Summary: Time to rewrite 'Crush' to suit
myself and others, so obviously it's not
according to canon. Canon, shmannon...you
want to have some fun, or not?
AN: I'll be borrowing heavily from the script/
episode...up to a point. I needed to use it in the
first chapter to establish that THIS Buffy is going
to be acting and reacting in a vastly different
way from that other...not so pleasant...Buffy.
I can't just "say what happened" and move on. How
will people know what she's feeling and thinking in
this story if I do that?
**********************************************
Part two....
"Spike? Are you here?"
She'd been yelling his name for five minutes. It was
pretty obvious that he wasn't here.
So how come she wasn't turning around and heading for
home? This wasn't so important that it couldn't wait until
tomorrow.
But she'd never been here before without him being here,
too. The temptation to snoop was just too powerful to resist.
Wandering around the silent room, her hands brushed over
the odd collection of his possessions that were mixed in with
the trappings of a crypt. The cold marble of the sarcophagus
and the figurines, a couple of vases meant to hold large arrange-
ments of flowers but sitting empty for years, a small bench for
mourners to come in and sit down on while visiting their dearly
departed...also unused for who knew how long before the current
occupant moved in.
From there, she moved towards the more modern half of the
place. An old, but comfortable looking arm chair sat about ten
feet away from a 19 inch television with a VCR sitting next to it
on a low table. There was a box on the floor next to the chair,
a box that contained about 25 or so videotapes.
She flipped through them curiously. Old movies, a lot of gross out
horror flicks, one or two "adult" oriented titles that sounded very
offensive. Just for the interest of seeing exactly what kind of a
pervert Spike really was, she popped one of them into the VCR
and turned on the television.
After exactly thirty seconds, she ejected the tape, blushing
furiously. She'd never seen a pornographic movie before, and
wasn't sure she ever wanted to again. It was...unsettling.
Attempting to place the tape back in the same position in the
box, she spotted another one with a white label on the front. In
neat printing, someone had inscribed the word 'Slayer' on it.
Frowning, she pushed the tape into the VCR and hit the play
button....then nearly died of shock when she saw what had been
immortalized on video.
It was herself, fighting a vampire in a....pumpkin patch?
Her memory clicked and whirred, sorting quickly through the
hundreds of vamps she'd dusted over the years, before zeroing
in on this particular one.
Halloween. The first Halloween after Spike's arrival in Sunnydale.
Before all the hilarity that had ensued on All Hallow's Eve, she had
gotten into it with a vampire in a pumpkin patch...the kind that
popped up all over town in mid-October. Bales of hay, scarecrows,
mounds of bright orange globes all over the place, and wooden signs
with nice, sharp points on them...perfect for slaying a member of the
undead brigade.
Had he been there? Filming her?
It certainly looked that way. But why? Why on earth would he
videotape her staking a vamp? What, had this been some close
friend of his or something? Spike didn't really strike her as the
sentimental type who would want such a keepsake.
No, there had to be another reason for it, and the reason was
probably her.
"So what do you do, Spike? Sit here and watch this tape over
and over again?"
A thought began nibbling on the outskirts of her consciousness,
one that wouldn't go away and leave her alone. What exactly did
he do while watching this tape? Maybe...the same sort of thing
other guys do while watching porn.
She couldn't decide whether she was revolted or intrigued
by the idea.
The flickered off, startling her when the screen went
snowy. She ejected it and placed it back in the box where she'd
found it, vowing to think about it...some other time.
Turning off the television, she began wandering around the
room again. There was a small bookshelf with a surprising
number of books on it that looked as though they'd been read
many times. She examined the spines...Dickens...Edgar Allen
Poe...Proust...Stevenson...Voltaire...Emerson...Bronte. A lot
of stuff that would put her to sleep five pages into it.
Obviously, there was more to Spike than she'd first imagined. He
always seemed so antsy, it surprised her to find out that he was
a reader.
Buffy straightened up and dusted off the knees of her jeans.
