| [Legal] Title: Three Years On Part: 1/4 Author: Danni Matthews Disclaimer: Joss Whedon, UPN, FOX, Mutant Enemy and the WB are responsible for all prior characher development. The author, of this has no ownership rights to the characters or any of the storylines featured in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. |
| - T h r e e Y e a r s O n - [ P a r t I ] |
[Three Years On I] Buffy dived out of the way just in time as the large vampire ran at her. She took out a stake and prepared to drive it into the creature's chest. But suddenly it spun around and drove a hard punch into her stomach, winding her. The vampire took advantage of her momentary weakness and pounced on her, sending her to the ground. Buffy grunted with effort as she tried to heave the big vampire off her, but he had her pinned down. There was no way she was getting up without some pretty efficient help. She was trapped. Suddenly, the vampire was grabbed by the scruff of his neck and sent flying into one of the stone walls which encased the alley. The Slayer sprang to her feet and struggled to see the identity of her saviour as he and the vampire fought in the shadows. Dust billowed out to her and she knew whoever it was had staked the vampire. "Hello?" Buffy called into the darkness, unable to hide the nervousness in her voice. A familiar figure stepped into view. A figure she hadn't seen in three long years. It was Spike. ~~~ "Spike?!" Buffy stammered in disbelief, unable to move. He looked the same as the last time she had seen him. His short hair was still the ridiculous shade of white which suited him down to the last detail, but would have looked plain stupid on anyone else. "Surprised?" Spike grinned, enjoying her amazement as he lit a cigarette. Buffy blinked. "Spike?!" she repeated, squinting as if to see whether or not he was real, and running a hand through her long, blonde hair. "Yes," Spike drawled, rolling his blue eyes. "I think we've established that y' know my name." Buffy began to reply but didn't know what to say. She simply continued to stare at the vampire who had come so close to killing her and all her friends on so many occasions. Suddenly a thought struck her. "Do you still," she paused "y' know..." "Love you?" Spike finished cooly, he snorted with lauhgter "Hell no!" Buffy frowned. A simple 'no' would have done. He didn't need to laugh. "That was the product of some temporary insanity." he continued "I mean you're a Slayer! A vampire loving a Slayer is just sick. It's *beyond* sick! It's - " "I get it." Buffy cut him off before getting to the point. "What are you doing here?" "Just checkin' how things are." Spike answered vaguely, taking a long drag of his cig. Before Buffy could prod her old enemy for more information, he turned to leave. "I'll drop into the homestead tomorrow, y' know, see Niblet." And with that he was gone. The Slayer couldn't believe it. She sighed and headed for Giles' modest apartment to deliver the news of Spike's arrival. ~~~ Spike stubbed the cigarette out beneath his battered boot and took a deep, unnecessary breath. "Well" he thought "that was easy enough." He set off in the general direction of his old crypt and fished out a small flask of alcohol. "She thinks I'm still chipped and didn't even *try* to stop me comin' to her house tomorrow!" He swigged some whisky and smiled to himself. He decided to grab a snack before heading home. A young teenager stumbled out of a club, obviously drunk, and Spike waited for her. "Dinner is served." he muttered and prepared to make the kill. ~~~ Giles cleaned his glasses as he thought over what Buffy had just told him. The old Watcher suddenly realised that she hadn't told him the most important detail. "Is the chip still active?" he asked her in his upper class British accent. Buffy could have kicked herself. "I forgot to ask." she admitted sheepishly. Giles shot her a withering look as he put his glasses back on. "So you're telling me that you forgot to ask one of the most dangerous vampires we've ever faced whether or not he was harmless?" he sighed. "It *was* a shock, you know." the Slayer defended herself pathetically. The Watcher shook his head. "So he's 'visiting' you again tomorrow?" Buffy nodded. Once again giving herself a mental kick. "Does Dawn know?" he asked with a yawn as he realised it was past midnight. The Slayer's