

"And just how will you, oh Chippified one, be able to enact said payback?" =
I mumble, I am painfully aware that my toes are a good six inches off the gr=
ound. 

"A temporary condition I assure you." Spike says and drops me, resuming his=
normal appearence. He sounds somewhat grumpy all of a sudden, like his fun=
time didn't go as he had hoped. 

Good.

I look at Buffy and Willow. The Buffmiester has one arm around Willow's wai=
st, can't hear what she's saying, it could be nothing, could be everything..=
.so long as it distracts Willow. Don't let her see, don't let her feel. I su=
ppose that's an all right thing, no it is an all right thing. 

Still can't help but feel a little left out again though. When did I lose b=
ase with them anyway? High school? They're roomates now so I guess there is=
something about living with someone that I can't compete with..not that we'r=
e competing. 

My place is here, at the front. Right, I can believe that. The avenging mal=
e warrior going out to see the things done wrong put right. That's me, the .=
.already used warrior..and avenger..the um..Neanderthal.

Oh man.
**

The scent is very clear now. Leads right to where I thought it would. A lit=
tle, nothing, ramshackle hole-in-wall establishment. Only one actual window,=
the others are borded over, a flurry of neon signs outside all of them havi=
ng at least one burnt out letter. A large number of moterbikes out front wit=
h women of 'questionable origins' hanging all over them.

It's like coming home. 

"In there." I point.
Buffy, hey she actually managed to pry herself away from the Witch; funny I=
didn't see anyone with a crowbar, comes up beside me. 

"You sure?" She asks.

"Positive. The scent backtracks here from the ..place. Returns here too. Se=
ems, whoever they are, had a little something to drink, sought out some 'ent=
ertainment' and came back to 'relive the highlights' I'd wager."

"They still there?"

"No scent to say otherwise."

She reaches up and pats me on my head. "Good boy, Scooby."

Being characteristicly the modest chap that I am let it pass over me though=
I will confess images of slayer corpses in various states of decompensition=
do swim invitingly in front of my eyes. Instead of giving in to the urge to=
snarl, just this once, I simply look at her with raised eyebrows.

"Biscuit?"

"What?" She looks confused now.

"I want a biscuit. You said 'good boy' now, give me a biscuit."

"I uh..don't have a biscuit." From behind I can hear Red give a small giggl=
e. She is a strong lass in't she? 

"Fine then." I say striding toward the entrance. "You're buying the beer."

I enter ahead of them in case the crowd at the door gets a little?uppity.W=
hat timing, it would seem one of women of unsure morals has damaged the zipp=
er on her leather vest. The rest seem to be distracted, a perfect entrance i=
f I ever saw one. 

The inside definetly brings back memories. A well lit bar runs along one si=
de of the room with several decades of various carving on it's surface. The=
liquid in the bottles is probably fatal and the 'bartender' even more so. De=
spite the lights the corners of the room are shadowed with the only other li=
ght source being the one over the pool table. It would be remiss to not have=
a heavy cloud of cigarette smoke. Any youngling childe would probably pass=
out from the overwhemling overload on the senses if the call of so much bloo=
d didn't knock them ass over teakettle first. The fact that I can't have any=
of it does make me cranky.

The rest come up behind me, walking in a protective circle with Red at the =
center who is again, looking frightened and very pale. One extreme to the o=
ther chippie? You really should settle on a median and stick with it. 

"Well?" Buffy nudges me. "Where are they?" 

Oh dear. 

She's got that look in her eye that does not bode well for anyone on the re=
ceiving end of her anger. Or anyone in a five mile radius. I carefully glanc=
e downward and see she still is holding hands with the Witch; a very tight g=
rip, any bit more and Red will be suffering from not only a broken spirit bu=
t a broken hand. 
I lean over and whisper into the Slayer's ear. "First off Summers this will=
take a few minutes as there are a hell of lot of conflicting smells to sort=
through. Secondly you might want to ease off on the pressure for Red back t=
here, I'm not quite sure she'd appreciate having her hand ground to powder."=


She shoots me an angry look but lets up the pressure a tad. I think. I look=
back at Red and it doesn't look like she's noticed. She's standing absolutl=
y rigid, eyes really, wide. This is a guess but I figure if I used my full v=
ampiric strength I might be able to slip a piece of paper in between her and=
the Slayer. 
Bringing her here was a bad idea.