She was about to see if there was anything in the refrigerator
for people to drink when her eye was caught by something she'd
never noticed before.
A trap door. The kind of thing that usually led down to a
dungeon or a secret passageway...in movies, anyway.
Crouching down beside it, she pushed it out of the way and
peered down into a dark hole. "Spike?" she called, just to be
safe.
When there was no answer, she shrugged and descended the
ladder.
***************************************
With her feet firmly on the ground, she turned in a circle to
check out her surroundings.
Some kind of underground cave, it looked like. A torch burned
brightly in a sconce on the wall, casting eerie shadows. There
were a few caskets laying about with their lids open, a pile of
human skulls in one corner. Yech!
One far wall had a sheet draped in front of it. With a definite
feeling of foreboding, Buffy approached it. She wasn't at all sure
she wanted to know what was hidden behind curtain number one,
but she'd come this far....
"Oh....oh, my God...."
Her eyes were as round as half dollars as they traveled over the
little display she had unveiled. There was a mannequin...the sort
of thing you found in a department store...with long, messy blond
hair, and...wearing ONE OF HER SWEATERS!
Was this...thing...supposed to be her?
On the wall behind it was a small table holding a collection of
photographs...all of her. More pictures were mounted on the rock
wall somehow...and there were drawings as well. Sketches of her
that were remarkably good. Was Spike the artist?
Hmmm. Another facet of this increasingly complex pain in her
backside to consider.
Weird tingles were chasing up and down her spine. They were
the kind of thing she usually took as a warning to get moving away
from wherever she was.
Deciding to take their advice, she headed up the ladder.
Only a supreme effort of will kept her from yelping out loud
when she reached the top.
"See anything interesting?" Spike drawled.
Oh, great. Just perfect.
Trying to somehow brazen it out, she climbed all the way out of
the hole. "Spike, I...uh..." He advanced as she retreated. "What
happened?"
"Me," a voice to one side said softly. A voice Buffy knew quite
well.
Before she could even think up a reply, Drusilla extended her
arm. **What the hell is that?** was on the tip of her tongue when
the metal rod the vampire was holding out touched her and she
felt a jolt of electricity surge through her body, weakening her.
She hit the floor with a thud, staring up with confused eyes.
Spike grinned down at her. "You remember my ex, don't you,
Slayer?" he asked, sliding one arm around Drusilla's skinny
shoulders. "Come back, she did. Couldn't live without me."
Even the knowledge that she was probably in pretty
serious trouble at this point couldn't keep one thought from
pushing to the forefront of Buffy's mind. **So much for 'I love
you, Buffy...this is real, Buffy...I dream of you, Buffy...Heat and
desire, Buffy'....yeah, right**
Drusilla cocked her head to one side. "My boy's been feeding
again. But I know what he really wants to eat."
With a sly smile, she zapped Buffy once again. This time, the
slayer couldn't fight off the effect and she slumped into unconscious-
ness.
***********************************************
Awareness returned slowly. First there was sound, muffled
and fuzzy. Two voices. One female that sounded highly pissed
off. The second voice was male. Calm and indifferent sounding.
Not really responding to the female.
Forcing her eyelids apart, Buffy tried to focus on her surroundings.
Rock walls....cold....echoey....cave like....this isn't good.
Mellow light jumped out from the torches burning on the walls,
painting the room in a weirdly romantic glow.
Her arms were aching, and it wasn't long before she knew
why. Someone had chained her in an archway. Her hands were
manacled at about shoulder height, and she'd been leaning her
unconscious body's weight on them.
Straightening her legs as best she could, she lifted her head.
"There she is," Spike murmured softly, moving into her line of
vision. "I was beginning to think you'd sleep the night away."
Buffy tugged at the chains, but they were bolted tight. Something
lingered in her mind, something needed to be remembered...oh,
yeah. Of course.
"Dru....Drusilla?" she mumbled thickly.
With a slight smile, Spike arched his eyebrows for an instant, then
stepped back to show Buffy what he had done.
