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Violently Happy	By : marksandspence Category: BtVS Crossovers > Misc - Het - Male/Female Views: 3216 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Part1a
- 2-Part1b
- 3-Part1c
- 4-Part1d
- 5-Part1e
- 6-Part2a
- 7-Part2b
- 8-Part3a
- 9-Part3b
- 10-Part3c
- 11-Part4a
- 12-Part4b
- 13-Part4c
- 14-Part4d
- 15-Part5a
- 16-Part5b
- 17-Part5c
- 18-Part5d
- 19-Part5e
- 20-Part5f
- 21-Part5g
- 22-Part5h
- 23-Part6a
- 24-Part6b
- 25-Part6c
- 26-Part6d
- 27-Part6e
- 28-p.s. Flight of Fancy
- 18
- 19
- 20
Scene 11, etc.
[Writer’s note: What follows is a string of ridiculously abbreviated scenes. What can I say—I’m in a rush to get back to the happy.]
The Hyperion, a couple of days later.
Miranda and Angel come up from downstairs. Cordy and Wesley are in the office.
Cordelia: [to Miranda] “A package came for you. Well, actually it came addressed to someone called “the Marshall”, so I opened it and it’s a picture—of you, so I can only assume that it’s for you.”
Miranda: “A picture? How strange. Must be from that bloke at the club from the other night.”
Angel: “You sure it’s not booby trapped or anything?”
Wesley: “It appears to just be a picture.”
Miranda: “Let’s have it, then.”
Cordelia goes in the other room and brings it in. It’s a largish, framed photograph. It’s an artfully done black and white picture of Miranda in a wedding gown in front of a mirror. She’s looking back over her shoulder and smiling. If you look closely in the mirror, you can see the image of a man in a tuxedo—it’s who she’s smiling at.
Miranda: [gobsmacked] “Blimey. Where did he ever find this?”
Cordelia: “That dress is FANTASTIC.”
M is transfixed; they’re all staring at it.
Miranda: “We’d asked a friend to do the photographs. He was an aspiring artist—photography was one of his favorites. He went on to become quite famous, actually. I got rid of all the pictures I had when Cal died.”
Wesley: “There’s a gallery mark on the back. It must have been on display somewhere with his other work. It’s stunning.”
Angel: “You look so happy.”
Cordelia: “Isn’t it supposed to be bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?”
Miranda: “We didn’t think much about luck back then.”
Cordelia: “I’m just floored that you had a real wedding.”
Miranda: “And by ‘real’, you mean big and expensive?”
Cordelia: [defensive] “No. I mean, why shouldn’t you have a big and expensive wedding? What I meant was that I didn’t expect you to look like such a normal bride.”
Angel: [warning] “Cordy.”
Cordelia: “Imagine how many weddings you could have if you were Immortal. You could have a different theme every time. How fun is that?”
Miranda: “It was quite the fairy tale, I’ll admit. Every woman should have a day like that.”
Cordelia: “You think you’d do it again?”
Miranda: [quick glance to Angel. A bit sad.] “No. Weddings aren’t really meant for people like me—doesn’t mean anything.”
The phone rings. Cordelia answers it.
Cordelia: [to Miranda] “Well, aren’t you the popular one today—it’s for you. Anya.”
Miranda: [a small frown] “Oh. Right then. [she takes the phone from Cordelia] Anya?”
Voice on the phone.
Anya: “Miranda, Hi. When will you be back so we can go shopping? And double date? And...[muffled struggle noises as the phone is being taken away from her. The next voice on the phone is Spike’s]
Spike: “What’s going on, love? I’ve been trying your cell number, but I can’t get anything.”
Miranda: [suddenly looking worried and upset] “Sorry. The phone got smashed during one of our little adventures and I haven’t replaced it yet.”
Spike: “They cleaned out the shop, but I did get those things you asked for out in time. [pause] I was worried. You still under cover?—s’why I had Anya make the call. Makes me sick just to imagine what they think.”
Miranda: “Listen, Spike, it’s not a good time to talk right now.”
Hearing Spike’s name, Angel suddenly turns toward Miranda. She waves him off and turns her back. Angel does his best not to hear/listen out of courtesy, but he can sense the distress in her voice.
Spike: “Seems it’s never a good time to talk lately. [more suspicious this time] What’s going on?”
Miranda: “I can’t. Not right now. I’ll call you later, alright?”
Spike: “Promise?”
