Bewitched, Chapter 21
Aug. 22nd, 2009 01:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thismazTitle: Bewitched, Chapter 21
Pairing: S/X. I promise it will get back there... eventually.
Rating: This chapter PG-13
Summary: Valentine's Day arrived and Dru dipped her finger in the brew, giving it a stir.
Word Count: 1,955
Betaed by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sparrow2000 and DJ, for which, many thanks. Thanks also to Sparrow for conflabbing on plot twists and forms.
Comments: Are greatly appreciated, loved and cherished.
Disclaimer: here.
Prologue here, with a link to the other chapters, or you can find the whole thing, in reverse order, in tags, or in the correct order, in memories. There's a menu of links on the right hand side of my main journal page.
Many thanks tomwrgana for the beautiful banner.
Chapter 21
The Slayer and her gang were nothing if not predictable. Within ten minutes of the sun setting, Spike was in the courtyard outside the Watcher's flat, peering in through the window by the door, and there they were. Stepping back, he scanned the outside of the building. Above him, a wooden balcony that had to belong to the Watcher's place stretched right across the front. Squinting up between the railings, he could see a glass door and, further over, the dark arch of a window embrasure.
He pulled the strap of his lightweight crossbow over his head, so that the weapon was safe on his back, bent his knees and launched himself up into the air. Grabbing the handrail, he pulled himself over and crawled across to the door. The room beyond was dark, but it appeared to be the Watcher's bedroom. Crouching low, he made his way along the balcony to the window and peeked over the sill. The main room of the flat was laid out below him, with only the staircase banister rails to obscure his view.
His expectation, that he'd have to smash the glass in order to get a clean shot, proved unfounded. The latch was loose and easily jigged with the point of his knife. Easing the window open, he looked down.
The Slayer's gang were huddled around a coffee table in front of the fireplace, deep in discussion and, judging by the mugs and plates scattered around, they'd been at it for some time. Right in the middle of the table sat his ring. No one was looking up in his direction.
As he unslung his crossbow and extracted a couple of bolts from the quiver on his belt, Spike gave thanks for their apparent inability to make a decision. After the stress of waiting, unable to reach them, and the nightmares he'd suffered that they'd have already got rid of his ring, at last he felt some of his customary confidence return. Cocking the crossbow, he nocked a bolt into place.
Inside the room, Xander was sitting in a comfortable looking chair next to the fireplace. The Watcher was perched on a dinning chair at the opposite end of the coffee table, giving Spike a perfect sight on his head and chest. Between them was a sofa, where the Witch, the Slayer and a boy Spike didn't recognise, sat. Judging by how close the Witch was sitting to him, Spike guessed that the unknown was her boyfriend.
The first shot had to be for the householder and, as long as he struck true, he'd then be free to enter. The second bolt he laid ready on the window sill, for the Slayer. He reckoned he could get two shots off, before any of them would react. Unfortunately, that would still leave three and judging by Xander's behaviour at the campus he had to assume that the boy would fight. Spike knew that he needed to feed, in order to heal, but retrieving his ring was too important for any delay, so he'd be fighting at half strength. He pulled out two more bolts and laid them on the sill.
"It doesn't look like much," Xander observed, his voice carrying clearly up to Spike's window.
Spike raised the crossbow and took sight on the Watcher's neck.
The Watcher leaned forward in his chair, studying the ring without touching it, his movement spoiling Spike's shot. "It might not," he said, sitting back up. Spike once again centred his aim. "But it's still very dangerous. And we have to destroy it."
That was what Spike had feared. He didn't want to start a relationship with Xander in the aftermath of a massacre. That sort of thing had a way of carrying over, beyond death. Since he had no intention of driving the boy mad, he didn't want any resentment clouding his new childe's heart, but if it meant saving the ring from destruction, he'd do it and deal with any fallout when it came.
