If I Knew Then... Ch 2
Title: If I Knew Then...
Author: Shade
Pairing: S/X
Rating: PG to NC17
Disclaimer: All assorted characters belong to Mutant Enemy and Joss which is fine, because I suspect Buffy's high maintenance anyway.
Summary: AU-The African demon in Grave grants Spike's wish in a way he never planned. Flung back in time, he has to relive the previous three years with all the knowledge of what's to come.
A/N: These chapters were initially beated with love by blinding_sight. Certain bits of dialogue are taken from the following BtVS episodes.
Chapter 2-4:8 Pangs
Chapter 2: "Pangs"
"Are you actually reading?"
Spike shoots Giles a look and goes back to his book. "I can read, you know. I learned how before your grandfather did, so shut it."
"Have you found anything?"
"No, other than information about the Chumash being in this area, not much. Maybe we could ask the demon bird, she's one with the vengeance after all."
"I must say your helpfulness this past week has been surprising, if not vaguely disturbing."
"Imagine how I feel."
"I'd still be inclined to think you were up to something if Buffy's mother hadn't suddenly announced that she had to go stay with her sister."
"What you think I'm legit now?"
"Not hardly, but it does help your story. You're sure this demon is coming for Buffy?"
He had hoped that he could get around being chained in the bathtub again, but Giles had been cautious. It had taken him half the week to convince them that he really couldn't hurt them. Trying to be on his best behavior all the time about drove him right round the bend. Spike sighs and tosses the book onto Giles' coffee table with a bang and stands to rub his back before replying.
"For the hundredth time, all I know is I came to you lot for help on Thanksgiving. Buffy was cooking. Somebody had died, no I don't remember whom, and the gang went rushing off. It was just you, me, and the Slayer when suddenly it was like a John Wayne flick, arrows flying everywhere. The Indian turned into a bear and apparently he can only be killed by his own weapon."
"What sort of weapon was it? Perhaps we can start looking there."
"A stone knife."
The door swinging open interrupts them. Buffy struggles in trying not to drop the three grocery bags she's holding. Out of reflex, Spike relieves her of two of the bags before he knows what he's doing.
"Thanks Gil-Spike?" she says staring at him.
He rolls his eyes and carries the bags into the kitchen. Buffy follows behind telling Giles about a murder and the Chumash connection. Then she goes off on the number of shoppers at the grocery store. Spike tunes her out and goes back to the couch. He can hear them chatting away.
"At some point you are going to get back to the murder?"
"Oh, right. The only thing taken was some old knife."
"A stone knife?"
"I don't know. All the card said was 'Early 1800 Chumash knife.' There was a picture, but I couldn't tell if it was stone in it or not."
"Spike said that the spirit had a stone knife and that when you stabbed him with it you defeated him."
"Well, why doesn't Spike just save the day then, since he knows everything?"
The sigh Giles gives makes Spike suspect that he's probably cleaning his glasses. Maybe he should be the one to take out Squanto that might at least shut her up.
"Buffy," Giles says in that older wiser tone, "you have to admit that if Spike's story is true then his knowledge would be extremely helpful to you."
"Giles, I get that you're trying to be all helpful and Watchery, but Spike is a vampire. I'm never going to trust him. Do you even own a turkey pan?"
"Tell me again why we're not doing this at your house?"
"Giles, if you would like to get by in American society, then you are going to have to follow our traditions. You're the patriarch. You have to host the festivities, or it's all meaningless."
The weary tone again almost makes Spike smirk. Giles says, "And this is in no way an elaborate scheme to stick me with the cleanup?"
"Make Spike do it. He can be all homey vamp and earn his keep."
"Buffy, Spike is not a pet."
"Too bloody right!" he yells.
Buffy bustles out of the kitchen and ignores him. "I still need to pick up a few things, so I'll check in. And you and Billy Idol keep your hands off the food."
Spike sneers while Giles replies, "Oh, I'll try and restrain myself from eating uncooked potatoes and cranberries." As soon as she's out the door, Giles sits and says, "So, what do you think?"
Spike begins to open his mouth to give a long list of what he thinks but then realizes that Giles wasn't talking to him at all. Angel moves out from the back of the apartment. All of Spike's hackles rise. The two vampires stare at each other.
"I think you're wasting your time with Spike," Angel says in a low voice.