Drusilla was tied to a pillar, her hands roped securely behind her as
she stared at Spike with blank eyes. "Not nice to change the game in
mid-play, Spike. You've taken my chair...and the music hasn't stopped."
He shrugged. "Sorry, Pet. My house, my rules."
She shook her head. "I think I shall be very cross with you when I'm
free again."
Buffy had just about had enough. Her head was clearing up and she
looked at Spike expectantly. "What's going on?"
He returned her gaze. "Simple. I'm gonna prove something." Step-
ping a little closer, he held her eyes with his. "I love you," he added
softly.
**No, you don't!** she wanted to scream at him. **People who love
don't tie each other up....well, sometimes they do, but NOT like this!**
Not wanting to say any of that, she made a face and muttered "Oh,
my God."
Spike grabbed her chin and forced her to see him. "No! Look at me!
I love you. You're all I bloody think about...dream about. You're in my
gut...my throat...I'm drowning in you, Summers. I'm drowning in you."
His sincerity was impressive. If this was an act, he was a damn good
performer. It was the most serious declaration of love she'd ever heard
from a man.
Irritatingly, Drusilla began laughing in the background.
Spike sighed and turned towards her. "I can do without the laugh track,
Dru."
**Me, too,** Buffy thought.
"But it's so funny," the dark haired vamp said airily, staring at nothing. "I
knew...before you did. I knew you loved the Slayer."
Disregarding her ramblings, Spike turned back to Buffy. "You can't
tell me that there isn't anything there between you and me. I know you
feel something."
Maybe. But there was no way in hell she was going to admit it now.
"It's called revulsion," she stated firmly. "And whatever you think you're
feeling, it's not love. You can't love without a soul."
"Oh, we can you know," Drusilla interjected. "We can love quite well. If
not wisely."
"You still don't believe," Spike said. "You still don't think I mean it. You
want proof? How's this?" Walking over to the table, he grabbed one of
the stakes and aimed it at Drusilla's heart. Looking over at Buffy, he said,
"I'm gonna kill Drusilla for you."
The vampiress in question burst out laughing again, as though it was
all a great game.
Although she wanted badly to see it happen, Buffy just shrugged. "That
doesn't prove anything."
He frowned. "Don't mock this."
"Go mock yourself," she retorted, turning her nose up at him.
She wished she could figure out what exactly was going through her
own head at the moment. She should be screaming, threatening him
with all manner of horrible fates, struggling to free herself even if she
had to break her own wrists to do it.
Instead, she was just standing here, listening calmly to Spike's
peculiar courting ritual.
But now he looked pissed.
"This is Drusilla, girl! You have the slightest idea what she
means to me? It's the face of my salvation." Looking at Dru, he
smiled slightly. "She delivered me from mediocrity. For over a century
we cut a swath through continents. In a hundred years...she never
stopped surprising me."
He cupped his hand around the side of Drusilla's face in a tender
gesture that had her leaning into it. "Never stopped taking me to new
depths. I was a lucky bloke, just to touch such a black beauty."
Buffy rolled her eyes impatiently. Did she need to hear this?
Dru smiled at Spike's statement. "Awww," she murmured. Then
Spike raised the stake and dug it's point into her flesh, changing
her tune to, "Owww."
"So you see," Spike continued, looking over at Buffy. "It means
something."
Yes, indeed it did. Buffy knew that this was no empty gesture
for Spike. Maybe he....
*NO! No, no, no!** She shook off the thought before it could
take root. "Not to me it doesn't," she announced chattily. "Go
ahead and kill her. Why do I care?"
Spike arched his brow in surprise at her comment, pushing his
tongue briefly against the inside of his front teeth. "Here's why,"
he informed her. "If you don't admit that there's something
there...some tiny feeling for me...then I'll untie Dru and let her
kill you instead."
"Oh, yes, please," Dru chimed in. "I like that game much better."
