Author: Kay Tee maybeshedoes@yahoo.com
Distribution: Take it, but tell me where so I can visit.
Rated: R, overall series, although this one is pretty tame. Mild swearing. References to staking, attempted murder, dead birdies, and beatings.
Category: Series
Original Character Warning
Spoilers: 'Lie to Me.' You pretty much want to see that episode before you read this. Also, I'm going a little AU from here.
Disclaimer: In my dreams I'm Joss, but during the day I have to face the cold hard truth-- I'm a hack who steals characters. But I'm not giving them back! Or I am, just don't sue me, all I have are speeding tickets and student loans.
Summary: Spike can't take care of Druscilla all by himself, so he gets himself a slave to help. Buffy sees Angel talking to Dru and Eve.
Author's notes: I don't know where to get transcripts of the episodes, so I'm doing my best with what I remember from the show. Don't hurt me.
More notes: The song is 'The Future,' by Leonard Cohen. The Last Unicorn is by Peter S. Beagle. No copyright infringement intended.
And thank you for the feedback. I just started writing this stuff, and was really nervous. The feedback is so encouraging.
***
Angel watched Eve chop the onion. He remembered that smell, and was glad he didn't have to breathe now. The human was resolutely refusing to cry, but her eyes were so full of water, Angel was sure she couldn't see what she was doing. Still, her hands moved over the vegetable with expert speed as she diced the onion.
The first time Eve had visited, Angel had offered her chicken which he'd cooked himself. After that, she insisted on preparing the food he bought for her. She was 'building a broth,' which she insisted Angel keep on the burner for nearly a week. He wasn't too thrilled at the concept-- he didn't want his apartment to smell like onion. But Eve insisted that he would love the smell, and he was a sucker, so he agreed.
"I'm going to put some music on," he stood and stretched.
"Do you have anything written in the twentieth century?" Eve asked.
"Of course I do. I'm a vampire, we adjust to social changes very quickly... and..." Angel glared at his records.
"You should think about converting to CDs," Eve offered. "No one would think less of you, and classical and opera CDs are a lot cheaper than good stuff." She thought about that for a while. "I think. The last time I got a new CD, it was for Christmas..."
Angel sighed when she trailed off. Ever since her night as a vampire, Eve had been even more resolute about not discussing her past. He had been surprised that the slave of a vampire knew how to cook, but when he said so, Eve gave him a look that spoke volumes. Angel tried to imagine her laughing in a kitchen while her mother or grandmother showed her how to chop an onion.
"This," he waved a Leonard Cohen CD, "is from the twentieth century."
Eve looked up at that and watched in amusement while Angel tried to program one large black electronic box to play another large black electronic box.
Wiping her hands on a convenient paper towel, Eve walked over to Angel's home theater set up. She punched the 'CD' button on one machine, and then turned the CD player on. "You think you can take it from here, you who adjust to social changes very quickly?"
Angel grumbled as he inserted the CD. "It's easy for you to say, what great changes have you seen in your lifetime?"
"I was born in 1978," Eve explained patiently as she headed back into the kitchen area. "We had to go from cassettes to CDs. By way of eight-tracks. It was very inconvenient. I had to buy all my 'New Kids on the Block' tapes again."
She picked up a green pepper and began chopping. Angel sat down at the table to watch. There was comfortable silence, and then the music he had put on started.
An impossibly deep voice sang, "It's lonely here, there's no one left to torture."
Eve raised an eyebrow at Angel, who pretended not to notice.
"Give me absolute control, over every living soul, and lie beside me baby, that's an order."
"Do you actually dance to this shit, Angel?" Eve asked.
"No."
The slave shrugged and tuned out the song. Then the chorus started, and she dropped her knife, putting her hands on her hips, and said, "Angel, why do you listen to this crap?"
He frowned, and then listened to the lyrics as the deep voice was joined by three cheerful female voices.
"Things go slide, slide in all directions. Won't be nothing you can't measure anymore. The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold, and it's overturned the order of the soul."