He took up the tension on the trigger with his finger, but before he could fire, the Slayer stood up, blocking his shot again. With a silent curse he released the pressure. She walked past the Watcher and started to pace back and forth in front of the fireplace and Spike hesitated, wondering if taking her out first would not be the wisest move. The Watcher would be sure to jump to his feet to go to her, if she fell. "No. We don't destroy it," she said.
Allowing his arm to drop, Spike listened.
The Witch nestled into her boyfriend's side in their corner of the sofa and he lifted his arm to rest it around her shoulders. Xander was watching the Slayer and Spike couldn't see his face to read his expression. Eventually, the Watcher spoke. "Buffy, any vampire that gets his hand on this is going to be essentially unkillable." He paused but the Slayer just looked at him. After a moment, he slumped in his chair. "Oh," he said.
With a vague wave of his hand, the other boy offered, "I have that gig in LA. I could swing by." He said it as if it somehow followed and Spike studied his profile, but was unable to read any relevance into the statement.
Apparently there was some because the Slayer turned to him with a grateful smile and thanked him. Spike was still in the dark, however, and he didn't like it. What the hell did LA have to do with his ring?
Xander seemed equally confused. "What's going on? What's in LA?" he asked.
Spike couldn't hear exactly what the Witch said when she leaned across her boyfriend to reply, her voice was too soft, but he thought he caught the name 'Angel'.
Right. Angel had moved to LA in the summer. Willy's bar had still been buzzing with the news when Spike first arrived in town. Xander didn't look too happy, but Spike knew that he'd never had much love for Spike's grandsire. It was something else they had in common.
The Watcher was frowning, but it didn't seem like he was going to put up a fight and the Slayer's voice was firm when she said, "He should have it."
Spike unnocked the bolt from his crossbow. The Watcher would never know how close he'd come to death, nor how the Slayer had just saved his life. If they were going to give the Gem to Angel, Spike could collect it after he'd finished his business in Sunnydale. He slung the crossbow over one shoulder and slipped the bolts back in their quiver. Below him, the group was already making the small movements that indicated the meeting was about to break up. He'd arrived just in time. When Xander left, he would follow.
First, he'd find out where Xander was living. Then, he'd find something to eat, and third, he'd get Wolfram & Hart to retrieve his treasure. Only then would he go and deal with his grandsire. And when he went, he'd have his childe at his side. With Xander's inside knowledge of how the Scooby Gang operated, getting the Gem from Angel would be child's play, literally.
He stood up, and away from the window. Pausing, he took a moment to study Xander. "Don't worry," he whispered. "Once we've had our chat, it won't matter what Dru did. You'll be mine, and you'll love it."
There was a tree by the side of the road outside the Watcher's gate which would provide good cover, until Xander came out. Spike climbed back over the handrail and jumped down from his perch.
Before he left the courtyard, he paused to take one last look through the window by the door, to judge how long they would hang around, now that the Slayer had finally made her ruling. Xander had stood up and had his coat in his hands. The Slayer was still over by the fireplace and the Watcher was in the process of hauling himself to his feet.
A strange crackling noise, like static, sounded behind him and he'd started to turn, when he was hit by something. Then he was falling and the pain was as bad as the burns from the sun. Dimly, he was aware that his arms, his legs, his whole body, were twitching and shaking. Blue flashes obscured his vision and he lost consciousness.
*****
Oz looked up. "What was that?" he said.
Looking around the room and seeing nothing alarming, Xander asked, "What was what?"
"I thought I heard something. Outside."
Buffy walked cautiously over to the door. She paused to listen, but shook her head. "I don't hear anything."
Leaving Willow on the sofa, Oz joined her and put his ear to the door. "A sort of... scuffling," he whispered.
They were all on their feet by this time and Xander went to the weapon's chest Giles kept on the floor by his desk. He opened it and pulled out a single handed crossbow and a quiver of bolts. Standing up, he threw them across to Buffy, who caught them deftly. She primed the crossbow and nocked a bolt. Handing the quiver to Oz, she signalled him to stand back and opened the door, peering around the edge, crossbow at the ready. The rest of them stood frozen, as if afraid to make a sound, as they watched her. Xander realised he was holding his breath and let it out as slowly as he could.
