ONE NORMAL LIFE / TWO EXTRAORDINARY LIVES

CHAPTER 165 - FINDING WILLIAM

NOVEMBER 14, 2009
FRIDAY
9:00PM

Buffy pulled into the parking lot across the street from Ipso Facto, lucky to have found one of the few remaining parking spots. Although out of the way, the bar had been fairly easy to find.

Pulling down the visor down, Buffy made a face as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. “Great, just great,” she said, realizing that in single-minded objective to get here, she hadn’t even thought about refreshing her makeup, or wearing something club-entry-worthy.

She thought back to earlier that evening, when after returning from San Marcos, Clem had stopped by.

“Hey Buffy, I got your message, what’s up?”

“Clem, do you know anything about a place called Ipso Facto in San Diego?”

“Um...yeah I do,” he said, nodding.

Buffy waited, noticing the slightly guilty way he avoided her gaze.

“It’s a bar.”

“That’s it?” she pressed.

“Not exactly," Clem said, shaking his head.

"Go on."

"Well, It has mostly human clients, but some demons I know like to hang there, too. Mostly good demons," he hurriedly added.

“Did you know William has been there?” she asked.

“Buffy, I swear, I just found out a few days ago. I ran into a friend of mine, Marlong. I’ve mentioned him before, haven’t I? Known him for years, he’s a good guy, for a demon that is, even if he does always beats me in poker...”

“Clem!”

“Sorry, Buffy,” he said. "When I ran into Marlong, he told me someone had recently mistaken him for me at Ipso Facto, someone named Spike.”

Her eyes were drawn to Clem's fingers, which were strumming against each other, his long fingernails making a clicking sound as he did. “What else aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing! What else would I know?” he asked, self-consciously stilling his hands.

“Clem! If there’s something else you’re holding back...”

“It’s just...” Clem said, clearing his throat, his fingers starting to strum once again, “... and not that it’s for sure or anything. It’s just that there’s a chance, a small chance...”

“Out with it, Clem!”

“That Spike’s a vampire again,” he said, chancing an upward peek at Buffy.

The room became deathly still as Buffy stared at Clem, as she took in his statement.

“Why would you to think that?” she finally asked.

"Um...well, because Marlong described him as having blonde hair, wearing a black coat, and having a bit of an attitude."

The last bit made Buffy laugh, “Yeah, Spike did have just a bit of an attitude, didn’t he?”

Buffy almost felt sorry for Clem the way he looked at her. “I’m not in denial, I found out where William was living and talked to his landlord today. I don’t think he’s a vampire, considering she saw him in the morning a few weeks ago," she said, adding, " and looking like Spike."

“Oh, well that’s good, I guess.”

“You guess?”

“It’s just that, and you said it yourself, things seemed to be simpler when he was Spike.”

“Maybe,” Buffy admitted, “but for all the swagger and posturing, I don't think Spike was very happy. I think he always had too much of William inside him to be totally at ease with the demon. That was his curse, and his blessing. Of course, I don’t think he’s very happy right now either,” she said, sadly.

“So, what are you going to do, Buffy?”

“Whatever I have to!”

***

Getting out of the car, she made a quick visual sweep of the outside of the premises, before getting in line at the back of the queue. She pulled her jacket around her, as the wind picked up, feeling out of place in the mostly younger, hipper crowd.

"And you're here by whose invitation?" asked the bouncer, blatantly looking her up and down.

Buffy's cheeks reddened at the hungry wolf leer, but she hadn't come all this way to be turned back by an over muscled idiot. She stood straighter, "Sorry, no invitation. I'm looking for someone."

"Sorry, we don't let people in just to look for someone."

"That may very well be," Buffy said sweetly, "but you're going to make an exception, and let me in tonight."

"Is that so? And why am I going to do that?"

Buffy took a step forward so that she was in his personal space, “Because if you don’t, I think that I’ll have a talk with my boss about this place,” she said, her voice convincing, as if she hadn’t just thought to make it up.

The bouncer laughed, his sour breath hitting her, but she didn’t flinch. “Yeah, and who's your boss?"

“The head of The Department of Liquor, Firearms, & Tobacco for San Diego County. I think he might be quite interested in seeing how this place lets in under-aged kids all to make a buck,” she said, hoping there was some truth to it, and figuring there probably was, from the sudden look of fear on his face.

"Don't worry, I'm not here on business tonight, purely personal. Though I might make it my business if you don't let me in," she said.

The smile now gone, he glared hard at her, “Go on, suit yourself,” he said, letting her pass.

“Thank you, I think I will!”