"You don't like it?" He asked.
But the female voices were repeating, "When they said, 'repent/repent/repent/repent,' I wonder what they meant."
By the third, 'I wonder what they meant,' Eve was chopping again, shaking her head and muttering about crazy souled vampires.
When the song ended, Eve asked, "You like Gershwin, right? Wasn't he in the twentieth century? And... Puccini? We don't need to listen to this."
Angel grinned and walked back into the living room area to change the CD.
"You should listen to some good old-fashioned modern music," Eve called to him.
"Really," Angel scanned his CDs, removing Aaron Copeland. "What would you have me listen to then?"
"Not that Andy Copland shit. That is inappropriate music for... being indoors," Eve called back before Angel could do anything that would make her ears bleed.
Angel punched the 'off' button on the CD player, and walked back into the kitchen. "What modern music do you think I'd actually like?" He asked.
Eve rolled her eyes, and opted for sarcasm because she really had no idea what Angel would want to listen to. "Barry White." She said, "Or even better, Barry Manilow. I think you'd get a big kick out of something like 'Mandy.'"
She went back to her chopping, and didn't notice the calculating glint in Angel's eyes. He sat down in front of her and just watched her face in silence for a while.
Angel was pretty sure that Eve had no idea how beautiful she looked while she was cooking. Her whole face relaxed, and the corners of her lips turned up just slightly. Every time she dumped another load of vegetables into the soup, she would turn away from the steam with a faint glow infecting her face.
Angel was glad he could make his friend's life this little bit better, but he worried. Eve was starting to act like a free girl, but she wasn't. And when Spike and Druscilla took their slave out of Sunnydale, Eve might have a hard time going back to her old life.
Glancing at Angel's face, Eve noticed that he was scowling. "Geez, Angel," she complained, "you need to lighten up a little bit. Just be happy while you can." She gave him a pointed look, and Angel could have sworn that Eve knew exactly what he was thinking.
"I'm just worried that you'll have to go back to being just a slave when you leave," Angel explained. "Sometimes a little happiness can lead to a lot of misery."
"That was blunt." Angel smiled apologetically, but saw that Eve had no hurt in her eyes.
"It's nice to not have to be the cryptic guy all the time," he said softly.
Eve nodded, checking her watch. "I have to go." She brought the cutting board to the sink and washed it quickly while giving Angel instructions. "Just make sure that the heat is really low, and stir it every once in a while. It needs to simmer for a few days, and then I'll be back to check on it. Okay?"
"You want me to... cook?" Angel asked doubtfully.
Eve laughed at him. "You used to be human way back before frozen food and TV dinners. Did they not cook? Well, I mean, you grew up in Ireland, so maybe they didn't, but I'm sure they boiled stuff a lot."
Angel frowned at her. "They cooked, but not like that. We never ate bones."
Eve laughed again. "You don't eat the bones, Angel. That's just for flavor. All I'm asking you to do is make sure it doesn't get too hot." She wiped the cutting board down and started washing her knife.
Angel sighed. "Isn't that sort of..."
"Women's work? This is the nineties, Angel."
"Well, I'm meeting Buffy to patrol tonight..." He offered a token protest. They both knew he'd nurse Eve's soup until it was done.
"It's okay to leave it alone for a few hours." Eve wiped her hands on the front of her jeans. "See you tomorrow."
After she left, Angel glared menacingly at the soup. "Just don't get into any trouble," he ordered it, and then felt very stupid.
***
"Dru, wait," Eve pleaded.
"No,? Dru said darkly. "I want to hunt."
Eve followed the vampiress out of the warehouse. "Dru, please. Let's just wait until Spike gets back, and then you can hunt."
The vampiress ignored Eve's entreaties. The slave knew she couldn't stop her mistress from going out if that's what Druscilla had set her mind on. The vampiress was weak, but she was still stronger than Eve.
"Druscilla, don't you remember what happened the last time we went hunting alone?" Eve asked.