shoulders fell. He took that as a "no". How was she going to explain to Dawn that the guy she'd had a crush on for years had suddenly re-appeared? Well, however she did it, she'd have to do it soon. Spike was 'dropping in' tomorrow. Buffy just hoped Dawn would be able to handle it. ~~~ "Oh my God!" Dawn exclaimed happily after her older sister had informed her of the vampire's sudden arrival in town. "What time is it?" she asked. "11:00 am." Buffy replied, completely stunned at her reaction. "Why?" "Coz that gives me ages to get myself looking as good as possible!" Dawn giggled. After all, first impressions were everything. "Ew!" Buffy pulled a face. "You're only 17, Dawn and he's, like, 150!" The Slayer's sister shrugged and bounded up-stairs. She could do what she liked. She *was* almost 18 now. Almost old enough to be completely independant. Once she had reached the landing, she turned back to her older sister. "Have you told the rest of the gang?" she asked. Buffy nodded. No mental- kicking for her this time. She'd just come off the phone from Willow about 5 minutes ago. The whole gang was making an appearance for Spike's visit. Which meant, she realised with a groan, she'd have to clean up a bit. ~~~ That night, Spike stood in front of the Summers household and let his mind wander back into the past. He remembered how he'd stood in the very same spot three years ago, just hoping to catch a glimpse of Buffy. He cringed. He still couldn't believe he used to love her. But, he thought with a smile, the key word there was 'used'. Now all he wanted to do was rip out her pretty little throat. On that note, he walked up to the door and knocked loudly. ~~~ Buffy looked around her lounge and smiled happily. All her closest friends were here in the same room. Tara and Willow talked quietly in the corner, Xander and Anya argued about the time it took to drive up, and Dawn chatted to Giles. This is what Buffy missed. Normality. But then she remembered that they were all waiting for a vampire and her vision of normality faded. As if on cue, there were three raps on the door. The room fell silent as Buffy went to answer it. She threw open the door and was met with a cloud of cigarette smoke as Spike exhaled. He threw it to the floor. "Sorry." he muttered without a hint of sincerety. Buffy sighed and motioned for him to come in. The vampire swept past her and was greeted by everyone's amazed stares. "Yeah?" he glared. Still the stares continued. "I'm not a bloody animal in a zoo, y' know." he spat and the gang came back to life. Everyone greeted him uncomfortably before he came to Dawn. "Niblet?!" he exclaimed. "Haven't we grown up." "Hi Spike." she blushed, grinning at him. All her old feelings came rushing back to her as she gazed at his handsome face. She was torn away from her daydreams by Buffy, who turned Spike around to face her. "Do you still have the chip?" she asked urgently. Spike paused. Letting them all squirm. He nodded. "Truthfully?" the Slayer prodded. "I swear it." he said solomnly. "Y' don't have to worry 'bout me. I'm still harmless. Can't hurt a fly...Ever." Spike recieved pitying looks from everyone and he struggled to conceal a grin, they were all just so gullable! "I'd like to thank the academy..." he thought as he sat down on the sofa next to Giles. A long silence followed. This was going to be tougher than he'd thought. ~~~ After a while, the whole gang was much more relaxed and everything felt the same as it had three years earlier. Well, to everyone but Spike. He'd changed a hell of a lot since then. He no longer loved Buffy, he was *totally* over Drusilla, and of course he was now officially chipless... ~~~ **Two years earlier** Spike shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he waited impatiently for the group of Sorcerors to make their final decision. He had been tracking them ever since he'd left Sunnyhell, so if their answer didn't match is then there was going to be a massacre. Thinking that, he almost wished the denied his request, just so he could have a proper fight. Something which he had recently been lacking. After what seemed like an eternity, the head of the group stood before him. "We, the Members of Sohork, have reached a verdict." he announced in a low, rumbling voice. He let a silence follow. To build up tension, Spike guessed. "You, William the Bloody, have