"Hey, Red..you in there?" I wave my hand in front of her face and she blin=
ks a few times. 
"You sure you up to this Red?" I ask again still waving my hand in her fac=
e then, with a speed I cannot help but envy, she grabs my hand. 

"It's..cold." She whispers.

"Well, yeah..that's because it's dead." 

"Cold and..hard?strong right? Can grow big long talons that can carve thro=
ugh flesh..right?"

I nod slowly, I can feel Summers's eyes boring into me. This is very bad.

"That's right Red." I say in what I hope is a soothing tone. Havn't had to=
use one in fifty years. "Very strong, very cold and it can and has done man=
y terrible things in it's history of being attached to my wrist."

Red just looks at me for a second before letting my hand drop.

"Good." She leans forward and whispers in my ear. "That means it won't tur=
n into a pillow and try and drown me."

Bloody hell! 
	
The Witch turns back to Buffy. "Can we sit down? My..I'm feeling kind of t=
ired." 

You're not the only one Red.

"There's a booth over here Wills" Xander says. 

"Not there Harris, it's too far back. That one," And I point to a booth nea=
r the open window. "Air currents will let me find em' fast too."

"Whatever man, you're the bloodhound."

"You have no idea."
**


It has been many, many years since I was last in an 'establishment' such a=
s this. Wonderful how quickly it all comes back. Like riding a bicycle. We e=
ase ourselves into our seats. Buffy and Willow sit across from us, the two o=
f them doing their utmost to remain in physical contact at all times. Buffy=
hasn't said anything since we left the dorm, except to whisper to Willow and=
demand results from Spike, the rest of us may as well not even be here. 

I know where she is right now. What Xander playfully refers to as 'Slayer-=
Mode'. Everything except what she considers her responsibility is..outside h=
er scope of caring. If it furthers her end goals she'll speak aloud but othe=
r than that we simply do not exist. I should speak up, should say how this d=
oes not involve her actual Slayer duties. I would be well within my rights t=
o even insist she not even be here and instead be out patrolling or research=
ing some evil. At the very least resting up for whatever ever real challenge=
my yet be coming.

I doubt I'd survive the experience.

It doesn't matter much though. I'm where she is too. An empty place that k=
eeps the waves of?I'm not poetic enough for this. What matter though is that=
I can relate to what she is..what everyone is ..not feeling. Better put not=
allowing themselves to feel. We are all so far beyond a typical 'Watcher-Sl=
ayer' situation. We are family and one of our family has been injured. There=
fore we are acting as a family, gathering together for support and, going ou=
t to ...what was the line from that horrible movie they made me watch? 'Kick=
ass and chew bubblegum. And we're all outta' gum.'

Spike has returned. He's carrying a platter with five empty glasses and a =
pitcher of beer. 

"I know, this stuff is probably horrible but help yourselves. It hasn't ki=
lled me yet." 
	
He slides in the seat next to Buffy.

"We're not here to drink Spike!" Xander snaps. 

"True, true." Spike lights up a cigarette and takes a long drag before con=
tinuing. "But other people do, and we stand out bad enough as it is. So, try=
and fit in."

"He's right." I say. "We should try and 'fit in' as it were." And I reach =
for the pitcher.

"Would yoo like a pint of bitter guvna'?" Spike says doing a terrible mimi=
cry of a cockny accent. 

I ignore him and pour beer into separate glasses. Xander grabs his and tak=
es a swallow while Buffy picks up two of the glasses, one for herself and th=
e other she places in front of Willow. I reach for my own glass and take sip=
. Part of my mind absently informs me this is the worst beer I've ever taste=
d. The majority of it doesn't care so I take another sip. 