Miranda: “Did you watch the film? The one I mentioned the other night?”
Spike: “Nah. It sounds really boring. Dawn has to watch it for some school project, though, so she and big sis are gonna’ bring the DVD round to watch it here tonight. What’s the big deal?”
Miranda: “Nothing. I’ll explain later. Just give it a look.”
Spike: “Sure, alright. Talk later, then? When you’re alone this time.”
Miranda: “Goodbye” [She pulls the phone away from her ear and starts to hand it to Cordelia, but Angel grabs it.]
Angel: [into the phone] “I don’t want you calling here anymore, Spike. She doesn’t want to talk to you.”
Spike: “Yeah, right. Good show, mate—going for the Oscar, are you?”
Angel slams down the phone and Miranda bolts for the door. She sits down just outside and Angel stands there watching her in the doorway (it’s light out, so he can’t go out with her).
Angel: “You could’ve just hung up when he got on the phone. You don’t owe him anything.”
Miranda: “The thing is, I haven’t actually told him yet. He doesn’t know I’m not coming back.”
Angel: [surprised; a touch annoyed, but hiding it] “Oh. I guess there hasn’t been much time.”
Miranda: “He’ll come here. Once he understands.”
Angel: “Yeah. [beat] We’ll deal with it.”
Miranda: [dead serious, but some emotion in her voice] “I won’t fight him. You should know that. He didn’t do anything wrong.”
Angel: “I can assure you, he’s done plenty”
Miranda: “No. Not in this. He didn’t do anything.”
Angel: “He let you kill those people.”
Miranda: [She gives him a surprised frown/look when he says this—she honestly wasn’t expecting it.] “I won’t kill him. And I want you to promise me you won’t either.”
Angel: “I’ll do what I have to do.”
Miranda: [nodding] “Please, Angel. I’m with you now. I chose this life—I chose you. He needn’t be punished for that.”
Angel just nods.
**
Back in Sunnydale, that night. Miranda’s house. Buffy, Dawn and Spike are sitting on the couch—Spike has just popped the DVD in. He gets up, goes into the kitchen and comes back into the living room with a big bowl of popcorn, which he sets on the table and then plops himself on the big chair next to the couch.
Buffy: [giving a sideways look toward Spike] “You going to watch with us?”
Spike: “Sure, why not?”
Dawn: [looking pleased] “Cool.”
Buffy: “It’s not exactly your kind of thing. I’m pretty sure there are no explosions, car chases or exploding heads of any kind.”
Spike: [mildly offended] “See, there you go, being all stereotypical again—just because I’m evil doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a decent film. Even one without, you know, blood and guts and fighting. [thinking about it] God, sounds dreadful.”
Dawn: [wanting him to stay] “I’m pretty sure there are guns. And Nazis.”
Spike: “Well, then, how can I stay away? Nazis are always good for a laugh.”
Dawn: “Wait, I need a pen. Have to take notes for my super-cool film class.” [She gets up and rummages through her backpack.]
Buffy: [explaining] “Dawn suddenly feels like a grown-up since she talked her way into a senior elective class.”
Dawn: “So when’s Miranda coming back, anyway? She promised to teach me how to drive.”
Buffy: [defensive] “I’ll teach you how to drive.”
Dawn: “Yeah, and who is going to teach you first?”
Buffy: “Hey!”
Spike: “Couple of days.”
Buffy: “You said that like a week ago.”
Spike: [defensive] “She’s helping out your bloody pathetic ex, so it’s no wonder it’s taking longer than expected to bail him out.”
Buffy: [a little taken aback] “She’s in L.A.? With Angel? I thought you said she was on a business trip.”
Spike: [offhand] “Did I? Must’ve thought you’d be jealous or something.”
Dawn: “That’s kinda nice.”
Spike: “Rest assured, ‘nice’ had nothing to do with it.”
Buffy: “So have you heard from her?”
Spike: [defensive] “Yeah. Sounds like he’s in a right mess. [Something is bothering him and you can tell he’s not sure whether to bring it up] Past few days, she’s been a bit off—I might have to go down there.”
Buffy: “Define ‘off’?”
Spike: “I don’t know. Off. Like she’s been taken in by the gloom. She kept going on about my watching this bloody film. And spouting on about all sorts of things—don’t really listen that closely.”
Buffy: [a bit concerned] “Huh.”
Dawn: “Can we start the movie now?”
