Mimic

  Spike V's The Spiders 1

 Part eight

   Buffy didn't tell Spike what she'd learned. He didn't seem to remember the dream at all but was a little edgy. 

"You want a truce?" Buffy looked incredulous. She was sitting on the sofa where Spike had been while he occupied the chair in the corner. They had managed not to kill each other so far. 

"Yeah, stupid aren't I?" he grinned cockily.

"No argument from this corner." Buffy grinned back. "Why should I?" She asked.

"Because if you don't your gonna get killed." He explained.

"And that would bother you because..." Spike lit up a cigarette and Buffy noted he used exactly the same movement as Abby had the night before.

"I have my reasons." Was his only explanation. Buffy frowned for a second. 

"Where's Drusilla?" She asked Buffy noticed Spike wince very slightly at the question he'd been trying to avoid, even from himself, for the past few months. No one yet had asked him out right and it was time that he answered it. 

"England. At least that's where I left her, or she left me, one of the three." He shrugged. "She wouldn't forgive me, for Angelus. Even if he was a wanker and hurt her every chance he got she still preferred, 'her Angel', always did." Buffy noticed the bitter note to his voice.

"Oh." Buffy felt sorry for him wished that there was something that she could say *Why bother? He’s the enemy for god’s sake! * She thought to herself. "So, Truce?" she said breaking the mood.

"Yeah." Spike was thankful for the Slayer sometimes "Abby's got some stuff planned for you, namely a funeral. I know Abby and what she's like I can help."

"Why?" 

"I told you Slayer, I've got my reasons,” he said shortly.

"So how can you help?" Buffy asked.

"I know what Abby's doing. Have you noticed a yourself doing any thing not Slayer like?" He asked. Buffy looked at the floor and Spike took it as a yes. "That's Abby's fault, well not Abby exactly, her pet Mimic." Buffy looked up.

"What? You mean it wasn't me?" Buffy asked.

"No, I mean it was you but the mimic was working you over, making you do those things." He explained. Buffy wrinkled up her nose.

"What's a Mimic?" Spike rolled his eyes at her but explained anyway.

"A Mimic is an annoying little demon that can imitate anything it wants so long as it has a pulse, leaving me free of replication. It follows Abby around like a bloody dog, does anything she wants."

"So how does that make me do the wiggy?" Buffy asked.

"It's a fucking puny demon, so far as demons go this one doesn't even qualify for feather-weight, its only a little stronger than the average human. What it lacks in the strength department though it makes up for in magic." Spike explained. "It can read your sub-conscious mind and can bring forward things your sub-conscious wants to do and make you do them." He smiled for a second. "What did you do?"

    Buffy looked at the floor for a second then answered. 

"I broke Harmony's nose!" 

"Oh well done!" He said with a big grin

"It's not a good thing! I'm probably gonna get chucked out of school for this." 

"She should be thanking you pet. You gave her a free nose job I've heard those things can cost." He joked. "Is that all you did to be here wallowing in self pity?"

"I'm not wallowing. Doing laps maybe." Buffy took a deep breath. "I nearly snapped Giles's neck." She confessed. 

"Well that should do it." He raised an eyebrow at her. "May I ask why you tried to kill your watcher? The slut Harmony I can understand but..." He left the sentence hanging for her to pick up.

"I have absolutely no idea. We were just training and the next thing I know I'm-I'm beating him into a tweedy pulp!" She said picking at her nail polish. "A little one."

"Well that's simple," Spike scoffed. "I know how much you hate pulling punches, obviously so does the Mimic."

"You mean I just stopped pulling my punches?" Buffy frowned.

"Can I just say. Duh!" Spike said causing Buffy to laugh. Buffy suddenly stopped laughing and looked at Spike.

"Why is Abby doing this?" 

"We're vampires Luv. Twisted, sadistic and evil." He grinned, "she's having her fun before she kills you."

"Oh."

"Not your scene hey Slayer?"

"So we're calling a truce?" Buffy asked.

"If you want."

"Same rules as before?"

"Same as before."

"Okay." Buffy nodded Spike began to get up "Spike?"

"Slayer?"

"How long has Abby been able to move so fast?" She asked.

"Most of her un-life. She was a witch when she was human." Spike explained "Regular vampire Lestat ain't she?" Spike moved over to the fridge and pulled out a carton of blood making a disgusted face. "I've got a plan though."

"Tell me."

Part nine

    Buffy and Spike stood in the shadows outside of Giles's apartment waiting. Finally the door opened, Xander appeared from inside. They trailed him a good distance from the house. 

    Buffy looked at Spike he nodded and blended fully into the shadows, she wondered how he did it. 

