Eye of Eleos 76/
Events from the first two episodes of S4 are referred to. The Freshman, written by Joss Whedon, and Living Conditions, written by Marti Noxon
Chapter 76
“I’m going to have to have Spike take me on one of these one day. Maybe when Faith gets out of that coma and we get her de-clawed she can take over for a few weeks,” GhostBuffy sighed wistfully.
The quarters on the container ship were much nicer than she’d expected and very private. “Even has its own little deck. Would be perfect for moonlight fun with my hot vampire.” Even a short trip would be wonderful.
The ship was heavy, even before all the cargo had been packed tightly in place so it sailed so smoothly that except for the occasional choppy seas, it was a dream. “Pratt Shipping builds a great product.”
Once again Buffy felt filled with pride in Spike and his previously hidden talents. His continued concern to have his father’s legacy live on brought a smile. “I know he thinks he’s a disappointment to his parents with all the vampire stuff. The lifestyle and killing probably would horrify them but my guess is that they’re at least proud of the parts of William he lets out even now. More of William in him than he knows too. Darla and Angelus tried to torture it out of him, but really it only went undercover. Plenty still in there.”
So much to impress her about this vampire of hers! Not only the bits of human but the demon too. “Sure. It still is violent, loves chaos, and brawls. More than willing to take a life to feed too.” But it was not as single-minded about evil as many demons she’d met.
“I don’t know if all vampire demons can love but his sure can.” He’d loved Dru without question. Loved Anne, ‘That wasn’t just the recently murdered William there. The demon was on board with trying to cure her and make her a traveling companion.’
Spike had also loved Angelus and even Darla in the early years. “Fucked up kind of love since they were anything but nice to him but the demon saw them as family. One thing Spike… all of him… loves is his family.”
The demon also was better able to reason than many she’d seen. ‘Maybe it’s just Spike has better control than most?’ Spike controlled his appetites, all of them. She’d rarely seen him totally lose it.
“Yeah, even the demon parts of him have good points, lots of them.”
***
The ship docked at the Port in Oakland and Spike waited to debark until the sun took its nightly dip into the Pacific.
“Wonder if I can talk Spike into having one of these babies named for me? The SS Buffy has a nice ring to it. Maybe just SS Slayer would be better though. Wouldn’t want the other ships to pick on her, call her silly, for her name after all.”
Spike gathered his gear and strolled down the gangway ready to find a fresh meal for a change after the long journey with his bagged dinners.
The short cab ride to the Golden Gate City itself wasn’t too long and places were still open and active. Buffy was amused that Spike’s hunger was as much for a big serving of Gan Guo and a couple of bottles of Tsingtao at a cozy Chinese restaurant in Chinatown as it was for the quartet of tourists who ‘donated’ enough blood to satisfy the demon without draining them.
The server at the restaurant had tried to talk Spike out of his selection, warning that it was likely too hot for his palate. Spike had laughed then enjoyed watching her face as his side order of Tien Tsin peppers disappeared without him breaking a sweat. Buffy was fairly certain he’d left a lasting impression.
After Spike was sated, Buffy followed as he took in the beauty of the city on the bay and giggled as he started softly singing. It was a near-perfect imitation of Tony Bennet’s ‘I Left My Heart In San Francisco’, one of her mom’s favorite songs. He had such a lovely voice when he was actually singing instead of the strangled cat noises of the Punk songs he usually favored.
He took a room in the Castro, flirting a bit with a couple of pretty, pretty, boys he was sizing up for breakfast in the morning if they were up and about. Spike had learned long ago that gay men were as susceptible to his charms as the ladies were and usually not as skittish when the fangs came out to play.
Once he was settled he checked with the storage unit he’d had his black baby shipped to while on the voyage back to California. The demon car transportation service from Caracas hadn’t been cheap but it was reliable and he knew his baby had been in good hands. Then again the demons who ran the company and supplied the drivers knew what the fate of anyone who damaged William the Bloody’s prize vehicle would be. She’d be gassed up and ready to hit the road to Sunnydale whenever he was ready to head out the next day.
“Might stay a night or two. Get my land legs back before headin’ to the Hellmouth.” Sunnydale had been the site of many an ass-kicking in his time there. This time he had grand plans to turn it all around but also knew the Slayer was the Joker in the deck.