"I meant about the murder," Giles says staring both men down. Spike has never understood how a mere human like Rupert can do that. He's not sure if it's Watcher's training or a bit of the Ripper still inside.
"This spirit you told me about fits the description of the danger."
"What the bloody hell is he doing here?" Spike demands.
"What you didn't see this coming in your crystal ball?" Angel shoots back.
"Gentlemen," Giles admonishes. "We all want to help Buffy. Don't you think it's odd that Spike came with a warning at the same time your friend had a vision? Perhaps this all means something."
"Perhaps the vision means Spike is the danger."
"Oh, don't I wish."
Giles once again has to be the voice of reason. "Enough. Can we focus on the task at hand? We need to know more about this spirit and why it's after Buffy."
Angel turns away from him and looks at Giles. Spike is aching for Peaches to start something, but he knows that he won't. Not on the Watcher's turf anyway.
"Do you know Father Gabriel? He knows the history of this place pretty well. His family dates back to mission times. He might be able to fill in some blanks."
Giles replies, "Ok. Well, I'll see about contacting him. Where are you going?"
"To watch her."
Spike watches Angel sweep out of the apartment. He's gritting his teeth so much they hurt. A quick look at Giles shows the other man lost in thought.
"It's funny. Here I am handing you everything on a bloody silver platter, and I still get treated like a monster. He sweeps in here and you're old buddies. I recall him messing up your hands something awful, Rupert. I bet they still tend to ache a bit when it's cold."
"That piece of metal and plastic in your head, if it truly is there, in no way compares to Angel's soul, Spike. Don't try to pretend that it does."
"Yeah," he mutters and stomps into the kitchen to have a bit of blood to take the edge off.
He sulks in the bathroom a while and paints his nails. Mostly because he knows it drives the Watcher barmy to wonder what a vampire could possibly be doing in a bathroom for hours on end. When he comes back out, Buffy has returned and Willow is there too. They're all nattering on about political correctness or some such. He thinks about the big speech he gave them before and wonders if he's going to have to deliver it again.
As Buffy goes back into the kitchen, Giles and Willow exchange whispers about Angel. Spike is still a bit pissed off, so he lies on the couch and tries to ignore all of them. Another knock on the door and Anya carts in a sickly looking Xander. It's just as entertaining as it was the first time. The former demon kicks him off the couch and lays Harris out. Spike sits on the coffee table and smirks at the boy.
"How's the syphilis?"
"Buffy! Some stake action please!" Xander whines.
"Don't be such a baby. Buffy'll slay the nasty Indian and you'll be right as rain."
"It's Native American. We don't say Indian," Buffy pipes up.
He and Giles exchange a look. Xander is still complaining on the couch.
"I don't see why he's going around killing people, but me I get syphilis!"
Willow whines, "He's just doing what was done to him."
"I didn't give him syphilis."
"No, but you freed his spirit, and after a century of unrest, he saw you as one of his oppressors," Giles supplies helpfully.
"What, so he rises up and infects the first guy he sees? That's no fair."
Willow mutters, "Like you've never woken up cranky?"
Spike gives Red a good smirk at that and pokes Xander just for fun. Anya bats his hand away and shoots him a look. He rolls his eyes and lets her minister to the boy, not that it'll help one bit. The group goes on about slaying the spirit and whether it's a good idea. Thankfully, he doesn’t have to say much because Giles keeps pointing out that he's already told them that Buffy's done it before. Her blondeness shows through as Spike watches her try to wrap her head around that one. Harris gets a little paler and Spike smirks even more. He's even more amused when Xander makes a comment about vengeance demons that sets Anya off.
"Good one, mate," he says after she marches into the kitchen to get away.
"Shut up, Spike."
"You know!" he yells loudly. "I think this is about where I came in. You couldn't get your heads out of your arses then either."
All eyes are focused on him, and none of them are happy. He soaks it up for a moment and tries to remember the speech he gave before. He then discards that thought and decides to wing it.
"Listen up kiddies. It's not about the bloody Indians, all right? This is about a nasty spirit that's killing people. Regardless of how you feel you've got a job to do. In a little less than an hour Geronimo and his mates are going to show up here and likely make you all really dead. Now there's nothing you can do about the plight of the 'Native Americans.' But you can stay alive and help other people. So what's it going to be?"
"Maybe it's the syphilis talking, but... some of that made sense."
