ONE NORMAL LIFE / TWO EXTRAORDINARY LIVES

CHAPTER 166 – JUST PEACHY, WITH A SIDE OF KEEN

NOVEMBER 14, 2009
FRIDAY
11:30PM

"You okay?" Miranda asked, watching Spike wince as he walked back behind the bar, favoring one leg.

"Yeah, 'm fine. Just got banged up a bit."

She shook her head at his bravado.

“More than a little bit, from the looks of things.”

He just shrugged.

There had been more than the usual amount of demons deciding to come in tonight. Fights had broken out among some warring clans who both happened to decide that Ipso Facto, Too was to be their watering hole for the night. They'd already had to throw out half a dozen or so demons, which didn't take kindly to being asked to leave. Spike, along with Mike, who’d also moved up to L.A., had to fight to defend their right to do so. Wiry and quick, Spike had proven to be more than adequate as a demon fighter, besting those much larger and stronger than he. However, it was beginning to take its toll, and Miranda was worried.

"Why don't you take the rest of the night off?" she suggested.

William shot her a dirty look, "Yeah, I'll do that, Miranda. I'll just leave you to fight for me; that sounds about right," he scoffed.

"There probably won't be any more trouble, and Mike, me, and my handy-dandy little zapper here can take care of most problems," she said, pulling the device out of her pocket, and pressing the button to show him the electrical discharge.

"I'm fine," he insisted.

"We got along before you came, you know."

"Yeah, well luv, that was San Diego, not the same thing. Remember you're the one who wanted the extra muscle; it’s why you hired me, to kill things, not because I can serve a mean drink. We both know it’s why I'm here, so don't make it like it's anything else."

"Well, that may be so, but if you get yourself killed, you won't be any help to me then, will you? Anyway, I know why I hired you, but do you know why you accepted? Really know? I don’t know what issues you’re trying to work out are, but if you have a death wish, go work it out somewhere else! I don’t want it on my conscience,” she said, turning away so he couldn’t see how upset she was getting.

Miranda knew that there was a lot, a whole world of lot, which she didn’t know about Spike. She also knew that his heart belonged to another woman, and probably always would, even if he wasn’t with her. Although it had stung somewhat to have her earlier advances gently rebuked by him, it didn’t stop her from being concerned for him. If anything, Spike had turned out to be a good friend, and ally.

"I won't get myself killed," he said, grumping.

Sighing, when she didn’t answer, he walked over to her, “I won’t,” he said softly, “promise.”

"Fine,” Miranda said, turning to face him, “stay on the rest of tonight, but starting tomorrow, you're off for a few days."

His eyes flashed anger, as he downed half the glass of whiskey he'd just poured himself in one long drink.

"That's not necessary,” he said tersely.

"Yes Spike, it is! You haven't taken a day off in nearly 2 weeks. You're not working tomorrow or Monday. Get out of the basement for a while, go home to San Marcos, go up to the mountains, just get the hell out of here for a while!"

He was about to argue with her, but he didn't have the energy. He gave her a curt nod, then went back to work.

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

10:00PM

As she’d passed the last exit which she could take back towards Julian, Buffy’s internal debate ended as to whether she was going to go to Los Angeles tonight, or waiting until tomorrow.

Pulling into a gas station, she topped off her tank, added a quarter quart of oil, and bought a map of Los Angeles, two large espresso cafe lattes, and a bar of dark chocolate for the trip. Although adrenaline was surging through her at the thought of seeing William before the night was over, she also knew that it had already been a exceedingly long day already. Taking a long drink of the strong coffee, and checking the directions she’d been given against the map, she pulled out onto the highway.

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

All night long, William had a sense of something about to happen. After the fight, he expected those feelings to abate, but they hadn’t. Rarely wrong, he’d begun to rely on those senses, call it intuition, when something was about to go down, although he refused to examine why he could sense a menacing demon presence, from a more benign one. It just hit too close to home to acknowledge that distinction between demons.

Looking across the room, he spotted a flash of golden hair and his pulse quickened momentarily. He shook his head at his idiocy, reminding himself that there was no way she could be here. Once, he’d almost been sure that it had been her, enough so that he’d followed a small blonde to where she’d sat down. His disappointment only superceded by his disgust, when he got close enough to see that, not only wasn’t it Elizabeth, but the blonde hair was a wig, worn by a demon.

Yet despite knowing it was for naught, William’s eyes still followed the blonde head bobbing in and out of the crowd, until she turned, and he could see that it wasn’t her. Sighing, he went back to serving the latest customer, the feeling in the pit of his stomach still as active as ever.