“Got no plan to kill the pun-queen, just a glorious dance in the sunlight s’all.” There was no way in the world he would kill Buffy and leave Joyce to grieve. That didn’t mean he wasn’t aching for a truly spectacular full-out fight. “Show the chit all I’ve been holdin’ back.” Surely Joyce could forgive a few broken bones and bruises if it came from a fair fight.
GhostBuffy was startled. “So he didn’t plan to kill me once he got the gem! It did seem too easy. I was so in my poor-me-wallow mood he could have killed me easily. Had me pinned more than once. The only reason he got a decent fight out of me is because he goaded me with all those taunts. Guess I wasn’t fulfilling his fantasy for that glorious dance,” she giggled. Really seeing things from this other perspective was enlightening as well as entertaining.
“Pretty sure mom would have gotten out her ax anyway if he had broken anything. She likes him but I’m her baby after all. Stupid vampire.” she rolled her eyes and let out a huff of laughter. “Must be one of those human subtleties the doofus can’t work out without a soul. Hurt me and mom won’t care how fair the fight is or if he didn’t intend to kill me.” She made a mental note to remember that Spike might need some help with the subtleties. Humans and vampires didn’t see things quite the same way. He was smart but not used to thinking about things from a completely human perspective.
***
“Fog here in San Fran reminds me a bit of my old London days, well… without all the coal pollution in it,” Spike noted as he tossed his bags into the backseat of his car ready to head back to the Hellmouth and a certain ring. Fog wasn’t uncommon in the bay area but it was fairly thick and late in the day which only helped a traveling vampire in the end.
The trip southward towards Sunnydale via Highway 101 was scenic and largely uneventful. Buffy would have enjoyed it a lot more if it had been in daylight but for once Spike was being a sensible vampire and driving at night. The fog had broken up once they got further from San Francisco.
The coast was so lovely but it wasn’t really possible to enjoy ocean views when everything was that dark. At least Spike had removed the black coating on the windows! They’d been on the road for a couple of hours and Spike was bellowing along to his favorite Ramones tape so Buffy was not without amusement. ‘He really is a funny kind of vampire.’
They were almost halfway to Sunnydale when the rear tire blew. Luckily Spike’s reflexes were topnotch and they got to the side of the road safely. Not so luckily, there was no spare tire in the boot. It seemed the car transportation company was going to get an earful about replacing things like that when used!
While the car was being seen to, Spike ambled over to the nearest tavern, if one could call it that. San Ardo didn’t have much going for it, all oil fields and some agriculture but the few residents did need someplace to drink away their miseries. Any hole-in-the-wall was fine with Spike as long as they had something alcoholic to take the edge off of waiting.
Spike ordered a beer and eased down on the barstool. “So, not much going on in town to cut into your business,” he snarked, noting the small place about half-full. Not even a pool table to offer a bit of entertainment. The Jukebox whined out a country selection from the 1980s that everyone seemed happy to ignore.
“Well there’s bingo over at Our Lady of Ransom if you’ve a mind for something more sociable,” the barkeeper returned with equal snark. “You don’t look the type to be too interested though.”
Spike laughed. “Got that in one!” He sighed and hoped the bloody tire repair blokes were quick so he could be back on the 101 and away from the smell of oil, lettuce, and hay that reeked in the air even indoors.
“Passing through?” The barkeeper held up a hand to stop a reply, “Stupid question. Of course you are.”
“Flat and no spare.”
The bartender set another mug in front of a grateful Spike, “Here, figure you might need a second as slow as Cletus usually is. Does a good job though.”
Spike groaned as the bartender went on to serve a regular at the end of the bar.
“Hey!” The vapid blonde sidled up to Spike and took a seat next to him. “I know you! Well, don’t know you… yet,” she batted her eyelashes in an attempt at flirtation that likely worked on plenty of Highschool jocks over the years. “I remember you though. Sunnydale High! Go Razorbacks!”
Buffy’s mouth gaped. “You have GOT to be kidding me!”
“And?” Sike wasn’t really interested in anything beyond getting the De Soto back on the road but if this bit of fluff was looking for a quick tumble… well no one could say ole’ Spike wasn’t a gentleman enough to give a lady… or a dozy cow… what she was craving.
“You’re the vampire who led that army and tots ruined parent-teacher night for Buffy the vampire layer,” the girl’s lip curled in disgust at the name. “Snyder was mega-pissed at all the broken stuff, oh… and the dead teacher he had to replace.”