After a moment, Buffy relaxed and opened the door wide. "There's nothing there," she said. "Oh, hang on." She disappeared into the courtyard, returning a moment later with two crossbows. "That's odd," she said, examining the extra weapon. "This is mine. I lost it about a month ago. One minute it was in my room, the next..." She shrugged.
"It went 'poof'?" Xander guessed.
"Well, sorta. I don't remember losing it." She shrugged again. "I guess I must have. Oh well, I have it back now. Whoever had it is gone. There's no one out there."
"Maybe it was a peace offering," Willow suggested.
Somehow Xander doubted that, but Oz had relaxed and Buffy had declared an all-clear, so he pulled on his coat. "Okay, you party people," he observed, rubbing his hands together. "Some of you slackers might only have your beds to look forward to," he ignored the glance Willow and Oz shared and the slight smirk on Buffy's face, "but I have to get to work." He patted his back pockets to check that he had a spare stake and cross. "Catch up later, yeah? Giles, see you tomorrow?"
Giles nodded his agreement. "Yes, certainly. Good idea. Tomorrow," he said, looking at the others and placing heavy emphasis on the last word. If he'd been less polite, Xander thought he'd be making shooing motions, he looked so relieved that they were finally leaving.
Willow gave a little giggle and Oz's lips twitched. Crossing back to the coffee table, Oz scooped up the ring. He slung an arm around Willow's shoulders and together they all piled out of Giles' apartment and up the steps to the street. The other three clambering into Oz's van to head back to the campus and Xander waited until they'd pulled away, before he got into his own car and drove the short distance to Dino's Pizza Place to begin his shift. He still wasn't sure how he felt about Spike being back in town, but if he worried about it, he knew he'd never do anything. Tomorrow, he decided, he'd start his hunt for a new place to live. In the meantime, he'd keep his stake and cross close at hand.
Note: Some snippets of dialogue from episode 4.03 - In the harsh light of day
Next Chapter
Pairing: S/X. I promise it will get back there... eventually.
Rating: This chapter PG-13
Summary: Valentine's Day arrived and Dru dipped her finger in the brew, giving it a stir.
Word Count: 1,955
Betaed by
sparrow2000 and DJ, for which, many thanks. Thanks also to Sparrow for conflabbing on plot twists and forms.Comments: Are greatly appreciated, loved and cherished.
Disclaimer: here.
Prologue here, with a link to the other chapters, or you can find the whole thing, in reverse order, in tags, or in the correct order, in memories. There's a menu of links on the right hand side of my main journal page.
Many thanks to
mwrgana for the beautiful banner.Chapter 21
The Slayer and her gang were nothing if not predictable. Within ten minutes of the sun setting, Spike was in the courtyard outside the Watcher's flat, peering in through the window by the door, and there they were. Stepping back, he scanned the outside of the building. Above him, a wooden balcony that had to belong to the Watcher's place stretched right across the front. Squinting up between the railings, he could see a glass door and, further over, the dark arch of a window embrasure.
He pulled the strap of his lightweight crossbow over his head, so that the weapon was safe on his back, bent his knees and launched himself up into the air. Grabbing the handrail, he pulled himself over and crawled across to the door. The room beyond was dark, but it appeared to be the Watcher's bedroom. Crouching low, he made his way along the balcony to the window and peeked over the sill. The main room of the flat was laid out below him, with only the staircase banister rails to obscure his view.
His expectation, that he'd have to smash the glass in order to get a clean shot, proved unfounded. The latch was loose and easily jigged with the point of his knife. Easing the window open, he looked down.
The Slayer's gang were huddled around a coffee table in front of the fireplace, deep in discussion and, judging by the mugs and plates scattered around, they'd been at it for some time. Right in the middle of the table sat his ring. No one was looking up in his direction.