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

12:00 MIDNIGHT

Gulping the last of her coffee for courage, Buffy navigated across five lanes of traffic, and gratefully took a downtown exit off of the maddening freeway, which was part and parcel of Los Angeles. A few minutes later, she found Alameda Avenue. Checking the handwritten directions Maria had given her, she confirmed that she only had another couple of miles to go, before she would start following more detailed directions to get her to the bar.

During the long drive, she wondered if she shouldn’t call Dawn and let her know that if she didn’t find William, she might have a guest for the night. However, she couldn’t think of it that way, and so she didn’t. If necessary, she knew she could go there, phone call or not.

She turned off Alameda, after missing the small street the first time she drove past. The street twisted and turned, leading her further and further into a seedy neighborhood, which made the one in San Diego, seem like Brentwood, in comparison. Buffy gripped the steering wheel tightly, as the address numbers neared that of her destination. Slowing down, she inhaled sharply as the small sign on the gray wood and brick building came into view.

Finding a parking spot a few blocks away, she went into her trunk, and grabbed a stake, hidden underneath her emergency road kit. She may have faked out Lillian, but if this place was as bad as she feared, she didn’t want to be unprepared.

As she walked to the bar, she checked the streets and parking lots, hoping to see William’s car, but it was nowhere in sight. By the time she got to the door, she’d begun to fear she was too late to find him. Or, perhaps he’d been tipped off to her inquiry, and had left before she could get there.

A couple of doors away, Buffy stopped to run her hands through her hair, and rubbed her cheeks, hoping to put some color into them. She knew she must look more like something that cat dragged in, than some cool chick, used to hanging out in private clubs. Standing tall, she gathered up her courage, and walked briskly to the door to face her second bouncer for the night.

“Hi,” she said cheerily, as though she didn’t have a care in the world. “Is Wi...Spike here tonight?” she asked, holding her breath, waiting for him to tell her that he was gone, or worse still, that he’d never heard of him.

“Yeah, Spike’s on. You a friend?” he asked.

Buffy’s nodded, her mouth suddenly gone dry. “Yes,” she finally managed to get out, even managing a smile, despite feeling the renewed rush of adrenaline pumping through her, leaving her in desperate need to steady herself.

In the month or so Mike had known Spike, he’d never heard him talk about anyone. Miranda however, was sure that there was someone he still loved. Maybe this was that person.

She felt her face flame as he studied her. The moment passed, and he stepped aside, letting her go by.

‘Good for you, Spike,’ he thought.

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

Heart pounding, Buffy concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, as she entered the darkened bar. It was set up more or less like the other one, though one thing she sensed immediately was the much larger presence of demons; probably equaling if not outnumbering humans. The angry rhythmic music blaring from the speakers seemed to match the overall tone of the place.

The bar was located on the farthest wall away from the door, the shortest route through the middle of the dance floor. Determinedly, Buffy pushed through the masses of gyrating demons and humans until she came out on the other side.

Suddenly the sounds and sights of the bar fell away, as Buffy spotted William. His back was to her, but there was no mistaking him. A woman with short, dark hair walked up and stood next to him, then leaned in to say something to him. Buffy felt a painful stab of jealousy as he turned his head partway toward the woman, and replied. The woman laughed, then patted him on the back before she walked away.

As Buffy approached the bar, she could see William's face in the mirror. Even though she already knew that he had changed his looks, she couldn't help but be shocked as she stared at his platinum hair and black leather coat that he wore. For Buffy it was as if she was seeing Spike for the first time since he'd died closing the Hellmouth.

William stood at the register, counting out the money, as he did every night at this time. Everything over one hundred dollars was put into the safe, to be joined by the rest of the nights proceeds at closing. Stopping to take a drink out of the glass nearby, he looked into the mirror for a moment to check out the scene behind him, and make sure that everything was still alright. Satisfied, that there was nothing amiss, he went back to counting, until suddenly he stopped in mid-count, and slowly looked up, realization hitting him.

Buffy’s wide eyes met his, in the mirror’s reflection. He closed his eyes, then opened them again, sure he must be hallucinating.

She was still there, her mouth now slightly open.

Slowly he turned around, and they stared at each other.

"Elizabeth," he said, finally able to speak.

Buffy didn't reply as she stared into his eyes, and took in the sight of him.

"How did you...what are you doing here?" he stammered.

Her mouth tightened, and she let out a small snort, "I could ask you the same thing, William. Or it’s Spike again, isn't it?"

"I'm working," William said, taking deep breath to get control of his jangled nerves at seeing her here.

"You're working? Here? In a demon bar?" Buffy asked, her tone angry.