Her voice wasn’t too loud but Spike shifted nervously as he looked around to see if her words had drawn any attention. Bimbo using words like 'vampire' and 'dead teachers' didn’t bode well.
“That where you’re from?” Spike took a sip of his beer after seeing that no one was paying any attention.
“Well, can’t help being born in a dumpy nothing town like Sunnydale,” she shrugged. “Then again, this place makes SunnyD look almost like Paris in comparison.” She shuddered. “Um… sorry if this is your hometown and all. Like double sorry if it is.”
Spike raised his eyebrow and gave her a full-on look finally. ‘Nice tits and nothin’ between the ears. Probably a fledge too goin’ by the lack of power comin’ off of her. Think the lack of smarts was there from before.’
He grinned. Didn’t need brains for a quick release of sexual tension after all. Been a long while since he’d had a date with something more than his left hand.
“Do I look or sound like someone from this bloody, disgustin’, smellin’ pile of shite called a town?”
“Um…” The vampiress scrunched her face in thought and Spike hoped she didn’t hurt herself too badly at the attempt. She giggled. “No! Hey, you must be from Australia or maybe Canada. One of those places still ruled by Queen Elizabeth the first.”
‘Yeah, regular brain trust. No historian or Henry Higgins. Not even up on current events for that matter.’ He took a long drink noting the girl fixate on his throat as he swallowed. It was obvious she was more than willing to take care of any possible need Spike might have. ‘Well, not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. Girl’s not unattractive and one tumble might be just what the doctor ordered.’
He did tune out her constant chatter for the most part. ‘Maybe keep her mouth busy in other ways. Yeah, I can make this work,’
“... so Charlie totally lied to me! Made me think he was some big, rich, oil company owner with all his talk about Chevron. Got me to come to this nothing berg. THEN he dumps me like I’m just some girl he picked up! Can you believe it?” She pouted. “I mean. Not just every guy gets lucky with me! I have standards.”
If she rambled on like this to Charlie, Spike could WELL believe it. Just a few minutes in and he was starting to think his left hand wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Chit was like fingernails on a chalkboard and no sense at all that Spike could tell.
‘Wonder if she even knows how to hunt?’ He had a moment of pity for her until he tuned back into her monologue.
“... so I woke up all dead, or undead, whatev’s. Who knew there were vampires anyway?” She looked at Spike and smiled, “Well, you… duh. But really? Just because lame-O Buffy and her geek squad told us all when she put us in her army against the snake Mayor… I mean, isn’t that illegal or something? Not the snake Mayor, that was kind of cool in a scary way and he’s a Mayor and all so he could do what he liked. But drafting even the cool kids into fighting HER battle? I mean, major uncool, right?”
She didn’t wait for an answer. It wasn’t likely she ever needed any voice but her own to make her happy.
“Anyway, know my first thought?” She looked at Spike and tried playing the coquette again.
‘Why any sane vampire would turn you?’ Spike figured that SHOULD have been her first thought if she was at all self-aware but kept that thought to himself ‘cause he still planned to get laid later. “Why don’t you tell me.”
“UNICORNS!” Her whole face brightened like a kid at Christmas. “I mean, if vamps and snake monsters are real, I’ll bet there are actual unicorns out there somewhere!” Her eyes glazed over in bliss at the thought.
Spike choked on his beer. ‘Bint gets turned and her FIRST thought is mythological horned horses that only cozy up to virgins? Bet this one hasn’t been a unicorn magnet since she became a teen.’
“Isn’t that a cool thought? Just imagine how rad it would be to ride a real live unicorn!” She looked ready to weep at the prospect.
“Don’t reckon you’d get close enough to ride one, pet.”
“Oh, I tots could,” she enthused. “I’m like their number one fan. They’d have to see how much it would mean to me. I’ll bet there’d be a whole herd to pick from.”
“And where do you think these magic steeds are hidin’? Not easy to hide even if it’s just one not a herd. Big beasties.”
The girl lit up, “OH! You’ve seen one?”
“Not as such. Have enough of these,” he nodded to his nearly empty pint, “Might see all kinds of creatures though.”
The girl had a truly annoying giggle, ‘Right. Rule number one. Don’t let her talk. Rule number two, don’t make the chit laugh. Just in, out, and on my way.’