"Xander!" Buffy ran up behind her friend, or rather the double of her friend. He spun around his eyes growing wide.

"Buffy!" He said managed to look angry that she was there. "What are you doing here I thought...."

"Xander I've worked it out I know what's going on!" She explained. Xander looked worried.

"You-you have?" 

"Yeah. Listen to this." Spike suddenly appeared behind Xander back handing him across the face the mimic landed on the floor in a heap. Spike grabbed the back of his hand growling in pain.

"Bloody hell, for a pansy he's damn solid!" Spike snarled continuing to curse until his anger over took him and he landed a harsh kick to the Mimic's ribs. "Bloody mother-fucking hell!" he swore as he clutched his foot hopping around in full game face. 

    Buffy smiled, then she giggled, and then she out right laughed. Holding her sides with tears streaming down her face she howled with laughter at her partners antics. *Partner? Did I just say partner?*

    Buffy looked up to find Spike glairing at her. "Just give me a bloody hand!" He growled grabbing the Mimic's feet.

* * * * *

"That should hold him!" Buffy said moving back to admire her handy work. 

    They had got the Mimic back to the apartment and now had it tied up in the bed, much to Spike’s disgust. Spike had yet to sleep in a bed for the past few months and now he had to give it up to a demon he didn't even like.

"Just make sure he doesn't wake up, then he wont be able to communicate with the others. They'll have to track him back to here." 

    Spike had explained earlier that the Mimic needs to reform every 48 hours or it goes into a sort of coma. In its natural form they would have no trouble killing it. Buffy brought out a large sword they were going to use to take the demons head off with.

"So," Spike smiled. "Who gets to kill the prick?"

"Slayer gets first dib's." Buffy smiled back.

"Oi, I think I should get to." Spike frowned.

"Why?" Buffy asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Because I've had to put up with the annoying arse-hole for years."

"Hey! He tried to destroy my life!" Buffy argued.

"No fair I don't have a life!"

"No shit, Mister sixties reject!" Buffy threw back.

"You know what I mean." Spike growled. The Mimic groaned from the bed and Spike picked up a Baseball Bat hitting the Mimic over the head with it to quiet him.

"You deal with Abby. I get the Mimic." Buffy resolved finally. Spike looked at the floor *Abby, yeah great fun. * He thought sarcastically.

* * * * *

    The Mimic didn't try to find its missing part for almost two nights it burst through the door knocking an unsuspecting Spike on to his back. The Willow mimic went straight to Xander while Giles tried unsuccessfully to attack Buffy. The plan was to let the mimic rejoin then kill it. Spike on the other hand felt like having a bit of fun. 

    He kicked Willow flat in the stomach so as not to hurt himself too much then around the backs of her legs with the baseball bat bringing her down. Buffy rolled her eyes and kicked Giles into Spike knocking them both over. Willow was already up and finished off untying the Xander Mimic. 

    Buffy pushed Giles into Willow and the mimic took its chance. Reforming quickly, it began to shrink away until it was hardly 5ft tall deep red with black/gray patches and horn like growths all over. Buffy grabbed the sword swinging it around before the Mimic could react. 

    There was a sickening ripping sound as the mimic’s head rolled from its body spraying large amounts of gray blood onto the floor. Buffy looked around surveying the damage. This was going to take ages to clean up. 

Part 10

    Troy began the short walk from the bronze to his house. There was a light summer breeze against his back and the air was fresh. He felt great! He'd just been celebrating his selection as quarterback for the football team. Life couldn't get much better, until everything went black. 

"You gonna share with an old mate?" Abby looked up from her dieing meal, snarling at whatever had spoken. Spike moved out of the shadows and Abby quieted. 

"Thought you were leaving?" She smiled, "not that I'm not happy you stayed."

"How could I honestly pass up the opportunity of hanging around with one of the old group?" he asked.

"How indeed, you, me, Angelus, Darla and Drusilla." She reminisced. "Shame we can't all be here. Want some?" Abby offered Spike the body. 

    She watched as he stooped beside the kill his game face coming forward. Abby smiled as she watched him feed running her hand over his hair. Spike pulled back and allowed her to feed. Abby stood letting the body fall she offered Spike her hand. 

"You can spend the day at the factory." She smiled.

Abby lead Spike down the hallway at the old factory to her rooms. She locked the door behind them.

*Oh God I can’t do this. I. Can’t. Oh fuck, fuck, fuck! *

     She switched on the TV, more from habit than actually wanting to watch. Spike sat on the bed with his back against the wall knowing from years of experience what her reaction would be.