As he unslung his crossbow and extracted a couple of bolts from the quiver on his belt, Spike gave thanks for their apparent inability to make a decision. After the stress of waiting, unable to reach them, and the nightmares he'd suffered that they'd have already got rid of his ring, at last he felt some of his customary confidence return. Cocking the crossbow, he nocked a bolt into place.
Inside the room, Xander was sitting in a comfortable looking chair next to the fireplace. The Watcher was perched on a dinning chair at the opposite end of the coffee table, giving Spike a perfect sight on his head and chest. Between them was a sofa, where the Witch, the Slayer and a boy Spike didn't recognise, sat. Judging by how close the Witch was sitting to him, Spike guessed that the unknown was her boyfriend.
The first shot had to be for the householder and, as long as he struck true, he'd then be free to enter. The second bolt he laid ready on the window sill, for the Slayer. He reckoned he could get two shots off, before any of them would react. Unfortunately, that would still leave three and judging by Xander's behaviour at the campus he had to assume that the boy would fight. Spike knew that he needed to feed, in order to heal, but retrieving his ring was too important for any delay, so he'd be fighting at half strength. He pulled out two more bolts and laid them on the sill.
"It doesn't look like much," Xander observed, his voice carrying clearly up to Spike's window.
Spike raised the crossbow and took sight on the Watcher's neck.
The Watcher leaned forward in his chair, studying the ring without touching it, his movement spoiling Spike's shot. "It might not," he said, sitting back up. Spike once again centred his aim. "But it's still very dangerous. And we have to destroy it."
That was what Spike had feared. He didn't want to start a relationship with Xander in the aftermath of a massacre. That sort of thing had a way of carrying over, beyond death. Since he had no intention of driving the boy mad, he didn't want any resentment clouding his new childe's heart, but if it meant saving the ring from destruction, he'd do it and deal with any fallout when it came.
He took up the tension on the trigger with his finger, but before he could fire, the Slayer stood up, blocking his shot again. With a silent curse he released the pressure. She walked past the Watcher and started to pace back and forth in front of the fireplace and Spike hesitated, wondering if taking her out first would not be the wisest move. The Watcher would be sure to jump to his feet to go to her, if she fell. "No. We don't destroy it," she said.
Allowing his arm to drop, Spike listened.
The Witch nestled into her boyfriend's side in their corner of the sofa and he lifted his arm to rest it around her shoulders. Xander was watching the Slayer and Spike couldn't see his face to read his expression. Eventually, the Watcher spoke. "Buffy, any vampire that gets his hand on this is going to be essentially unkillable." He paused but the Slayer just looked at him. After a moment, he slumped in his chair. "Oh," he said.
With a vague wave of his hand, the other boy offered, "I have that gig in LA. I could swing by." He said it as if it somehow followed and Spike studied his profile, but was unable to read any relevance into the statement.
Apparently there was some because the Slayer turned to him with a grateful smile and thanked him. Spike was still in the dark, however, and he didn't like it. What the hell did LA have to do with his ring?
Xander seemed equally confused. "What's going on? What's in LA?" he asked.
Spike couldn't hear exactly what the Witch said when she leaned across her boyfriend to reply, her voice was too soft, but he thought he caught the name 'Angel'.
Right. Angel had moved to LA in the summer. Willy's bar had still been buzzing with the news when Spike first arrived in town. Xander didn't look too happy, but Spike knew that he'd never had much love for Spike's grandsire. It was something else they had in common.
The Watcher was frowning, but it didn't seem like he was going to put up a fight and the Slayer's voice was firm when she said, "He should have it."
Spike unnocked the bolt from his crossbow. The Watcher would never know how close he'd come to death, nor how the Slayer had just saved his life. If they were going to give the Gem to Angel, Spike could collect it after he'd finished his business in Sunnydale. He slung the crossbow over one shoulder and slipped the bolts back in their quiver. Below him, the group was already making the small movements that indicated the meeting was about to break up. He'd arrived just in time. When Xander left, he would follow.