Spike sighed, approaching Buffy slowly. "Just give me something,"
he pleaded. "A crumb...the barest smidgen. Tell me...maybe...some-
day...there's a chance."
Buffy tilted her head, coaxing him closer. "Any chance you might
EVER have had with me has been shot to hell by this little stunt. Did
you really think that shocking me with a cattle prod...and by
the way, where the hell did you get a cattle prod?...chaining me up,
and threatening to kill me if I don't tell you what you want to hear
is romantic?"
He rolled his eyes in frustration. "Look, I'm sorry about the cattle
prod and chains, luv, but I couldn't think of any other way to get you
to stand still and listen to me."
"Well you sure picked a piss poor way of doing it," she snapped.
Spike opened his mouth to reply, then stiffened and hit the floor.
Buffy's jaw dropped. There was an arrow protruding from the center
of his back, mere inches away from his heart. Before she could
process what had happened and say something, Harmony
strolled into the small chamber.
"And what about me, Spike?" she inquired. "The ACTUAL girl-
friend?"
"Oh, great," he muttered, trying to stand.
"I gave you the best...bunch of months of my life," she said,
walloping him across the back of his head with her crossbow.
"That's right little girl," Dru murmured encouragingly. "Teach
our naughty boy a lesson."
"Harmony is your girlfriend?" Buffy broke in. "HARMONY?!"
"I thought I could change you, Spike," Harmony went on,
calmly reloading the crossbow. "I thought maybe if I gave and
gave and gave...maybe you'd come around. Maybe be a little
nicer. Stop treating me like your dog. But now I see it's you.
You're the dog. Who needs to be put..."
She turned slightly away from him, giving Spike the opportunity
to rush her. Grabbing the crossbow, he smashed her across
the face with it.
As the fight commenced, Drusilla began wriggling in her
ropes, trying to loosen them, glaring daggers at Buffy.
"Oh, shit!" Buffy muttered, tugging at her chains again.
The rope dropped away from Dru's hands and she headed
across the small room with purpose, straight for Buffy.
Bracing herself, she let out an "oomph" of air when Dru
punched her in the stomach.
The vampire pulled back one fist, but Buffy lunged forward
and head-butted her before she could land the punch.
The knock-down-drag-out was continuing. At one point, Buffy
heard Harmony squeal, "Ow! You're on my hair!"
Drusilla tried to get in closer once again, but Buffy deflected
her with a well placed kick. She flipped over to lock her
legs around Dru's neck and used them to fling her aside.
Not to be discouraged, Drusilla grabbed a plank of wood
and swung it at Buffy's head, stunning her with it. She dropped
the board, placed her hand around Buffy's throat, then began
to squeeze.
Which was the moment Spike entered the fray. Having managed
to subdue Harmony, he stumbled across the room and took
hold of Drusilla's arm. "GET OFF OF HER!" he shouted,
throwing her halfway across the room.
Sprawled on the floor, Dru stared at him in hurt bewilderment.
"Poor Spike," she said sadly. "So lost. Even I can't help you
now." With those parting words, she stood and walked out.
Buffy and Spike were watching her go when Harmony made
herself known once again. "Oh, and Spikey?"
They turned their attention back to her.
"You can say goodbye to this!" she stated, pointing at
her ass. "Because you're not going to see it anymore...unless
you run into me somewhere and it's me walking away from
you." She started to leave, then turned back. "But...even
then I'll probably just...you know...back away."
After her departure, there was a long silence in the room.
Sighing, Spike looked at Buffy, then turned away. "What can I say?"
he asked. "I was a soddin' idiot to get involved with that stupid
bint."
"Which one are you referring to?" she asked archly.
He grinned a little and shrugged. "Didn't really have a choice
about Dru."
Buffy glared at him and rattled her chains. "You planning on
unlocking this soon?"
There was a short pause, then he tilted his head a little,
considering her.
"Sorry, luv," he finally said, walking slowly towards her. "Not
just yet."
TBC.....
AN: Fear not! The next chapter veers WILDLY off
canon.
Feedback is welcome
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