Buffy walked past the bouncer and through a second door into the dimly lit bar. Her face screwed up, as the smell of both stale booze and smoke assailed her senses.

“So much for California anti-smoke laws,” she mumbled, wishing her boss really was the head of The Department of Liquor, Firearms & Tobacco; she’d turn in these scofflaws.

As she walked through the bar, she couldn’t help but wondered how William had ever discovered such a dive, and so far from where he lived. If she’d ever brought him to such a place, not that she would’ve, she was sure he would’ve been terribly uncomfortable. They had been to nice places, casual places, even places with loud music, but this place was more like...Willie’s.

The revelation struck her like a ton of bricks. She may not be an active slayer anymore, but she immediately recognized what she’d been feeling - the presence of demons.

Looking slowly around the bar, letting her slayer senses guide her, she noticed a number of them, some looking human, others not at all.

She zeroed in on a female vampire sitting at a table between two almost, middle-aged lotharios, wearing outfits more reminiscent of the 80's. And she'd been worried about not being dressed right? The vamp was flirting with them both, by the looks of things; probably trying to decide which one would be her next meal. She must have sensed being watched, because suddenly her eyes shot up and she looked directly at Buffy.

Putting on her best-affected smile, Buffy walked over to the table.

"Hey, don't I know you guys” she asked, focusing on the two men, and ignoring the glare she was receiving from the vampire. "Didn't you used to go to that bar downtown, the one with the big dance floor with all the light? What was the name?"

"The Artillery?" asked the brown haired man.

"Yeah, that was it! I knew I recognized you from somewhere."

"I remember you now. Didn't you used to have short hair?" asked the blonde man, as he unconsciously licked his lips.

"I knew you'd remember me," Buffy lied, smiling knowingly.

"Well, that's so very nice that you all remember each other. Now, if you don't mind..." the vampire said, looking pointedly at Buffy.

"Don't be that way, Lillian," crooned the brown haired man, pulling her towards him in a hug, "Sam and I still love you."

She smiled, "Okay, whatever you say George. Why don't you and Sam go get us girls some drinks, then."

After taking orders, the men went off to the bar, leaving Buffy sitting there with the vampire.

"When the boys get back with our drinks, I suggest you toddle off to whatever rock you crawled out from under," Lillian said, her voice icy.

"Hm...That’s interesting. I was just going to suggest that you do the same. I don't think either of these boys planned on becoming a meal for you tonight, Lillian."

The vampire's eyes narrowed, her eyes flashing yellow.

"Uh-uh, don't think you want to do that. Slayer reflexes, you know," she said, watching with satisfaction as Lillian's eyes grew big. "That, and a certain pointy wooden object I have in my jacket, says that you're the one who's going to be leaving; peaceful like, and quick, if you know what's good for you." Buffy said.

The vampire stood up, angrily shoving the table away from her. A bottle of beer spilled over, and dripped onto the seat next to Buffy, nearly missing her pants. "Now, now. Is that anyway to treat someone who's not turning you into a big pile of dust? Not that it would bother me any, just don't have the time for it tonight. On the other hand..." Buffy said, starting to stand up.

That was all the coaxing Lillian needed, as she hurried towards the door.

Buffy watched until she was sure that Lillian had left, until a drink was put down in front of her.

Crap, she'd forgotten about the guys.

"Where'd Lillian go?" Asked George.

"Um, she had a family emergency. I'm afraid she had to split."

"Well, that's okay, you're here. You'll just take her place."

"You know, George, Sam, I'd really love to, but I just saw a friend of mine," Buffy smiled, and feigned a wave at a group of people standing across the room. Lucky for her, someone waved back, and motioned her over.

"Sorry guys, I'll catch up with you later," she said, as they moaned their protests, as she got up to leave.

Buffy walked across the room towards the waving man. Since the other's eyes were on her, she at least wanted to give her departure the reasonable appearance of being the truth.

“Hey good looking,” the man drawled in a fake Texas accent, “you lookin’ for me?”

“Oh, sorry. From across the room, I could’ve sworn you were somebody else.”

“That’s okay, I can be whoever you want me to be,” he said, putting his beefy arm around Buffy, and leaning in to kiss her.

Buffy quickly squirmed out of his arm; “I don’t think so.”

“Aww, shucks. You sure? Don’t know what you’re missing,” he said, with a lascivious grin showing yellow-stained teeth.

“I’m sure I don’t. But you know, there is one thing you can help me with.”

“What’s that? I’ll do anything to help a lady out,” he said, with a mock bow.