“So I’m thinking they probably live in old forests like in fairy tales. Probably ancient places like around Paris. That’s one reason I was so excited to hook up with Charlie. Now that I can’t use daddy’s credit card I figured a rich oil guy could take me.” She pouted once more. “I’m going there as soon as I can find someone to take me though. I mean Paris would be cool by itself with all the stores. Like a big mall only high-end, yeah? But if there are unicorns in the forests nearby…” her mouth nearly drooled at the prospect.
“None there when I was last in France, pet. Sorry.”
“Well, you’re a guy. Of course, they wouldn’t show themselves to you. You have to be a beautiful princess and stuff to attract them. I know ALL about unicorns.”
The vampiress leaped from her barstool and grasped Spike’s arm. “Wait! You’ve been to Paris? Maybe like you could take me. Not to unicorn hunt though, a manly guy like you’d be sure to scare them away. But we could have plenty of fun otherwise.”
***
Fun was had. “Well not for me,” Buffy huffed. “And can a girl get a gallon of bleach around here?” She lifted her eyes to the heavens in supplication.
Buffy cringed for both of them. Spike for his attracting Harmony Kendall and all that would come with that, and Harm for… well, for being Harm. “Well, now I know how they met up. How the hell did she get him to bring her back to Sunnydale though?”
It had almost been funny seeing the airhead manipulate her way into a ride home after some sex that Buffy opted out of watching.
***
Neither Buffy nor her invisible appendage had been surprised that her gobshite of a father hadn’t even TRIED to show up for his only child’s graduation. No card, gift, or call either to mark the occasion. ‘Probably forgot. That or duckin’ any obligation to help with College.’ Spike really hated Hank Summers. Joyce and Buffy both deserved so much better.
“Wish she still could see me like when she was a wee tyke, let herself sense me. Wouldn’t have been all alone to face that massive penis demon Wilkins. Maybe take a bit of the sting out of gettin’ abandoned again.”
Spike still fumed at the memory of his grandsire swanning off, leaving Buffy with a mandate she couldn’t possibly live up to.
Joyce preached the ‘joys of normal’ sermon too but at least with her mum, it came from a combination of hope, fear, and a lack of true understanding. Even after a couple of years of being in the know, Mrs. Summers still didn’t quite understand that being the Slayer wasn’t a job description it was WHO her daughter was and always would be.
She could try to lay down her stakes but it wouldn’t change a thing except get Buffy killed faster, if not by a demon or vampire then by the Council grown tired of not having a little girl to order around.
Angel, though, HE knew, the Ponce. Knew that Buffy couldn’t ever give her mates a proper hug without them wincing and begging for her to let up for the hurt. Condemning her to a life of always holding back - never being able to just let loose and relax - that was what his parting wishes offered.
Normal boys either getting killed or leaving when it all became too much. Never understanding what and who she really was, the sacrifices she had to make. Never able to be a true partner to a force of nature like Buffy. Buffy always feeling like she failed them in some way., like she was lacking.
As for those kiddies Angel and Joyce seemed to think Buffy needed… well, a pregnant Slayer was a much easier target. Protecting the sprog like a good mum would weaken her and make it just that much easier for something to have that one good day.
If she was lucky enough to have the kid, it wasn’t likely she’d ever see it toddle off to school much less grow up proper.
All of Angel’s insistence on her embracing a normal male and having the 2.5 rugrats really guaranteed was that Buffy would never find a love and life that left her other than unsatisfied. Her grand teen love with him would be the only memory of an equal partner. All those ‘if only’ dreams making him the tragic perfect match that fate stole away.
She’d mourn the loss forever just like he wanted. Angel could go on with his life knowing she pined for only him. “Rat bastard!”
He’d done the same with Dru. Walked away without even a proper goodbye. Dru spent a century thinking her daddy would be back one day if she was a good girl. ‘Always waitin’. Never given’ her heart elsewhere lest the Bugger came back. All those decades and still all a flutter at just the idea.’
Spike bit back the brief memory of his own hopes along those lines. Hadn’t lasted as it did with Dru, but for a few years, there was an aching void that he hated to admit bore Angel’s shape.
‘Wanker knew how to make it keep hurtin’ long after he was gone.’
***
Spike hated seeing his girl reduced in any way. Seeing this force of nature, the best Slayer he’d ever come up against question herself in so many ways was painful to watch.
“Girl not only has skills but smarts too. Quick on her feet in a fight or just thinking. Smart as a whip with excellent instincts,” Spike winced as the newly-risen vampire crept up behind the two girls unnoticed. “Well ... most of the time.”