Giles sighs and says in a tired voice, "I made these points earlier, but fine, no one listens to me."
They set about getting the place ready for a siege. Spike points out where all the bad guys are likely to be shooting from. Buffy continues to focus on cooking dinner with Anya's help.
It starts quickly. Spike is standing over Xander wondering aloud if the syphilis and other diseases will make him taste funny when there is the sound of breaking glass and an arrow lodges in the middle of his chest.
"Oi!" Spike yelps as the rest of the gang take cover. Harris rolls off the couch onto the floor as the opposite window breaks and another arrow goes sailing by. Spike drops to a crouch. He grunts as he pulls out the arrow. He distinctly ignores the snicker beside him.
"Ranged weapons everyone!" Giles yells.
"It won't do any good, Watcher! We need to get the big guy in here." Right as he finishes speaking, the spirit crashes onto the stairs and the others barge their way inside. He hears Willow scream as Buffy pulls her out of the way. Spike vaults over the couch and barrels into one of the other spirits knocking them both into the wall by the door. Buffy has already started in on the main Chumash trying to make him drop his weapon. He can hear Xander and Giles fighting off another in the hall while Anya screams. The Indian he's fighting manages to knock him back to the floor in time for him to see demon girl reach over Giles to wack another one of the invaders on the head with a frying pan. The door bursts open behind his attacker to reveal Angel.
"Here, take this!" Spike yells and kicks his combatant into Angel and then shuts the door to the courtyard. He takes a second to look over the battle like a general. Xander and Giles are holding their own, and Anya and Willow seem to be doing okay, but not for much longer. Spike moves over to Buffy and does a sidekick into the Chief's back. He and the Slayer double-team the spirit until she manages to spin kick the knife out of his hand. Spike lunges for it and immediately becomes the center of the spirit's attention. As Spike jumps back, the Indian morphs into a bear. Spike smirks.
"Not impressed, mate. Seen it before," he says and tosses the knife over the bear's head. Buffy catches the knife in midair and as the bear turns to look she brings the weapon home. The spirit dissolves into a sickly green fog before disappearing all together. The other spirits quickly follow suit. Spike looks around at the aftermath and claps once loudly. "So, what's for dinner?"
Author: Shade
Pairing: S/X
Rating: PG to NC17
Disclaimer: All assorted characters belong to Mutant Enemy and Joss which is fine, because I suspect Buffy's high maintenance anyway.
Summary: AU-The African demon in Grave grants Spike's wish in a way he never planned. Flung back in time, he has to relive the previous three years with all the knowledge of what's to come.
A/N: These chapters were initially beated with love by blinding_sight. Certain bits of dialogue are taken from the following BtVS episodes.
Chapter 2-4:8 Pangs
Chapter 2: "Pangs"
"Are you actually reading?"
Spike shoots Giles a look and goes back to his book. "I can read, you know. I learned how before your grandfather did, so shut it."
"Have you found anything?"
"No, other than information about the Chumash being in this area, not much. Maybe we could ask the demon bird, she's one with the vengeance after all."
"I must say your helpfulness this past week has been surprising, if not vaguely disturbing."
"Imagine how I feel."
"I'd still be inclined to think you were up to something if Buffy's mother hadn't suddenly announced that she had to go stay with her sister."
"What you think I'm legit now?"
"Not hardly, but it does help your story. You're sure this demon is coming for Buffy?"
He had hoped that he could get around being chained in the bathtub again, but Giles had been cautious. It had taken him half the week to convince them that he really couldn't hurt them. Trying to be on his best behavior all the time about drove him right round the bend. Spike sighs and tosses the book onto Giles' coffee table with a bang and stands to rub his back before replying.
"For the hundredth time, all I know is I came to you lot for help on Thanksgiving. Buffy was cooking. Somebody had died, no I don't remember whom, and the gang went rushing off. It was just you, me, and the Slayer when suddenly it was like a John Wayne flick, arrows flying everywhere. The Indian turned into a bear and apparently he can only be killed by his own weapon."
"What sort of weapon was it? Perhaps we can start looking there."
"A stone knife."
The door swinging open interrupts them. Buffy struggles in trying not to drop the three grocery bags she's holding. Out of reflex, Spike relieves her of two of the bags before he knows what he's doing.
"Thanks Gil-Spike?" she says staring at him.