Buffy rolled her eyes, “I’m sure you would. Actually, I am looking for someone,” she said, as she took a picture out of her wallet of her and William from last Christmas, and showed it to him.

He looked at it for a few moments, “Sort of looks familiar, but no, I can’t say that I’ve seen him around. Is he your boyfriend or husband, or something.”

“Yeah, something,” she said. “Thanks.”

“Sure I can’t do anything else for you, seeing as your ‘something’ isn’t around.”

“I’m sure!” Buffy said emphatically.

Buffy scanned the place for any sight of the vampire, but Lillian seemed to have left for real. She knew you could tell about vampires, and this one didn't seem like a mere fledgling, so she kept on the lookout. As she made her way up to the bar, she stopped to show William’s picture to a few more people, but nobody could remember seeing him.


“What’ll you have?” asked the bartender, after she’d been in line for the length of time it took a couple of songs to play on the jukebox.

“I’ll take a water,” she said, earning her a glare from the bartender. "I'll pay for it."

"Here," he said, slapping down the drink.

She handed him a five-dollar bill; "Keep the change."

“Its not that much lady. I didn’t mean to give you a hard time. I'm just having a bad night,” he said, taking the bill to make change.

“I know. It’s okay, though. How about you keep the change, and let me ask you a couple of questions.”

“What sort of questions?” he asked, suspiciously.

“Have you seen this man in here in the past few weeks?” she asked.

He took the picture from her hand and studied it closely. “He got a name?”

“William.”

“Don’t sound familiar, though something looks familiar about him. Might’ve been here. Can’t say for sure.”

“Thanks,” Buffy said, taking the picture from him. He turned to walk away.

“Wait! I forgot something!”

“What's that?”

“He has blonde hair now, and he might be going by the name Spike.”

The bartender grabbed the photo back, and walked over to where there was a light over the sink. A grin spread over his face, “Well I’ll be damned! It is Spike!”

“He’s been here?” Buffy asked, hopefully.

“Sure, he was here every night, up to about a couple of weeks ago.”

“You haven’t seen him since?”

“No, he switched over to the L.A. bar, when Miranda went.”

“What? Who the hell is Miranda?” Buffy asked, confused.

The bartender looked at her closely as he handed her back the picture. “Miranda, the manager of the place,” he said slowly, as if talking to a small child. “The owners wanted her to see if she could bring a little order to our bar in L.A.”

Buffy shook her head, “And that’s supposed to mean something to me? Why would William go with her?” Buffy asked, suddenly her head filled with thoughts of him being with someone making her stomach clench painfully.

“I need a pitcher of draft!" Called out one of the barmaids.

The bartender started to walk away, but Buffy grabbed his arm, “Why would William, or Spike go with her?”

“Because, she wanted him to help run the place with her. He did such a good job here, she asked him to go along. I’ll be right back,” he said, pulling his arm free.

Buffy sat there, as she tried to make sense of what he’d told her. Getting up, she walked over to the barmaid’s station. “A good job? Are you telling me that Spike worked here?

“And a Kewpie doll for the lady!” the bartender said loudly.

“Doing what?” she asked, ignoring his comment.

“Same as me; bartending!”

“That and he took care of some of the more rowdy customers, if you know what I mean,” chimed in the barmaid, grinning knowingly at Buffy.

“No, I don’t know what you mean; do you mean he was a bouncer?”

“Not exactly,” said the woman, whose nametag read Maria. “Look, I got to get this beer over to that table, or I’m not going to get a tip from these guys. I’ll be right back,” she said, hurrying off with the tray full of beer.

Maria was back in a moment, motioning for Buffy to follow her.

“It’s quieter here,” she said, leading her to a corner. “Now, why do you want to know about Spike?”

Buffy looked at her, but no answer came to her. Instead, she opened up her wallet and took out the picture, wordlessly passing it to her.

Maria’s eyes softened as she looked at it. “This is Spike?”

“Yeah, that’s him, but he went by William then.”

“William,” Maria repeated. “So, that’s his real name?”

“Yes.”

“How long ago was this taken?”

“Last Christmas.”

“He looks different, happy. You both do,” she said, passing back the picture to Buffy.

“We were,” Buffy said, putting it back in his wallet. “I need to find him, before he gets himself hurt. Tell me everything you know.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Thanks for everything,” Buffy said, putting the hand drawn map of Ipso Facto, Too into her pocket.

“You’re welcome. I hope you find him, and that everything works out.”

“Me, too,” Buffy said.

Looking at her watch, she calculated the time. If traffic was light, she could be in L.A. by midnight.

END CHAPTER 165