"It's not a..." he started, but her look stopped him. He drew himself upright, "So what?"

"So what? I'd say that's a pretty far cry from working at the university for Professor Wittman, isn't it?"

"Yeah, well that's not me anymore, is it?"

"I can see that," she countered, pointing to his hair, and his clothing. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Don't like it?" He asked, leaning across the bar into her personal space. "Thought you liked the vampire look, " he said, challengingly.

"I liked you, you idiot! You think I fell in love with you because I got off on vampires? Or maybe it was that retro 80's look I got off on!” she yelled at him over the music.

He glared at her, shaking his head.

Buffy took a deep breath, not believing that their meeting had so quickly deteriorated. Then again, she didn’t know what she’d expected; that he would immediately fall into her arms, profess his stupidity at having left, and come home with her?

"I fell in love with Spike because he showed me that the man you were was still alive inside him, because...Oh hell, what's the use? Know what William? At least Spike wouldn't quit, wouldn't leave! Maybe you're right after all, and maybe it was just the demon who loved me, not the man!" Buffy said angrily, turning away.

Frozen to the spot, as he watched her walk away.

From the end of the bar, Miranda had witnessed, if not heard, the interaction between the two of them enough to know that this was the woman she’d suspected Spike had been involved with. She walked up to him, as he stood rooted to the spot.

“Well, I guess I’ll have a chance now,” she said, casually.

He turned to look at her, dumbfounded. “What?”

“Her. Looks like you’re ready to let go of your past.”

William looked at her, pain etched in every line of his face.

She rolled her eyes at him. Men could be so dense sometimes. “Go!” Miranda ordered; her head motioned toward Buffy’s retreating figure.

"Wait! Elizabeth!" William yelled, running out from the bar.

Buffy was half way across the room by the time William caught up with her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her around.

“Let go of me!” she yelled, struggling to pull her arm free, at the same time, trying hard not to give in to the urge to slug him as hard as she could.

“No!” he yelled back, grabbing her other arm, so that she now faced him.

“Why? What do you want from me?” Buffy demanded.

“Just...come with me,” he said, trying to pull her the opposite way that she was heading, but she resisted.

“Why William? Why should I?”

Hands on her upper arms, he bent his knees, allowing himself to be eye level with her. “Please?”

The imploring look he was giving her did it; Buffy took a small shuddering breath, and nodded her assent.

William nodded back, relieved, “Come on, this way,” he said, leading her to the back of the bar, through the kitchen area, and out the back door leading to the alley.

William pulled two crates off of a stack, and sat down on one, motioning for Buffy to sit on the other one. She sat down facing him, their knees nearly touching.

“How have you been?” William asked gently, able to take good look at her for the first time since she’d come. He’d never seen her look so disheveled, or slight, as she did to him now, and it worried him.

Buffy gave a little laugh, “Oh just peachy, with a side of keen. How ‘bout you?”

“I don’t know what that means, but sounds about right.”

They looked at each other, and started laughing, breaking the ice a bit.

“How are things at the house? Um, have you winterized yet? Do you have enough fuel?”

“Yeah, Clem’s been over helping. He took care of the propane, and he’s chopped enough wood for three winters I think...” she faded off. “Oh, and the toilet had a leak. It was the seal, so we replaced it. Well, he did most of the replacing; toilets aren’t really my domain of expertise.”

“Oh...Well, good; that’s good,” he said, looking down guiltily at hearing Clem was taking care of Elizabeth and things at the house that should’ve been, had been, his job. It occurred to him, that for all the years he wasn’t there, that this was probably how they’d done things.

Elbows on his knees, William sighed, and rested his head in one hand, before looking up at her, meeting her eyes.

“How did you find me?”

“Don’t you remember what I told you?”

“What’s that?”

“That I’ll always find you, that I’ll always come for you,” she said softly.

Slowly he nodded, “I remember.”

Her hand reached out, interlocking her fingers with his hand that cupped his face.

“Elizabeth,” he mouthed silently, as his closed his eyes for a moment, gripping her hand tightly. Their hands reversed order, so that now, it was hers touching his face. She felt her eyes tear up in response to hearing him softly moan, as she continued to stroke his face, and his hand continued to cling to hers.

Suddenly he shook his head, and abruptly stood up, causing her hand to fall away, “But it doesn’t change anything, you still shouldn’t have come.”

“Why? Why are you doing this?” she asked, standing up to face him.

“Doing what?” he asked, pulling the flask out of his pocket and taking a drink. It was followed by an empty package of cigarettes, which he threw it to the ground.