The vampiress smiled gently, "We went swimming."
Eve closed her eyes and reminded herself that she was dealing with an insane person. "Dru-" she started, but the vampiress turned to face her, placing a finger over Eve's lips.
"Shush," Dru ordered. "Eve's got a secret, but we won't tell." Eve gulped at the veiled threat.
Druscilla closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "Your fear is delicious." She turned and continued to walk away from the warehouse. Eve followed without protest, keeping an eye on their surroundings.
They made their way through town in silence, arriving at a small elementary school. Eve saw Druscilla's posture change, and scanned the area for life. On a piece of jungle gym equipment, she saw a boy. Eve let Druscilla walk ahead. The slave hated to watch the vampiress eat.
Eve listened to the quiet sounds of a discussion the predator and prey were having, but was shaken when she heard a deep and familiar voice. Angel was here.
When the boy ran away, Angel took a deep breath and turned to Druscilla. He was surprised to see Eve standing between him and the vampiress, holding a stake discreetly at her side. He quickly looked away from Eve when Druscilla whispered, "My Angel."
"Hello, Druscilla," he said without inflection.
The vampiress stepped in front of Eve as she walked towards Angel, "Do you remember the song Mummy used to sing me?" She asked.
Eve shot a warning glance at Angel, and gripped her stake a little bit tighter.
"I remember," he answered Druscilla.
Eve glanced between them; she wasn't sure which one she should try to stake if there was a fight.
"Druscilla, leave here. I'm offering you that chance," Angel said coldly. Eve looked up in surprise, but said nothing, tried to feel nothing. "Take Spike, and get out," he finished.
This time Eve didn't look up. Did he mean that she should be left behind? A nasty fluttering inside Eve's stomach jolted her-- she didn't want Spike and Dru to leave her.
She shook herself and tried to pay attention to the conversation. Angel looked more threatened than Druscilla, and Eve started to inch away. "This is just the beginning," the vampiress promised Angel. They split up, Eve leading Dru back to the warehouse, and Angel walking in the opposite direction. No one noticed the slayer watching from the roof of the school building.
***
Eve jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She spun around to face... Angel. "What are you doing here?" She demanded.
Angel glanced down at the birdcage in Eve's hand. "Shopping," he deadpanned.
"Oh," Eve frowned at her old friend and turned to walk away.
"You're broth's done," Angel called after her. "Why didn't you come by today?"
Eve shrugged. "I just couldn't get away." She held up the birdcage, and the canary inside squawked crankily. "I have to get this back to the... house."
"What are you doing?" Angel asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Dru's pet bird died," Eve explained, knowing this wasn't the answer to Angel's question. "I had to get her a new one."
"Eve, you know that"s not what I asked. Tell me what's going on," Angel demanded. "Why won't you look at me?"
Eve sighed sadly, pulling away from her friend. "Take care of yourself, Angel."
He watched her walk away. Frowning, he turned in the other direction, going to meet Willow and Xander.
***
When Eve woke up, it was after dawn. She wandered through the warehouse, but there was nobody there.
She frowned, the heavy emptiness at the base of her spine making her dizzy.
When Eve had learned that Spike was finally going to kill the slayer, she had realized that she couldn't be friends with Angel anymore. He was on one side, and she was on the other. Even if Eve didn't exactly condone what her vampires did, she wouldn't warn their enemies.
Now they should all be back from the feast they had been offered by that stupid boy. But no one was around. Eve wondered if they were all dead. That would mean she was free...
She shook her head and ran through the mansion, calling for her mistress and master. In the upstairs offices, Eve found Dalton reading the book one of the minions had just procured. "Dalton, they're not back yet," she told him.
He nodded without looking up. "I know."
Eve rolled her eyes. "Fine. I get that they're not nice to you, and you don't care what happens to them. Just... tell me where they went?"
Dalton studied Eve for a minute. "They're 'not nice' to you either."
Eve crossed her arms and exhaled loudly.