First, he'd find out where Xander was living. Then, he'd find something to eat, and third, he'd get Wolfram & Hart to retrieve his treasure. Only then would he go and deal with his grandsire. And when he went, he'd have his childe at his side. With Xander's inside knowledge of how the Scooby Gang operated, getting the Gem from Angel would be child's play, literally.
He stood up, and away from the window. Pausing, he took a moment to study Xander. "Don't worry," he whispered. "Once we've had our chat, it won't matter what Dru did. You'll be mine, and you'll love it."
There was a tree by the side of the road outside the Watcher's gate which would provide good cover, until Xander came out. Spike climbed back over the handrail and jumped down from his perch.
Before he left the courtyard, he paused to take one last look through the window by the door, to judge how long they would hang around, now that the Slayer had finally made her ruling. Xander had stood up and had his coat in his hands. The Slayer was still over by the fireplace and the Watcher was in the process of hauling himself to his feet.
A strange crackling noise, like static, sounded behind him and he'd started to turn, when he was hit by something. Then he was falling and the pain was as bad as the burns from the sun. Dimly, he was aware that his arms, his legs, his whole body, were twitching and shaking. Blue flashes obscured his vision and he lost consciousness.
*****
Oz looked up. "What was that?" he said.
Looking around the room and seeing nothing alarming, Xander asked, "What was what?"
"I thought I heard something. Outside."
Buffy walked cautiously over to the door. She paused to listen, but shook her head. "I don't hear anything."
Leaving Willow on the sofa, Oz joined her and put his ear to the door. "A sort of... scuffling," he whispered.
They were all on their feet by this time and Xander went to the weapon's chest Giles kept on the floor by his desk. He opened it and pulled out a single handed crossbow and a quiver of bolts. Standing up, he threw them across to Buffy, who caught them deftly. She primed the crossbow and nocked a bolt. Handing the quiver to Oz, she signalled him to stand back and opened the door, peering around the edge, crossbow at the ready. The rest of them stood frozen, as if afraid to make a sound, as they watched her. Xander realised he was holding his breath and let it out as slowly as he could.
After a moment, Buffy relaxed and opened the door wide. "There's nothing there," she said. "Oh, hang on." She disappeared into the courtyard, returning a moment later with two crossbows. "That's odd," she said, examining the extra weapon. "This is mine. I lost it about a month ago. One minute it was in my room, the next..." She shrugged.
"It went 'poof'?" Xander guessed.
"Well, sorta. I don't remember losing it." She shrugged again. "I guess I must have. Oh well, I have it back now. Whoever had it is gone. There's no one out there."
"Maybe it was a peace offering," Willow suggested.
Somehow Xander doubted that, but Oz had relaxed and Buffy had declared an all-clear, so he pulled on his coat. "Okay, you party people," he observed, rubbing his hands together. "Some of you slackers might only have your beds to look forward to," he ignored the glance Willow and Oz shared and the slight smirk on Buffy's face, "but I have to get to work." He patted his back pockets to check that he had a spare stake and cross. "Catch up later, yeah? Giles, see you tomorrow?"
Giles nodded his agreement. "Yes, certainly. Good idea. Tomorrow," he said, looking at the others and placing heavy emphasis on the last word. If he'd been less polite, Xander thought he'd be making shooing motions, he looked so relieved that they were finally leaving.
Willow gave a little giggle and Oz's lips twitched. Crossing back to the coffee table, Oz scooped up the ring. He slung an arm around Willow's shoulders and together they all piled out of Giles' apartment and up the steps to the street. The other three clambering into Oz's van to head back to the campus and Xander waited until they'd pulled away, before he got into his own car and drove the short distance to Dino's Pizza Place to begin his shift. He still wasn't sure how he felt about Spike being back in town, but if he worried about it, he knew he'd never do anything. Tomorrow, he decided, he'd start his hunt for a new place to live. In the meantime, he'd keep his stake and cross close at hand.