He rolls his eyes and carries the bags into the kitchen. Buffy follows behind telling Giles about a murder and the Chumash connection. Then she goes off on the number of shoppers at the grocery store. Spike tunes her out and goes back to the couch. He can hear them chatting away.
"At some point you are going to get back to the murder?"
"Oh, right. The only thing taken was some old knife."
"A stone knife?"
"I don't know. All the card said was 'Early 1800 Chumash knife.' There was a picture, but I couldn't tell if it was stone in it or not."
"Spike said that the spirit had a stone knife and that when you stabbed him with it you defeated him."
"Well, why doesn't Spike just save the day then, since he knows everything?"
The sigh Giles gives makes Spike suspect that he's probably cleaning his glasses. Maybe he should be the one to take out Squanto that might at least shut her up.
"Buffy," Giles says in that older wiser tone, "you have to admit that if Spike's story is true then his knowledge would be extremely helpful to you."
"Giles, I get that you're trying to be all helpful and Watchery, but Spike is a vampire. I'm never going to trust him. Do you even own a turkey pan?"
"Tell me again why we're not doing this at your house?"
"Giles, if you would like to get by in American society, then you are going to have to follow our traditions. You're the patriarch. You have to host the festivities, or it's all meaningless."
The weary tone again almost makes Spike smirk. Giles says, "And this is in no way an elaborate scheme to stick me with the cleanup?"
"Make Spike do it. He can be all homey vamp and earn his keep."
"Buffy, Spike is not a pet."
"Too bloody right!" he yells.
Buffy bustles out of the kitchen and ignores him. "I still need to pick up a few things, so I'll check in. And you and Billy Idol keep your hands off the food."
Spike sneers while Giles replies, "Oh, I'll try and restrain myself from eating uncooked potatoes and cranberries." As soon as she's out the door, Giles sits and says, "So, what do you think?"
Spike begins to open his mouth to give a long list of what he thinks but then realizes that Giles wasn't talking to him at all. Angel moves out from the back of the apartment. All of Spike's hackles rise. The two vampires stare at each other.
"I think you're wasting your time with Spike," Angel says in a low voice.
"I meant about the murder," Giles says staring both men down. Spike has never understood how a mere human like Rupert can do that. He's not sure if it's Watcher's training or a bit of the Ripper still inside.
"This spirit you told me about fits the description of the danger."
"What the bloody hell is he doing here?" Spike demands.
"What you didn't see this coming in your crystal ball?" Angel shoots back.
"Gentlemen," Giles admonishes. "We all want to help Buffy. Don't you think it's odd that Spike came with a warning at the same time your friend had a vision? Perhaps this all means something."
"Perhaps the vision means Spike is the danger."
"Oh, don't I wish."
Giles once again has to be the voice of reason. "Enough. Can we focus on the task at hand? We need to know more about this spirit and why it's after Buffy."
Angel turns away from him and looks at Giles. Spike is aching for Peaches to start something, but he knows that he won't. Not on the Watcher's turf anyway.
"Do you know Father Gabriel? He knows the history of this place pretty well. His family dates back to mission times. He might be able to fill in some blanks."
Giles replies, "Ok. Well, I'll see about contacting him. Where are you going?"
"To watch her."
Spike watches Angel sweep out of the apartment. He's gritting his teeth so much they hurt. A quick look at Giles shows the other man lost in thought.
"It's funny. Here I am handing you everything on a bloody silver platter, and I still get treated like a monster. He sweeps in here and you're old buddies. I recall him messing up your hands something awful, Rupert. I bet they still tend to ache a bit when it's cold."
"That piece of metal and plastic in your head, if it truly is there, in no way compares to Angel's soul, Spike. Don't try to pretend that it does."
"Yeah," he mutters and stomps into the kitchen to have a bit of blood to take the edge off.
He sulks in the bathroom a while and paints his nails. Mostly because he knows it drives the Watcher barmy to wonder what a vampire could possibly be doing in a bathroom for hours on end. When he comes back out, Buffy has returned and Willow is there too. They're all nattering on about political correctness or some such. He thinks about the big speech he gave them before and wonders if he's going to have to deliver it again.
As Buffy goes back into the kitchen, Giles and Willow exchange whispers about Angel. Spike is still a bit pissed off, so he lies on the couch and tries to ignore all of them. Another knock on the door and Anya carts in a sickly looking Xander. It's just as entertaining as it was the first time. The former demon kicks him off the couch and lays Harris out. Spike sits on the coffee table and smirks at the boy.
