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[steedtoherpeel]

It'd been a very long time since he'd had the luxury of sleeping in late or lazing about, and his body was out of the habit. He sat up with a jerk and took stock of the scene while he tried to work the twinge out of his back. He was surrounded by dark wood, tall shelves, ancient books. He had clearly fallen asleep over his work

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[fangyandgrr]

Spike had been in a rotten mood ever since Buffy's headstone had appeared, and the familiar figure on the beach didn't do anything to help it. "Sodding hell, not you again," he grumbled, nearly turning and heading back the way he'd come.

[steedtoherpeel]

"I could say the same to you," he said, half irritated and half relieved. "But I'll restrain myself. Dare I ask what's happened?"

[fangyandgrr]

"Oh god, I have to give the bloody song-and-dance, don't I?" Spike heaved a heavy, put-upon sigh. "You're on an island. No one knows how you got here or how to get back home. Oh, and I'm human here. Surprise!" His mouth twisted into something approaching a smirk.

[steedtoherpeel]

Hm.

He considered that for a moment.

"Congratulations," he settled on, repacking his case carefully. He wasn't sure if he should accept this or rail at his subconscious for not offering something more entertaining as delusion.

[fangyandgrr]

"Yeah, it's brilliant," Spike growled. "Look. There's a building down that way. The Compound. You can get a room there. And I'm only telling you this because Buffy'd want me to." He rolled his eyes and then added as an afterthought, "She's not here. Not anymore. Harris is, though."

[steedtoherpeel]

"I have a very distinct memory of you becoming faintly social by the end of our tenure in California. I don't suppose I could request a return to that." He paused in packing the bag. "Is Buffy here?"

[fangyandgrr]

It was true, but that was before the bloody island had decided to mess with his head--and his heart. "Not this week, mate," he said in an almost apologetic tone. "Buffy was here. That's another fun little trick this place likes to play. People vanish without warning." He hesitated, his expression brightening just a little. "When're you from, then?" If Giles knew about the end, that was promising. Maybe he could even tell him more about what happened after.

[steedtoherpeel]

He gave the date, as far as he remembered it; long past Sunnydale sinking into a crater, long past leaving the country. "What a charming dimension," he drawled, with an excess of irritation.

[fangyandgrr]

"Innit?" Spike answered in a wry tone. He wanted to ask what had happened to the rest of them--who had survived, what they had done, what Buffy had done--but that could wait. Even Spike could be patient enough to let Giles get his bearings first. "Right, well. You're stuck here, at any rate. Get your kit and I'll point you toward civilisation."

[steedtoherpeel]

A miracle: a cooperative Spike. He relaxed at that, just a little, and finished repacking his attache case, taking the time even to make sure all his pencils were tucked right back in where they should be.

His laptop... well, he scooped up the sad, scorched and sodden mess and examined it. Willow would want to take a look at it, at any rate. Best to keep it, even it was now an expensive paperweight. "How long have you been here?"

[fangyandgrr]

Spike had to think about that question for a few seconds. "Comin' up on two years," he answered as he started toward the path to the compound. He turned to flash a brief grin at Giles before adding, "And you've been here before."

[steedtoherpeel]

He gave Spike a dark look, one designed to communicate that he was not in the mood for that particular bit of information.

[fangyandgrr]

That was what made it fun to share it. The grin reappeared, a bit bigger this time, but Spike didn't say any more, simply turned his gaze forward again as he led the way along the path.

[steedtoherpeel]

He shouldered the strap from his bag and kept up in quick step. "Well, at least I know you're real. I'm reasonably sure my subconscious wouldn't torment me in this way."