Thanks to so many around her, not just Angel, undermining her confidence and judgment she second-guessed everything now. ‘Friends not helpin’ much either. Red’s actin’ like those SAT scores were a fluke not a sign of just how bright Buffy really is.’
The two girls had been sitting by the gravesite waiting for the vampire and going over class choices. Neither of them noticed when the awkward bloke started to amble up for an easy meal. “Smarter than most. This newbie might actually survive his rising,” Spike raised a brow as the fledge took in the bag of weapons and quickly ran the other direction. Buffy and Willow were oblivious to the whole drama.
Willow kept dumbing down the suggestions for classes she thought Buffy might consider. Spike’s eyes nearly rolled to the back of his head as Willow touted the joys of a class in pop culture. “What the bloody hell are they teaching nowadays? No wonder the world’s goin’ to seed.”
***
Willow had taken to University life like a duck to water but Buffy wandered about feeling completely out of her element. Having Willow ‘help’ her with class selection had only served to make her even less sure of her place in higher academics.
Finally, Willow decided Buffy should take Psych 101 along with her and hinted that she could help Buffy if it got too hard!
“What the hell do you think Buffy does to be successful in Slayin’? Has to outthink the Big Bad’s, suss ‘em out all proper to do it too. Talkin’ other species there, Witch! Could teach a bloody class on psychology,” he said indignantly.
Willow’s boyfriend was another who fit in seamlessly but he wasn’t talking down to Buffy. ‘Not much for talkin’ in general but I think I like the bloke,’ Spike decided. ‘Can see why she’s all broken up with him leavin’ not that it gave her the right to do that spell to make us all do what she wanted.’
The girls were picking up their textbooks when Buffy knocked some books onto the head of an Angel clone who made Spike feel a sense of deja vu. ‘Can’t put my finger on it but it’s more than just him reminding me of Peaches.’
As Willow began talking up the idea of Buffy flirting with the lug Spike tried to parse out what it was about the farm-fresh boy that made his hackles rise and senses go on full alert.
Spike was glad to see no spark of real interest in Buffy for the boy but that didn’t deter Willow from lauding his supposed plusses. Seemed the boy was going to TA their Psych class. ‘Ain’t that just a fucked up idea then. Nothin’ like havin’ a power imbalance in a relationship! Wanker’s gonna be gradin’ your papers.’ Spike was fairly certain that was something at least frowned on by the University if not forbidden. ‘Give it up, Red.’
It looked like Willow’s interest in arranging other people’s lives didn’t just start with her wolf leaving.
Once Spike actually listened to what farm-fresh was saying it suddenly clicked why he felt familiar. “Oh, hell no!” Memories of his time in the white rooms of pain and suffering flooded his mind and he connected the voice to one of the suped-up grunts who liked to taze and torture demons. “Glad Buffy won’t be takin’ THAT road. Can just imagine what that NAZI might do if he got a whiff of real power like the Slayer has.”
***
Buffy’s assigned roommate was a surprise. Spike saw right away there was plenty of demon in the chit even if Buffy didn’t seem to twig to it. ‘All that gushin’ over Celine Dion should have been a tip-off. Gotta be at least part demon to be that taken with Dion,’ everyone knew that!
Watching Kathy’s actions as Buffy slept confirmed it. “Mok’taga not often settin’ up shop in this dimension but not unheard of.” Spike wondered how long it would take before anyone noticed that Buffy’s soul was being sucked out of her. He also wondered just why the demon-roommate was going to that trouble. ‘Not like they have to steal souls. Will bear watchin’, this one.’
All of the gang seemed to be going different ways and that was perfectly normal at this point in their lives but Buffy was left standing alone and feeling very out of place.
Getting tossed out of the Pop Culture class didn’t help her esteem either. ‘That so-called professor needs to meet a set of fangs. Arse!’ Bad enough he threw Buffy out but he made a point to humiliate her as well. “Anyone teachin’ that rot’s got no right trying to put anyone down.”
Buffy met a nice enough bloke while wandering the campus after hours. Talked a bit about his favorite book. “Of Human Bondage was a good read so this one’s not a waste of time and space. Be good for Buffy to make some new friends. Wonder if she’s still in touch?” Spike wasn’t jealous since the lad seemed more interested in making a friend than a date. Besides, with all of her old besties too busy for her, might do her good to widen her circle like College is supposed to allow.