They watch the movie—it’s Casablanca. Afterwards...
Spike: [he’s annoyed/upset] “There’s no bloody way she would have gone off with that bloke. Such a boring idiot. The other guy got it wrong. God, I hate it when people do stupid noble things that don’t make any bloody sense. They’ll all be miserable now. What’s the point?”
Dawn: “I don’t know. Maybe she loved Lazlow, or whatever, the whole time and she only felt bad for Rick and so tried to make him think she still loved him. [proud of herself] Listen to me—I’m discussing a film.”
Spike: “No way. She thought she was into the hero guy until she met the bar-owner in Paris but then felt obligated to stay with the boring idiot because they were married. Bloody reason why marriage is a stupid institution—makes people not do things that they really want to do.”
Dawn: “I don’t think anybody should ever get married.” [Buffy shoots an annoyed ‘look what you’ve done’ look to Spike.]
Spike: “Of course, you should get married, little bit—men need to be kept in line and...uh...you have to be married to have babies and such and it’s the thing that nice girls should do.”
Buffy: [eye roll] “Very convincing.”
Spike: “I just don’t see the point—he should’ve just done what he said he was going to do.”
Dawn: “Well, I mean, the guy—the, uh, idiot—was supposed to be some BIG player in the against-the-Nazis resistance and so I guess the point is that if he’s happy, he can go and, like, get people to fight and, uh, maybe end the war. Or something.”
Spike: [eye roll from Spike.] “Yeah, like the mental state of one guy can change the fucking world. Stupid.”
Dawn: “Maybe it can. If it’s the right guy. [not really wanting to disagree with Spike] But I think she was totally more in to Rick. I mean, he’s way cooler. For an old guy.”
Buffy is just sitting and taking this all in. She’s obviously thinking about something.
Buffy: “Spike. You said Miranda asked you specifically to watch this movie?”
Spike: “Yeah. Said she’d explain later.”
Buffy: [Her eye’s go wide] “Oh my god. Oh my god. She’s leaving you. For him. She’s not coming back.”
Spike: [totally shocked & skeptical] “What? You still talking about the movie?”
Buffy: “You’re Rick. Angel’s the idiot. I mean, Lazlo.”
Spike: [not taking it seriously, but a touch worried] “Last I heard, there weren’t any Nazis in LA, so...”
Buffy: “Yeah, but there are plenty of evil things—lawyers, demons, hollywood producers. Seriously, Spike, I think she was trying to send you a message.” [Buffy is freaked out by this realization as well—she’s not trying to be cruel or anything.]
Spike: [looking a bit more concerned] “Nah, its just part of the act. He’s been telling folks down there she’s his girl and she’s been playing along. [a bit less confident] It’s just an act.”
The scene ends with Buffy and Spike both looking dismayed on the couch and Dawn scribbling notes in a notebook—she hasn’t been listening to their conversation.
**
Back in L.A. A day or two later.
[Again, kids, I’m skipping over stuff. I may bet back there...]
Miranda walks back into the hotel; she’s obviously been out for the day. Angel is in his office. Miranda walks in and sits down, looking exhausted.
Miranda: “You up for a walk? There’s a little park not to far from here—I spied a rather impressive tree that seemed to call out for company.”
Angel: “I should stick around—Wes and Gunn are out on a call and may need back-up. How was shopping with Anya?”
Miranda: “Oh, right. Anya. Yeah, it was a ruse. Again. What is it with you people?”
Angel: “A ruse?”
Miranda: “When I got up to Santa Barbara, Anya wasn’t waiting to meet me. It was Buffy.”
Angel: [taken aback]: “Buffy?”
Miranda: “Do you have any other ex-girlfriends I should know about—this is getting rather ridiculous.”
Angel: [obviously uncomfortable] “uh. No, that about covers it. What did Buffy...uh...want exactly?”
Miranda: “I suppose she just wanted to hear it for herself. Maybe Spike asked her to come. I don’t know.”
Angel: “huh. Buffy.”
Miranda: [mildly annoyed] “You know, there could come a point when you could stop repeating her name.”
Angel: “Sorry.”
Miranda: “She was concerned. About you. Wanted to know my intentions.”
Angel: “And what did you tell her?”
Miranda: [smiling] “That though no one ever knows how things will work out, that my intentions were to make you happy. She made me swear up and down that I’d treat you right. [pause] But boy, that girl sure can’t hold her liquor.”