Buffy hasn't touched her own and Willow is simply looking at the Slayer's =
hand clasped in her lap. 
No one says anything. Just sit and wait for Spike to tell us he's found the=
m.

**

Why are we here? We should be back in the dorm, I should be holding her an=
d ..and maybe singing her a lulllabye so she can sleep. My mom knew some won=
derful lullabies and she'd sing them to me when I couldn't sleep, when I was=
convinced there were monsters under the bed and they wanted to get me. 

I've fucked up so badly. 

We all know now, and have for some time, that the monsters under the bed w=
ere and are real. I've tried my best to keep them away from my friends, okay=
, I've messed up sometimes but this...

Why her? Why someone as innocent and caring as Willow? Why not..why not me=
? I could handle it, hell, they wouldn't have gotten a hand on me..I would h=
ave scattered them and ..and..I?

Will not cry..not here. Damnit exercise some control Summers. 

She's looking at me. She's not accusing me with her eyes?she's..she's..wor=
ried about me..
I don't..I don't..deserve her concern. I failed her I should have been ther=
e and now she's hurt and she's worried about me..damnit I will not cry!

I grab my glass and swallow half of the beer. Eww..that is really bad tas=
ting stuff.  

She's still looking at me. Guess I'm the staked one now. 

She reaches out with one hand and slowly brushes some of the hair out my e=
yes. "It's not your fault." She murmers. I can feel the others eyes on us an=
d my instinct to run, to just grab Willow and go through a wall if needed, i=
s almost all consuming. 

I open my mouth to ..to..get her to shut up ..to stop being nice to me to.=
.to start accusing me or..get her angry or something! Something I can handle=
..something I can use to beat myself up with. Something I deserve but she cu=
ts me off. 

"It's not your fault." She says again before taking my hand, the one still=
resting in her lap. "We'll talk about it later."

Now I'm wondering just who might wind up singing lullabies to whom when th=
is is all over. When did I become the protected one?

"That was a true Hallmark moment."

I really have to kill Spike one of these days.

**

Cold glass is burning into my hand. Hurts a bit but nothing 'The Xander' c=
an't handle. Nope, no problems here. The problems are over there. With Willo=
w and Buffy. They're close..too close. Air would have a hard time getting in=
with how protective Buffy is being. 

It's not fair. I've known Willow far longer than her, I was there for Will=
ow for years when it was us against the entire Sunnydale Youth Population of=
Doom. We even dated! Alright we were five but that still counts for somethi=
ng. And now, neither of them are even looking at me. 

Hey! Over here! That's right!! Friend here..friend me.. Me am good friend =
too. Hello!! Anyone noticing me? Bipedal? Dark haired? Known for a rather bi=
zzare sense of humor and an inability to keep my mouth shut? Undeniably mal=
e?

Of course that's the problem now isn't it. They're not ignoring me because=
of who I am, they're ignoring all of us because of what we are. 

Penile enhanced life forms. 
	
And I don't know who to be angry at. The..er..them because of what they di=
d, Willow and Buffy for starting to distrust me simply because of what I hav=
e..all right that was nursery school thinking if there ever was any. What ne=
xt, I've got an outty?

I think I'll blame the proverbile 'them'. The trust between Willow and mys=
elf, why not add in the whole crew, the bond between the entire gand has bee=
n thrown into turmoil cause of them. 'Cause of what they did. Soon as Spike=
finds 'em for us they will no longer be proverbile. They will merely be 'ex'=
as in an 'ex-them.' 

Buffy's asking Spike again if he's got which person in this dive are the o=
nes we want.

He's saying no. 

He's lying. I know I can tell. It's that little smirk he's got. A little '=
whoops' and the corner of his mouth uptilts a good ninty degrees. Aaannnddd.=
.now he's looking at me..sure..wiggle those eyebrows Spike..way to be cool.=


Ok, so he knows I know he's lying and that means?I have no idea. I couldt=
ell Buffy ..but that ..probably wouldn't do any good so I guess I'll sit her=
e and..

Work on my art.

Shit.