***
It didn’t take that long for Spike to get his answer to that question. Eddie, he of the decent taste in books, was a no-show in class the next day. His room was stripped bare and a note left saying he couldn’t cut it and was going home.
Spike and Buffy saw the copy of his treasured book in the drawer at the same time and knew the note was a lie. Spike was proud of Buffy immediately knowing what was what and thinking there must be a nest of vamps on campus preying on newcomers. Too bad the Watcher blew off her suggestion.
Of course, the fact that Rupert was finally gettin’ a piece of happy with an actual female instead of his right hand might have had something to do with his shooing Buffy out of his apartment hastily.
Naturally, that only made Buffy doubt herself in that area too. One other place where her confidence was attacked when she didn’t need it.
Buffy got her proof that night when the gang of vampire thieves surrounded her and beat her to a pulp. ‘My girl is truly off her game.’
Like any cub, she went home to mama bear only to find no real place for her there either.
The visit back home further shook Buffy’s feelings of not belonging as her bedroom was now being used as temporary storage for the Gallery. She was striking out everywhere. Her friends, her former Watcher, and even her mum all moving along with their own lives and Buffy without even a toe-hold on her place in it.
It was a dejected Buffy who ambled into the Bronze that night feeling too old for the crowd there and yet not belonging anywhere else either.
***
Oddly enough it was the droopy boy who proved his worth as a friend. His own post high school plans had gone tits up and he was at loose ends but more than willing to accept Buffy’s take on the missing Eddie and offered to help investigate.
Harris only made it as far as Oxnard on his grand tour, Cali style. ‘Could be worse. Could’ve been San Ardo,’ mused Spike. He filled Buffy in on his vacation washing dishes and stripping that evidently paid him enough for a working car and a trip back home. He was another fledgling without a proper place in the world. Seems his less-than-stellar parents had moved his things to the basement and were now charging him rent and for his food.
His hero-worship of Buffy served for the greater good for a change as he built up her self-esteem a bit by telling her his motto of ‘what would Buffy do’ having gotten him through the worst of it. He’d not discounted Buffy’s theories on Eddie and the vampires who had gotten the jump on Buffy earlier.
When Harris had suggested getting the gang together to go on a vamp hunt, Buffy had to admit that Willow and her Wolf were too busy for anything Slayage. Xander immediately offered his help and support. ‘Gotta give it to him. He’s loyal. Good on him for havin’ her back.’
***
Buffy was more angry than shocked to find out that her belongings were gone and another goodbye note supposedly written by her left on her stripped bed. Seems that Willow and Oz had discovered it and shared their surprise with Xander who set them straight.
Buffy knew immediately who had her things and no hesitation in figuring out where they were nesting.
The Scoobies came through in the end taking out some of the lack-brains as Buffy took out her many frustrations on the catty blonde vampire who had been so dismissive of the Slayer. Her precious Class Protector parasol was a bit worse for the wear but everything was recovered in the end. Even Giles showed up for the fight even if he didn’t show up until it was over.
“Havin’ her friends and Watcher there and havin’ her instincts proven gave her a bit of a boost at least.”
***
Well… for a while at least. Even with Buffy’s being shown to be right about the vampire nest and the late, lamented Eddie’s fate, the group went back to doubting his girl.
Buffy had finally figured out that her roommate was a demon. ‘Course, her reasons were more to justify her desire to kill the bint but still… doesn’t mean she’s wrong.’
No one listened though. They all chalked it up to Buffy being too hard on her annoying roommate.
Meanwhile, Spike watched as the demon kept taking more and more of Buffy’s soul each night.
“Interesting how none of her besties, nor her former Watcher seem to notice any real difference with her. Thought they could spot a soul in a heartbeat,” Spike snarled. He’d really heard more than enough over the years about how much difference a soul made to not be a bit put-out that Buffy’s was slowly being drawn out and none of them noticed it.
What Spike noticed was that the missing soul parts did make Buffy more easily irritated, more inclined to revenge and violence, but other than that, she was still the same Buffy.
Just as with Sunday and her vampire minions, none of Buffy’s nearest and dearest entertained the idea that perhaps the Slayer might be correct and the Celine Dion and Cher loving roomie from hell might literally be from hell.
If it wasn’t for the damage being done having Buffy’s instincts ignored and confidence undercut it might have been funny watching the escalating war between the two females. Each one had discovered just how to push the other’s buttons to get under their skin.