Note: Some snippets of dialogue from episode 4.03 - In the harsh light of day
Next Chapter
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-08-22 02:48 pm (UTC)OOOh, Initiative? I wasn't sure if you'd have them involved here since it was already an AU, but that would fit in the timeline.
This could get *very* interesting.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-22 04:20 pm (UTC)Thanks for posting more of this richly detailed, entertaining story.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-22 05:24 pm (UTC)And you think Buffy would be a little more concerned but than that is Buffy for you.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-22 05:44 pm (UTC)Great new chapter. Thanks a lot!
no subject
Date: 2009-08-22 06:16 pm (UTC)Kind of glad the massacre didn't happen, though. He was right that Xander would have been mightily upset by that. Liked the touch where you wrote, "That sort of thing had a way of carrying over, beyond death."
no subject
Date: 2009-08-22 06:46 pm (UTC)It's so nice to see that the Victorian in Spike remembers the finer points of courtship! *g*
So the Initiative get their vamp and the gang are oblivious. I can't wait to see what you're going to do next.
Excellent weaving of canon and non canon action. Spike crouched on the balcony with the crossbrow trained on Giles was really chilling. It's amazing to think what a different direction this story might take if he'd taken the shot.
Really looking forward to getting a sneak peek of the next chapter!
no subject
Date: 2009-08-22 11:22 pm (UTC)I loved Spike's careful calculation of what target to take out first and how he rationally planned his attack. He can be impulsive but he knows how to plan. Not everyone remembers that.
You've got me seriously worried since Spike is going into the Initiative so understrength.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-23 05:03 am (UTC)In Angel, episode 1.3 - In the Dark, I was wondering how Spike knew that the Scoobies were sending the Gem to Angel, so that he could be in LA before Oz arrived. And if he knew before Oz left Sunnydale, why didn't he try to get it back then?
Of course, this Spike has another reason for wanting to keep track of what the Scoobies are at. *g*
Thank you, I'm glad you are still enjoying it.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-23 05:09 am (UTC)*g* But I also like how he ends up having such bad luck.
Thank you for commenting. I couldn't hope for better than, richly detailed and entertaining.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-23 05:12 am (UTC)As for Buffy... she had a way of focusing on the immediate threat, but shrugging off the absent one. *g* As you say, that is Buffy for you
Thank you for reading and commenting.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-23 05:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-23 05:15 am (UTC)A massacre would have been too easy *g* Spike will have to work, to get his boy back.
Thank you. I'm glad you are still enjoying it.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-23 05:16 am (UTC)I will send you the next chapter, in a few hours from now... I hope *g*
Speak to you later. *hugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-08-23 05:23 am (UTC)I can't see how Spike would have survived for 120 years, if he couldn't plan. But you know my thoughts on that already. *g*
I'll let you know Spike's fate, next week (or at least, part of it) I promise.
Thank you, as always, for your lovely comment.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-23 07:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-24 04:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-25 10:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-25 02:54 pm (UTC)Thank you, hon. I'm very glad you enjoyed it.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-08 06:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-08 06:16 am (UTC)Thank you so much. I really enjoy Spike being the evil planner. I'm glad you enjoyed him too (so to speak). Yes, the Initiative were a bad bunch. I'm afraid they are really bad in this story, but Spike will get away from them and he will find Xander again - it's a promise.
Ummm... Didn't you say something about a test? I would hate to be responsible for you missing it. Good luck.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-08 02:02 pm (UTC)as soon as i'm done, i'm emailing it to him, and then going to bed because i did not sleep. i used fanfiction as an excuse not to start the test, but i couldn't sleep till after the test, thus i did not sleep.
i hate myself when i do this shit, and i told myself every step of the way that i was screwing myself over, but i kept doing it.
there's something seriously wrong with me.
but yeah. great story, i'm looking forward to the rest.~
no subject
Date: 2010-02-13 08:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-29 01:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-29 05:05 am (UTC)Thank you very much for all your comments. I have really enjoyed them. You have made my morning.