"How's the syphilis?"
"Buffy! Some stake action please!" Xander whines.
"Don't be such a baby. Buffy'll slay the nasty Indian and you'll be right as rain."
"It's Native American. We don't say Indian," Buffy pipes up.
He and Giles exchange a look. Xander is still complaining on the couch.
"I don't see why he's going around killing people, but me I get syphilis!"
Willow whines, "He's just doing what was done to him."
"I didn't give him syphilis."
"No, but you freed his spirit, and after a century of unrest, he saw you as one of his oppressors," Giles supplies helpfully.
"What, so he rises up and infects the first guy he sees? That's no fair."
Willow mutters, "Like you've never woken up cranky?"
Spike gives Red a good smirk at that and pokes Xander just for fun. Anya bats his hand away and shoots him a look. He rolls his eyes and lets her minister to the boy, not that it'll help one bit. The group goes on about slaying the spirit and whether it's a good idea. Thankfully, he doesn’t have to say much because Giles keeps pointing out that he's already told them that Buffy's done it before. Her blondeness shows through as Spike watches her try to wrap her head around that one. Harris gets a little paler and Spike smirks even more. He's even more amused when Xander makes a comment about vengeance demons that sets Anya off.
"Good one, mate," he says after she marches into the kitchen to get away.
"Shut up, Spike."
"You know!" he yells loudly. "I think this is about where I came in. You couldn't get your heads out of your arses then either."
All eyes are focused on him, and none of them are happy. He soaks it up for a moment and tries to remember the speech he gave before. He then discards that thought and decides to wing it.
"Listen up kiddies. It's not about the bloody Indians, all right? This is about a nasty spirit that's killing people. Regardless of how you feel you've got a job to do. In a little less than an hour Geronimo and his mates are going to show up here and likely make you all really dead. Now there's nothing you can do about the plight of the 'Native Americans.' But you can stay alive and help other people. So what's it going to be?"
"Maybe it's the syphilis talking, but... some of that made sense."
Giles sighs and says in a tired voice, "I made these points earlier, but fine, no one listens to me."
They set about getting the place ready for a siege. Spike points out where all the bad guys are likely to be shooting from. Buffy continues to focus on cooking dinner with Anya's help.
It starts quickly. Spike is standing over Xander wondering aloud if the syphilis and other diseases will make him taste funny when there is the sound of breaking glass and an arrow lodges in the middle of his chest.
"Oi!" Spike yelps as the rest of the gang take cover. Harris rolls off the couch onto the floor as the opposite window breaks and another arrow goes sailing by. Spike drops to a crouch. He grunts as he pulls out the arrow. He distinctly ignores the snicker beside him.
"Ranged weapons everyone!" Giles yells.
"It won't do any good, Watcher! We need to get the big guy in here." Right as he finishes speaking, the spirit crashes onto the stairs and the others barge their way inside. He hears Willow scream as Buffy pulls her out of the way. Spike vaults over the couch and barrels into one of the other spirits knocking them both into the wall by the door. Buffy has already started in on the main Chumash trying to make him drop his weapon. He can hear Xander and Giles fighting off another in the hall while Anya screams. The Indian he's fighting manages to knock him back to the floor in time for him to see demon girl reach over Giles to wack another one of the invaders on the head with a frying pan. The door bursts open behind his attacker to reveal Angel.
"Here, take this!" Spike yells and kicks his combatant into Angel and then shuts the door to the courtyard. He takes a second to look over the battle like a general. Xander and Giles are holding their own, and Anya and Willow seem to be doing okay, but not for much longer. Spike moves over to Buffy and does a sidekick into the Chief's back. He and the Slayer double-team the spirit until she manages to spin kick the knife out of his hand. Spike lunges for it and immediately becomes the center of the spirit's attention. As Spike jumps back, the Indian morphs into a bear. Spike smirks.
"Not impressed, mate. Seen it before," he says and tosses the knife over the bear's head. Buffy catches the knife in midair and as the bear turns to look she brings the weapon home. The spirit dissolves into a sickly green fog before disappearing all together. The other spirits quickly follow suit. Spike looks around at the aftermath and claps once loudly. "So, what's for dinner?"