“All of it! Drinking, smoking, fighting demons...are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Yeah, I can see that. You’re doing a great job,” she said, looking at his trembling hands. “You may be trying to look like Spike, but you don’t have the strength he...you once had to fight demons!”

“I do alright,” William answered defensively, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Is that why you’re limping?”

“It’s nothing, just banged it is all,” he said, turning away.

“But why? You still haven’t answered me. Why are you doing this? You could’ve done anything else. I can’t accept that this is what you want. Fighting demons, after all you’ve been through?”

“Don’t fight them all, luv,” he said, adding, “some aren’t so bad; mind their own business, don’t cause problems...”

“Yeah, well, I’m sure Clem will be glad to hear you feel that way.”

William looked at her guiltily, “I’m sorry about that. You know the first demon I saw when I started working, was one who looked like Clem; his type I guess. You know about the other bar too, I suppose?”

Buffy nodded, “Yeah, also about Marlong.”

William looked at her questioningly.

“That was the name of the demon who you thought was Clem. That’s how I found out; he told Clem a guy named ‘Spike’ had mistaken him for Clem,” she said, omitting having talked to the Wittmans or that she’d also found out about Ipso Facto from information in his apartment.

“Oh,” he said, nodding.

“What about the majority of demons that aren’t as benign as Clem’s type? Do you have a death wish?”

He let out a small laugh; it was the second time that night he’d been asked that. First by Miranda, and now by Elizabeth.

“Wouldn’t matter, I’d just come back anyway,” he said shrugging.

“Oh, so that’s what you think is it? That it’s okay for you to risk your life, because you what, think you’re invulnerable? I got a news-flash for you William, you don’t get another life; this is it!”

“Well, I shouldn’t have this one either!” he shot back, pacing in front of her.

“That’s not true,” Buffy said, shaking her head. “You earned it, William! Don’t you see that? You saved the world and everyone in it when you closed the Hellmouth. You deserved to have your life back, your human life, or you wouldn’t be here!”

He stopped and faced her; “It’s my life, right?”

“Right, of course,” she said, wondering what he was getting at.

“Then it’s mine to choose how I want to live it, it’s what I deserve. It’s not up to you to decide that for me, according to your vision of some storybook fairytale starring you and me in the lead roles as the former vampire and slayer who rode off into the sunset of marital bliss. Maybe having a few kiddies along the way, and sitting in rocking chairs when we get old to reminisce about the good old days. How am I doing so far?” he practically yelled, his voice having gotten louder and angrier as he’d gone on.

Buffy listened to him in disbelief as he’d torn into her, biting her lip so hard she could taste the blood, to prevent the tears in her eyes from spilling down in front of him.

“Stop it!”

“Go home, Elizabeth! Don’t come back,” he said, turning to walk back inside.

She stood there, stunned for a moment then just as he was about to open the door, she found her voice, “You’re a liar!”

He whirled around, “I’m a what?” he asked, furiously.

“A liar. You still love me, I know you do...Don’t you?” she asked, hating the sound of her voice; so pathetic, so pleading.

He walked up to her and grabbed her by her upper arms, “Enough to let you go, to let you walk away from this sort of life, from me! Enough to...” he stopped suddenly, as did she, both their head turning towards a loud humming sound coming from down the alley.

“What the hell is that?”

“I don’t know,” Buffy said, but something in her brain was remembering something as the sound grew louder.

“It sounds like chanting,” he said, looking at her.

She nodded.

“Like something monks do,” he added.

The lightbulb went on in her brain, “Shit,” she said, as she saw the tall, dark robed figures now heading towards them.

“I think they’re Gregorline demons. They’re named after Gregorian monks, that’s why they sound like that, all chant-y. I’ve never seen them before, but believe me, their reputation proceeds them, and it’s not good. That and anything to do with monks, never a good thing! By the way, if you have any weapons, now would be the time to get them.”

“What?” William yelled, the sound of the chanting all but drowning them out now.

“Weapons!” she yelled.

William let go of her, and ran to where the crates were stacked, and clambered onto them, reaching a long, wide window ledge about eight feet off of the ground. He threw down a couple of swords and some knives that had been stashed there.

“Get out of here,” he yelled.

“Not a chance,” Buffy yelled back, grabbing a sword, with one hand, a knife with the other.

William ran in front of her, as the demons approached. There were three of them, all towering over him by at least a head, and probably outweighing him by close to a hundred pounds, too.

“Well, at least the odds aren’t too bad...Oh crap,” Buffy said, realizing she spoke too soon, as she spotted an additional three demons coming from the opposite way.