Most of the “battles” were petty stand-offs such as Buffy drinking Kathy’s milk directly from the carton and putting chewed gum on the night-table. Meanwhile the demon “borrowed” a sweater that she managed to stain beyond repair. Harmless annoyances that take place fairly often when you suddenly find yourself living with a stranger.
Spike remembered back to his days in University and shuddered. ‘Least Buffy doesn’t have to deal with fagging.’ The upper-classmen were often physically abusive as well as verbally, especially when they smelled fear in the younger boys assigned to act as personal servants. There were at least a couple of scars that Spike would always carry on his body, not to mention his non-existent soul, thanks to that system. It was soul-stealing of a different sort actually.
That was the problem with Kathy. Not that she was a demon and had mind-numbing taste in music. Not that she was annoying on just about every level. It was that for some reason Spike couldn’t ascertain she kept taking bits of his Buffy.
Spike felt a bit of sympathy for the demon girl when it all came out. Seemed she just wanted to go off to Uni and see a bit of the world. Live like a human. Her family was searching for her though and by stealing Buffy’s soul she had hoped to throw off those who were searching for her, make them think she was human and possibly that Buffy was the demon they wanted.
Just as with Sunday and her gang, Giles and the Scoobies came to the game late. At least they got there in time to save the day… or at least Buffy’s soul. Rupert and Willow did a reversal that gave Buffy back what was taken just as Kathy’s daddy showed up to take her back home.
Seemed that even demons had trouble adjusting in those years when childhood ends and the adult world beckons from time to time. For Kathy’s species, her 3,000 years still made her too young to go out into the world on her own. ‘Shame her family didn’t let her stay. Might have done the girl a lot of good to see something other than her home dimension.
Willow jumped on the opportunity to take the space left by Kathy as Buffy’s new roommate. If she had seen the look in Buffy’s eyes as she helped herself to Buffy’s sandwich she might have wondered if Buffy really had all of her soul back after all!
A/N:
Cargo ship arrival (time-lapse) Oakland/San Francisco commercial harbor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpyujbLkmJs&ab_channel=SeaTube
Walking tour of Chinatown, San Francisco, California
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bPl-NsgOlE&ab_channel=TravelingwithAndrew
Spiciest Chinese dishes
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/china-food-spiciest-dishes/index.html
I Left my Heart in San Francisco, Tony Bennett (1963, the Judy Garland show)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpwQ5RzwC00&ab_channel=BestArtsJudy
Castro district of San Francisco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N8muuBZqQs&ab_channel=THETABLE
Moving a car to a new city
https://www.moving.com/tips/the-best-ways-to-move-a-car-to-a-new-city/
California Hwy. 101, the coastal highway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0ViSVOD42E&ab_channel=TampaAerialMedia
Note to any curious traveler. You will not find the tavern in this story (or any other I could find) in San Ardo. The closest thing is a cafe or a gas and liquor store LOL. We’ll just use literary license and pretend shall we? Seems with all the oil rigs they’d have at least one place for unwinding but, alas, seems not.
San Ardo, California
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Ardo_Oil_Field
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08rNDdwR8kU&ab_channel=JonathanBush
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Ardo,_California Found halfway between SF and Santa Barbara (the stand-in for Sunnydale ). Home of Oil fields (Chevron and Aera oil) and farms in the Salinas valley and edged by the Salinas river. In the 2000 census it had a population of 501 people… makes Sunnydale look like LA in comparison.
Professor Higgins from My Fair Lady Why Can’t the English Learn How to Speak?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhninL_G3Fg&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=EivindSolfjell
Virgins, Unicorns and Medieval literature
http://community.bowdoin.edu/news/2017/11/virgins-unicorns-and-medieval-literature/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIn%20legend%2C%20you%20have%20the,he%20represents%20Adam%20and%20Eve.
Choosing college classes (in the US)
https://www.collegexpress.com/articles-and-advice/majors-and-academics/blog/how-select-your-college-classes-guide-first-year-students/
How to read a syllabus
https://www.llcc.edu/student-services/cas/helpful-handouts/how-to-read-a-syllabus/
How to get the most from your College advisor
https://www.chegg.com/play/student-life/how-to-get-the-most-from-your-academic-advisor/
13 ways to prepare for your Freshman year in College
https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/tips-tools-advice/13-ways-to-prepare-for-your-freshman-year-of-college/
Adjusting to dorm life in college
https://www.sofi.com/blog/adjusting-to-dorm-life/
Fagging
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fagging