Angel: “You got her drunk?”
Miranda: “Oh, she got herself drunk. Something tells me that she’d never actually considered the possibility of your moving on.”
Angel: [pained look] “It wasn’t easy for me, either. When she...you know...moved on.”
Miranda: [a bit more serious] “Listen, Angel. I just want you to know that I don’t anticipate...I don’t expect you to ever love me the way you loved her. You shouldn’t feel that pressure—that guilt. There are all different kinds of love.”
Angel: [slight frown as he contemplates this for a moment] “How is it that you always know exactly what to say?”
Miranda: “It’s one of my many talents. [more serious] I mean it. [pause—change of subject] You ready for that walk? That is what cell phones are for.”
They leave.
**
The next evening. Angel’s room/apartment.
[Writer’s note: when I first conceived of this scene, I had it in my head that Angel’s room at the hotel was upstairs and not downstairs. Don’t know WHAT I was thinking!]
Angel has just finished showering. It’s just before dusk. He’s getting dressed when suddenly there is a knock at the door. He walks over to open it and says as he moves to pull the door...
Angel: “Forget your key?”
But as the door opens, his expression fades to a deep frown. Standing in the doorway is Spike.
Spike: [He’s surprisingly calm—not in ‘pounce’ mode. Straight to business] “I need to talk to Miranda.”
Angel: [keeping in mind what Miranda said, he replies, calmly] “She’s not here.”
Spike: [inhales—confirming that she isn’t there] “Where can I find her, then?”
Angel: “I’m not sure she’d want to be found by you.”
Spike: “What, you afraid one look at me and she’ll turn her heals, dump your thick ass and come straight back to Sunnydale? ‘Cause you’re probably right.”
Angel: “She’s running. You know, exercise.”
Spike: “Never did that when she was with me. Must be all that sexual frustration, eh? Cheers.”
He ducks back and out the window before Angel can get his hands on him. It’s still light out, and Spike knows he can intercept Miranda on the way back from her run and Angel won’t be able to interfere. He waits outside in a nearby alley. Soon Miranda comes running up past the alley and she stops. She sees Spike.
[Another writer’s note: I had this vision of Angel watching the conversation between Spike and Miranda from an upstairs window—but in my mind, the super-vampire hearing was not part of the deal, so he saw but did not hear what was going on below. He’s just waiting for the sun to go down.]
Miranda: “That was fast.”
She thought he might not come for a day or two still. She leans back against the wall of the building. He walks towards her and offers a cigarette. She takes it and he lights it for her. She takes a drag before looking at him. They’re both remarkably calm.
Spike: “So. Ingrid. That your idea of a little joke?”
Miranda: “Oh, I don’t know. Thought maybe it might ease the idea in a bit.”
Spike: “Right. Hadn’t realized you were such a bloody coward.”
Miranda: “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
Spike: “What’s this really about, then?”
Miranda: “Somebody’s got to fight the Nazis, don’t they?”
Spike: [now getting angry] “So, what—you want to be a Slayer now? ‘Cause I think that position’s filled. Short, blonde girl with a mean right hook and an attitude problem? Sound familiar? Oh, and then there’s soul-boy and I’ve heard rumors about some bird in jail, so pretty much we’ve got an heir and a spare, so where do you fit in?”
Miranda: “It’s just something I need to do.”
Spike: [frowning in disbelief/confusion] “Something you need to do. And yet, you never mentioned it before. I’d think maybe you’d bring it up before deciding I couldn’t be involved.”
Miranda: “Maybe I did and you just weren’t paying attention.”
Spike: “Bollocks. [he’s not quite sure] So that’s why you left. To play the hero with captain gloom. [beat] We could do that if it’s what you wanted. I help Buffy with that sort of thing now and again—I’m not opposed to it altogether.”
Miranda: “Oh, come on, love. You and I as an evil-fighting team is ludicrous. [imitating] “Yeah, we’ll just have a quick shag and then it’s off to the graveyard to fight evil. Oh, and a quick cup of tea. Maybe a short nap. Alright, then, one more snog and then surely we’re off. Oh, but it’s a bit cold, so how about a whiskey to take the edge off.” Pathetic. It’d never work.”
Spike: “You’re right, but that’s not the reason. And it can’t be for him. You think he’s as stupid as I do—we make fun of him all the time.”