"They're probably just dead anyway..." Dalton sighed. He really didn't care what this girl did. He briefly considered eating her, but then thought of the ramifications if Spike or Druscilla ever came back. "Let me give you the address," he grumbled.
***
Eve stared at the metal door. The vampires had made some progress in trying to break it down, but were still hours away from getting out of the bomb shelter. If the slayer were smart, she'd find a way to use their entrapment to kill them all. "It's day," she warned the minions before opening the door. They all rushed out, and Eve cautiously stepped into the room. Spike sat on the top stair, holding Druscilla in his arms. He glanced up at Eve wearily.
"If you give me the keys, I'll bring the car around to the door," she held out a thick blanket. "We should get her home before-" Eve stopped talking when she saw Spike clench his jaw.
He flung his keys at her, saying, "It's just around the corner."
"I saw," Eve said quietly, then hurried out of the room.
***
Eve stepped cautiously into the library. Around the center table were gathered Giles, Buffy, Xander, Willow, and the girl who'd been dressed as a big cat on Halloween.
Eve really didn't want to be here. Her body ached from the beating she'd received after Spike's humiliation, and she just wanted to spend her free time soaking in the bathtub. But Druscilla was still shaken after almost being staked, and had asked for a book.
The group looked up as Eve walked in. "I just need one book," Eve said quietly. "The Last Unicorn?"
"You." Buffy stood up and approached Eve. "You're that girl I saw with Druscilla."
Eve glanced at the group seated at the table. Xander shrugged and Giles removed his glasses so he could clean them. Willow and Cordelia just watched with curiosity.
Eve frowned at the slayer, then offered her hand. "I'm Eve," she stated flatly.
Buffy ignored the hand. "What are you doing here?" She ground out.
"I-I came for a book. The Last Unicorn. Apparently it's a classic," Eve said, bewilderment clear in her voice.
Buffy's arm shot out, and she grabbed Eve's neck, not squeezing tight enough to choke the slave, but her grip promised pain. "I just staked one of my friends last night. I don't know who you think you're fooling, but you're not just gonna come in here and spy-"
Eve's laughter interrupted Buffy. The slave peeled the slayer's fingers off. "I'm no spy," she said, rubbing her neck.
Buffy studied the girl before her. She had a few light bruises on her face, and nasty purple rings around both wrists. "What are you, then?" She demanded.
Eve shook her head and looked at the ground. "There's no bookstore in this town. The local college library doesn't carry The Last Unicorn. I just need to get this book and go home."
"Well," Buffy smiled menacingly, shoving Eve to the ground so she fell inside the book cage. "You're gonna stay here until we know what you're up to."
Eve jumped at the door, but it was slammed shut and locked before she could do anything.
"Buffy," Giles said sternly, then frowned at Eve. "Maybe we should talk in my office?"
Buffy nodded and the entire group crowded into the tiny room. Eve observed them through the window between the office and the main room of the library. She looked at her watch and sighed. When Spike had sent her out, Eve had seriously considered telling him that the slayer seemed to spend a lot of time at the local library, so she wouldn't have to go. But Eve didn't want to give Spike any hints that would help him kill Angel's girlfriend.
Eve looked around the room where she was trapped. It was mostly filled by a closet and stacks of books. She found a window, but after much struggling, she discovered that it was locked. Next to the window was a tweed jacket hanging on a flimsy wire hanger.
Eve grabbed the hanger and went back to the front of the cage. Her captors were still debating in Giles's office, and didn't notice as she unhooked the hanger and used it to grab the phone attached to the wall next to the cage. With some trouble, Eve managed to get the phone into the cage through the book slot.
She stared at it for a few moments. There was only one number she could call...
After dialing, Eve waited for only half a ring before she heard Angel's voice. "Hello?"
He sounded like he'd been sleeping. She smiled faintly. "Angel?"
There was a long silence on the other end of the line before Angel said quietly, "Eve. I... It's been a while."
"I know," Eve picked at the hole in her jeans, wondering if Angel would even help her.