requested that we remove the chip from your brain with dark magicks." Another pause. Spike was getting annoyed. "We, the Mem - " "Oh bloody hell!" Spike errupted. "I know who you are, I know what I asked, so all I want to know now is the bloody answer!" "We," the Sorceror continued calmly "the Members of Sohork have decided to... accept and remove your chip." Spike broke into a wide grin and felt like dancing around the darkened room. But he chose to remain seated. He didn't want to ruin his 'coolness'. "Right," he shook the Sorceror's hand. "Ta, mate!" "The procedure will take place in two weeks time. We shall find you when the time is right." the demon then disappeared. Allowing Spike the privacy he needed to express his joy. He was getting the chip out! After all this time, he was going to be Spike again. ~~~ **Present** "So, Spike," Anya looked over at him. "What've you been doing the past three years? Moping over Drusilla?" Spike raised a scarred eyebrow. He was going to enjoy killing her. Loud mouthed little... "No." he glared "I travelled. Went to Japan again, toured America, and took a trip home to England." "How is it over there?" Giles asked, obviously missing his home country. "Rainy and cold." Spike replied and the two shared a smile. "So Xander," he changed subject. "You and Anya married now?" "Yeah." Xander sighed happily and him and his wife shared a loving smile. Spike shuddered in disgust. He couldn't stand people being all lovey-dovey. "Congrats." he mumbled and sat back. He reached into his coat pocket and retrieved the whisky he had left from the previous night. "So, Buffy, you're how old now?" he asked, taking a swig from the flask. "Twenty three." the Slayer answered, with an air of pride. After all, not many Slayers lived past nineteen. Spike shrugged. He'd run out of polite chit-chat. Time to make an exit. The vampire stood up and stretched. "Well, it's been fun." he lied and started towards the door. "Wait!" Dawn called after him. He groaned and turned back round. "It's only 9:00!" she told him. He rolled his eyes. He *was* aware of the time. "Yeah, but I've gotta go see some people in town." he announced and left the house before anyone else could protest. ~~~ Xander let out a long sigh and slumped down in his chair. "God, that was intense." he said what everyone was thinking. "He hasn't changed a bit." "I think he has," Dawn told her friends. "I don't know what it was, but I kept getting this vibe." Buffy nodded. "Same here." she agreed. "There's something about him that just isn't right. He seems too...like himself." "Hey," Anya sat up straight. "Do you think maybe he got the chip out and is plotting his awful revenge?!" "Now we do!" Willow complained "Jesus, Anya! You'd think we weren't paranoid enough!" "So how can we be sure he's telling the truth?" Tara asked. The gang looked to the Slayer expectantly. "Easy," she replied "We follow him." ~~~ Spike looked around his new adopted crypt and nodded. This was so much bigger than his old one. He'd gotten rid of the previous owner just minutes before and was now taking a proper tour. The crowning glory, he decided, was the wide-screen tv which sat in the centre of the main room. He couldn't wait for the Dawsons Creek double-bill tomorrow. But it was on early, so he would have to go to bed before midnight, which meant he needed a decent meal now. He reluctantly left his new home and went in search of food. ~~~ Buffy crept silently behind her old enemy, being sure to keep a good distance away from him as he wandered around the town, apparently looking for something or someone. What was he up to? She had followed him to his new crypt and watched him amble around it. She had almost gone home then and there, but then he had left to go to town. Buffy watched carefully as he began chatting to a pretty girl in her mid-twenties amiably. After about ten minutes he took her by the hand and led her down an alley. The Slayer tailed them, more curious than ever. What was he doing? The last time she'd checked, vampires didn't generally kiss humans. But then she looked closer. The girl was in pain! She then noticed Spike's position, he was lingering on her neck. Buffy felt a chill run down her spine. He was biting her. Anya had been right, the chip was out. What should she do?............... |
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