**

Caught Harris giving me the hairy eyeball. Guess he know's I'm fibbing. Co=
urse I'm fibbing. I locked onto the prey the second we walked in the place.=
I'm just having so much fun right now. 
	
Yes, granted what happened to the chit was a 'real tragedy and something s=
hould never have happened to anyone like her.' I'll agree with that..somethi=
ng like that shouldn't happen to her. Something like ME should happen to Gli=
nda, good witch or the South. 

No..that's not fair. She's hurtin'. Poor kid. Hurtin' really bad and I jus=
t can't bring myself to wanna hurt her right now. Wait till she's happy agai=
n.

THEN hurt her.
That'll work.

For now just..lounge back, enjoy the thrill of the hunt and let's listen i=
n to our boys behind us. 

Yes that's right, they're behind us. 
That's why I wanted this booth. So I could evesdrop maybe pick of a few po=
inters.
I'm just kidding.

But I am listening? over the dull drone no one but vampy ears could picki=
t up..sometimes it's really good to be dead. 

"?and her eyes, man did you see how big they got when I.."
	
"I hear ya and what about?"

"? God that was the best! Sure screamed a lot though."

"Gonna have a headache for a week. Still, that was a kick ass time no?"

"Indeed man. Too good to pass up a second time."

"Say what?"

"I know of her man, on the campus? I know where she lives.."

"Yeah?so?"

"We could pay her a visit?few nights from now..never expect it."

"Mmm..nah..nah..too risky."
"I'd risk anything to get my hands on those?"

"Alright, alright you talked me into it."

"Pussy."

"Shut up and buy the beer."

"Spike?Spike?SPIKE!!"

I snap back.. Summers is poking me on the shoulder. "What?" I growl.

"You were going vampy you moron." She snarls back. 
	
She's right. I can feel my fangs receding, damn don't tell me ..I was gett=
ing angry again. 
Alright ..so I was getting angry, big deal. Those two went into my territor=
y. Everyone knows that Buffy and Co. are mine. So you touch what's mine I ri=
p off the offending limb off and beat you to death with it. 

I have got to lay off the movies.

It's not like I care or anything. 

"They're behind us." 

"What? It took you this long to figure out they were behind us?" Buffy cha=
llenges me.

"He knew where they were the second we got here." Giles now. Great..gang u=
p on ol'Spikey time. 

"Then why?"

"Because he was probably getting off listening in to em', laughing his dea=
d-white ass off I'll bet." Xander. Boy's sharper than he looks. 

I turn my head to see Buffy's blue eyes carving into my own. If looks coul=
d kill..I wouldn't notice.
Willow isn't even looking at us though. One hand still holds the Slayers ow=
n in a death grip while with the fingers of her other hand she's tracing the=
loops and whirls of various carvings in the tabletop. 

"You're a pig Spike." Summers gets out through clenched teeth.

"Hey now Baby, they're right to a point. I did know where they were and I =
did listen in..normally I would happily confess to enjoying anything they mi=
ght have had to share. I'm a BAD GUY, Slayer..I would think you might unders=
tand what that means by now. However this is not 'regular' circumstances and=
I was not 'getting my jollies' either." 

I hunch forward and bring my face mere centimeters from the Slayer's ear. =


"I listened, " I whisper..I can smell her breath..hear it shuddering in an=
d out of her lungs, she's hanging with less of a threat than Red back there.=
Hmm..wheels within wheels. "I listened because it will make them taste that=
much sweeter when we carve out their hearts." 

I pause.

"I listened to feed my anger."

She turns into my gaze and our eyes lock again. I can see the sparks danci=
ng between us but I'm not fool enough to think these are some twisted form o=
f attraction. These are sparks that will one day ignite and annhilate us bot=
h.

"And is your anger full?" She says back just as quietly.

I lean back out of the challenge and shrug. "I suppose." I say before grin=
ning. 

"We'll wait for them outside then." She announces to the group. 

Harris and the Watcher simply nod before sliding out of the booth, I turn =
to see Summers again staring at me. Of course..she wants me to move. 

I entertain the thought of ignoring her but..no..I've had my fun.