The vampire surprised Eve by saying, "I've missed you."
Eve took a deep breath and blinked rapidly, not on the verge of tears at all. Or, if she was, it was just PMS. She told herself she was much too tough to cry. "Angel, I need your help."
His suddenly panicked voice demanded, "Where are you, Eve?"
"I'm, um, in the high school library. In the cage." She waited for an answer, but received only silence. "I came for a book, and Buffy thinks I'm a spy or something, so now I'm locked up. Angel, if I don't get back soon..." She trailed off, assuming that Angel knew Spike's temper well.
"What can I do?" Angel finally asked.
"Tell them who I am. Say you know me, and that I'm not gonna hurt anyone."
Angel was silent for a while before saying, "I can't tell them that."
Eve closed her eyes. "Okay. I understand." She searched her mind for something, anything that would get her out of this situation.
"Eve," Angel offered, "there's a... weapons cabinet in the cage."
Eve turned around and looked at the closet. Now that she thought about it, it was a little strange that the jacket hadn't been hanging in there. She opened the door. "Angel," she started.
He sighed loudly, "Just don't kill anybody."
"I would nev-" Eve stopped. "I won't hurt the people you care about. I promise."
"Goodbye, Eve," Angel said, hanging up without waiting for a response.
Eve dropped the phone and examined the weapons in the cabinet. She picked up a crossbow and arrows, but was unable to load it.
She picked the phone back up, hitting redial.
"Hello?" Angel asked warily.
"It's me again," Eve whispered, glancing at the office. "How do you load a crossbow?"
"A..."
"A crossbow." After listening to the sound of Angel not breathing, Eve reminded him, "I'm not gonna hurt anybody. But they think I'm the bad guy, so they don't know that."
***
Angel had just finished giving Eve instructions when Buffy and her gang emerged from the office. "Okay, operator, thank you." Eve clicked the off button on the phone, then let go and dialed 411, so nobody would be able to hit redial and learn the identity of her helper. Angel obviously didn't want his friends to know that he was affiliated with Eve. She dropped the phone and pointed the crossbow at Buffy.
"You're gonna let me out now," Eve explained.
"Why should I? What are you gonna do with that?" Buffy smirked, crossing her arms.
"I hate it when they call my bluff," Eve muttered, taking aim. The first arrow imbedded itself in Xander's thigh.
He screamed and fell to the ground. Eve quickly reloaded and pointed the crossbow at Buffy's leg. "I think that you probably want to be at full strength right about now," Eve commented. "Wouldn't want to make it too easy for Spike to getcha."
Buffy's nostrils flared, by she moved toward the cage. "Uh uhn." Eve shook her head. "Let somebody else open it."
Buffy nodded to Giles, and he slowly moved to the cage, unlocking it. Eve backed away from the group, heading towards her usual exit door. "Sorry Xander, I just... had to do that." She glared at Buffy, and then disappeared into the sunlight.
As soon as the door to the library closed, Eve dropped the crossbow and ran across campus. She stopped at the bicycle racks and lifted an unchained bike. As she sped toward the warehouse, she figured she'd just tell Spike that The Last Unicorn was out.
***
Eve didn't open her eyes when Spike walked into the bathroom. After her second beating in as many days, she just wanted to enjoy her soak in the bathtub for a little while.
Spike watched the girl for a minute before sitting on the side of the tub. He knew she knew he was watching her. He clenched his jaw. She should show him some more damn respect. He put his hand on the top of Eve's head and dunked her into the bathwater.
After what he figured was a good interval, he let the struggling girl up. Eve sputtered for a while, gasping for air.
"I got these for you," Spike held up a pair of sneakers. Real sneakers, not just the weak Keds that Eve was used to. "Don't wear them around Dru."
Eve stared up at her master incredulously, but nodded in understanding.
He rose and walked to the door. "Next time I send you out for something, you bring it back."
Eve nodded again, whispering, "Thank you," as Spike left the bathroom.