William had also figured the same, until he looked behind him, and now felt his stomach begin to sink. He’d fought a few vamps and demons on his own before, but usually Mike was with him, and the demons didn’t outnumber them like they did now.

“You’ve still got time, get inside!” he yelled frantically, trying to push her.

“No way, William; we’re in this together. Back-to-back now, they’re here!”

The first demon charged, and without preamble, William plunged the sword deep into its stomach with ferocity borne of desperation, and the desire to protect the woman he loved. Shocked, he watched as the demon looked down at the wound, and let out an ear splitting scream sending out shock waves in the night air. A brownish gray gooey blood-like material exploded from the demon’s body onto William’s coat, as it fell over dead.

“It’s the stomach, go for the stomach!” he screamed at her, over the increased chants of the demons, as they charged.

One thing William had learned from the past month was that each demon species had its Achilles’ heel. Through keenly observing which part of their anatomy they seemed to most closely guard when fighting, he could usually best them. Not always an easy thing to do, in the heat of battle, but he prided himself on having developed a knack for this sort of thing. Despite his bravado to Elizabeth, he more than understood that all of his human self was vulnerable, and he’d best maximize his staying potential by winning, and doing so as quickly as possible.

Buffy heard him, and with a surety from years of slaying, neatly stuck her sword in the nearest demon’s abdomen. It fell over dead, also exploding.

“Eww!” she exclaimed, as she was sprayed with the demon’s blood. “Anyone ever tell you guys that you’re really gross?”

“Don’t think they speak English, luv,” William yelled back over his shoulder, as he fought off the other two demons.

As they’d done so many other times in the past, they stood fighting back to back. Each was acutely aware of where the other was, as well as the demons’ positions.

Besides the chants whose purpose was to disorient and numb, there were no other mystical properties these demons had at their disposal. Well, there was brute strength; especially if one considered fists like anvils as such.

William struck at the two demons on his side, wounding them, but he was also taking blows, as was Buffy. A sudden punch to his stomach made him stumble into her. Concentration temporarily lost as she turned toward William, a heavy fist came down on her head, and she fell.

“Watch out!” William yelled.

Quickly orienting herself, she flipped herself up, just as the two demons William had been fighting came at her. Flipping upward, she connected with the nearest one’s jaw, and it fell to the ground disoriented. She plunged the knife into its stomach, just as the other one threw itself at her. They both landed on the dead demon, and rolled over. The demon had her by the throat, and was chanting her into oblivion.

William, who had crippled one of other demons, heard her strangled cry.

“Elizabeth!” he yelled, and with a warrior’s cry, jumped on top of the demon. Grabbing its neck, he pulled it back unnaturally far, until he heard a loud crack. The demon released his grip on Buffy, falling over onto her in a dead heap.

Buffy gasped, as the air rushed back into her lungs. William scrambled up, pushing the demon off of her; “You okay?” he asked, quickly pulling her up.

She nodded, and they turned to face the remaining two. The demons stood still, but their chants had increased. Buffy turned to look at William, and noticed his eyes had glazed over, as the chanting held him in its thrall. Turning back just in time, she saw one of the demons rushing toward them, she threw the knife at it with deadly precision. It screamed, crumpling to the ground.

“Spike!” she screamed, and threw herself on top of him, and they fell, just as the last demon charged. It ran straight into the wall they had been standing near, and fell, temporarily stunned.

“Spike!” she said, breathing heavily as she lay on top of him. As the chanting stilled, William’s eyes fluttered back to the present, finding hers. Automatically, his hands went around her back pulling in her closer, and she responded, by grounding herself into him further as they stared into each other’s eyes.

“Elizabeth,” he said, bringing up one hand to brush softly across her face, moving a piece of hair behind her ear. “I...Move!” from the corner of his eye, he’d seen the Gregorline demon silently get up and start to advance on them. He grabbed for the knife, which had fallen next to him, as he pushed Buffy over, he sat up, and plunged the blade into the demon’s stomach just as it was upon them. The demon screamed, its blood spurting out and over them in a gooey torrent.

“Shit!” Buffy said, trying to wipe the stuff off of her face.

“You okay?” he asked, trying to do the same, though not as much had sprayed on him.

“I don’t know, I think this stuff is burning me.”

He could feel his own hands and parts of his face start to burn now that she’d mentioned it. Worriedly, he looked over at her, her arms, torso, face, and hair were coated in the ooze, and he could see her skin start to redden.

“Shit!” Buffy said again, jumping up and trying in vain to wipe it off her.

“Let’s go!” William said, grabbing her hand.

“Where?”

“Let’s get you into the shower!”

END CHAPTER 166