Miranda: [How can she look him in the eye and manipulate him like this?] “Maybe that’s just what I wanted you to think. Maybe that’s what I knew you wanted to hear.”
Spike: [a look of confusion crosses his face] “You can’t fool me like that.”
Miranda: “Can’t I?”
Spike: [angry] “Do you still love me?”
Miranda: “Of course I do. You don’t stop loving someone in a fortnight.”
Spike: “Then, why?...”
Miranda: “Because I shouldn’t.”
Spike: “Shouldn’t?”
Miranda: [Using words he’s heard before] “I’m not like you.”
Spike: “But you are like him? Maybe you’re not too clear on his history, love, but...”
Miranda: [She cuts him off.] “I’m a better person when I’m with him.”
Spike: “So that’s it, then: “We’ll always have Sunnydale?”—doesn’t quite have the same ring, does it? I suppose you’ll want to be friends.”
Miranda: [dead serious—this is the truth] “I’ll never want to be your friend, Spike. We could never be friends.”
Spike: [Stepping towards her. The angry edge off his voice] “Come on, love. Let’s just forget this ever happened. Come home with me. ‘Course I’d have to make you sign something that you’re not allowed to set foot in this town alone. Ever.”
Miranda: “No. I can’t. We need to say goodbye.”
He’s right in her face now and you can see her resolve weakening—you can even hear it in her voice. He reaches forward and touches her hair. She doesn’t move. Then he leans in.
Spike: “Come home.”
He kisses her and though at first she’s completely stiff, she begins to soften—it goes on for a bit until she pushes away slightly. He responds by pulling her closer and nuzzling her neck. As his lips reach her neck, he kisses it softly—she roughly pushes him away.
Miranda: [pretend-over-the-top-angry voice] “So that’s what you want, is it? That’s what you miss? Afraid you’ll lose your tolerance for daylight?”
Spike: [genuinely taken aback] “I wasn’t...I don’t care about...”
Miranda: [stern] “Thanks for making this easier. Go home, William.”
Spike: “This isn’t right. You’ll never be happy here.”
Miranda: “Sometimes it’s not about being happy. Go home.”
Spike: “There’s the kicker. Went out for cigarettes last night and when I got back, what do you know, but I’d been uninvited—to my own bloody house. Can’t even get my stuff out. You arrange that?”
Miranda: [surprised—it must have been Lindsey. She can’t hide her sadness] “No, I...I wanted you to keep the house.”
Spike: [bitter] “Hadn’t you heard? Vampires don’t live in houses. Alone, at least. So fuck the bloody house.”
Just then, Angel appears—the sun has gone down.
Angel: “It’s time to go, Spike. I know you’re still weak—you know we could take you.” [Miranda shoots Angel a frown at the ‘we’]
Spike: “Come on, M. Tell him you just feel sorry for him—that’s why you’re here. Some misguided sense of duty. Go on. Tell him.”
Miranda: [Miranda possessively takes hold of Angel’s hand] “Go back to Sunnydale, Spike. It’s over.”
The conviction and finality of her words leave Spike dazed. He brushes past them, angrily. With a look of anger/despair/confusion, he stalks off. He needs to regroup and think about what just happened. She didn’t mean it, did she? What sort of thing does Angel have working on her? She couldn’t have meant it, could she? The reality of the situation is too painful for him to face there, so he in fact does head back up to Sunnydale. Angel and Miranda head back into the hotel. Miranda is extremely upset, but she’s covering as best she can. She’s looking for some comfort.
Miranda: “Thanks. For not...you know. That was hard.”
Angel: [not comfort voice; a twinge of jealousy] “That was quite a kiss.”
Miranda: [in disbelief—he’s going to give her grief about THAT??!!??] “It was goodbye.”
Angel: “I’m just saying, it didn’t look so much like goodbye—more like ‘welcome to my mouth’”
Miranda: [indignant] “Sod off. You have no idea how hard that was for me. [rolling her eyes] I’m going to get something to eat.” [She angrily grabs her wallet and starts to leave. He grabs her arm.]
Angel: “What you said before, about Buffy. The same apply to Spike? Is that what you were trying to tell me—that you could never...” [She doesn’t let him finish and pulls free of his hold.]
Miranda: “Let go of me! I can’t discuss this right now. [She rushes out the door, but then stops and without turning around.] You can have everything, Angel, but that’s all.”
She leaves with an expression full of pain and frustration.
- 18
- 19
- 20
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Violently Happy