   Abby crawled between his legs leaning back against his chest. Spike wrapped his arms around her pulling her against him he rested his cheek on her hair. Spike closed his eyes. 

    He and Abby had shared this position many times in the past when the others had been out hunting, before Angel gained a soul, and he and Dru had left. He really regretted that decision sometimes. *Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, OH FUCK.* 

    Spike didn't want to move, but knew if he stayed there for another second then he'd never be able to do what he came to do. Kill Abby.

    Spike bent his head to kiss the back of Abby's neck. He trailed kisses until he was just over her jugular. Spike hesitated. "Abby?" He questioned quietly. Abby smiled at his question and tilted her head to the side slightly baring her neck for him 

"Yes." she replied. *Fuck!*

    Spike brought his game face forward hovering over the spot for a second he bit lightly bringing her blood into his mouth. Abby relaxed back against him and Spike thought he might never move again. Spike felt the strength flowing from her blood the ancient vampires power filling his veins. 

     He winced at the thought of what he was about to do then deepened to the bite, like he did when he was going to tear someone's throat out. He felt Abby fight against him try to get out of his grip, but he had all ready become stronger from her blood, and she weaker from lack of it.

    Abby growled and thrashed against him, managing to break free of his grasp she rolled off of the bed landing in a fighting stance. Abby glared at him her eyes flashing gold in anger. Spike kicked her across the side of the face before she even registered his move. 

    Abby looked up to find Spike kneeling beside her a stake in his right hand. She closed her eyes, waiting. When she opened them again Spike was gone, on the floor beside her was a note with one simple instruction. 

"Leave." 

* * * * *

    Spike watched as Abby and several of her minions piled into the back of their stolen army truck, the vehicle speeding away from the curb into the darkness. He stood there for what seemed like an eternity looking after her, rolling an unlit cigarette in his fingers until the first whisper of dawn began on the horizon, forcing him back into the shadows.

    Buffy had just finished cleaning up after the Mimic when Spike came in, looking like life didn't matter any more.

"Abby?" Buffy asked quietly.

"Gone." Spike said not looking up. He walked over to the bed suddenly feeling tired he looked down at it then shaking his head walked over to the couch laying down and closing his eyes.

*Forget it mate, deaths too short. *

Epilogue.

    Buffy knew she was being followed. She felt him as she moved through the park. He'd been there the past few nights but she'd been with the others then and now she was alone.

"So, everything OK with your friends?" He asked as he emerged from the shadows of a nearby tree. 

"I didn't tell them. About you." she said walking up to him. 

"Thanks," he smiled. "Probably better that way."  The truce was still in place even though Spike had taken up his former position as Master vampire in Sunnydale. 

"Spike?"

"Yes Slayer?"

"Why?" She asked, "Why did you help me?"

"I-I have my rea...."

"Reasons, Yeah, you said. But I want to know." Spike looked down at the Slayer frowning.

"One day Luv, I'll tell you what this is all about." Spike said stepping so close he could feel her heart beating. "I have a feeling you'll find out anyway, you’re like that."

"I know. So we still have a truce?" 

"Yeah. Just don't tell anyone. I've got a reputation to look after." He smiled. 

"I won't tell anyone. I won't tell the spiders either." She smiled cheekily Spike’s eyes growing wide "You talk in your sleep." Buffy explained.

"Like I said, you have ways of finding secrets." Spike said.

"Yeah. Ones that can be used in blackmail." 

    Spike grinned and bent his head pulling her into a deep kiss. Buffy wrapped her arms around his waist. Spike tangled his hands in her hair, pulling her closer. Buffy felt as Spikes fangs grew from his blunt teeth slicing her lip she let the blood run into their kiss. 

    Spike broke the kiss as suddenly as he had started it, pushing her away her spun giving her a flying kick to the head. Buffy looked up at him stunned. 

"We better give your mates a good show hadn't we now?" Spike asked winking. Buffy looked around to where Xander Oz and Willow where now running towards them.

"Oh great timing guys!" She said sarcastically causing Spike to laugh. 

    She looked back at Spike and quickly gave him a right cross to the jaw and slammed her foot into his chest sending him flying. He pulled himself up laughing he brushed himself off, gave her a little salute, then turned back into a shadow.

"Buffy!" Willow called breathlessly to her friend as she approached. "Are you Okay?"

"Yeah Will, I'm fine."

"Was that Spike?" Frowned Xander looking past her to where spike had been. Buffy knew he was still there.

"Yeah. Looks like the little Billy Idol reject is back for good." She grinned knowing he had heard her.

"Hey Buffy. You've cut you lip there."

"Yeah Oz, I know"

*END*