Changing Tomorrow 17
by Danielle
 

** emphasis
// thoughts

Spike paced the roof of the crypt. His plan would work. It had to work. There was no other option. The vision showed Ford making a deal with him and Dru, then luring the Slayer to The Sunset club where silly humans planned to be turned into vampires. The end result was that Buffy took Dru hostage to save the room full of idiots. All well and good, except that Spike had already killed Dru. So he came up with a new agenda.

Obtaining the root of Kanjee hadn't been easy or cheap, but he'd gotten it in time. He pulled the gnarled sprig out of his pocket. It was brown and knotted, with an orange bulb at one end.

Movement caught his eye and the vampire leaped from his vantage point so that he landed in front of the Slayer. As he did, he squeezed hard on the Kanjee root in his hand and it burst open, dribbling purple juice on the grass between him and Buffy. The smell of old potato hit his senses and he felt the effects instantly.

"Slayer! I have a... wait, what's wrong?" Spike began his scripted arrogance, but Buffy's eyes were puffy and she looked positively worn out.

"What do you want?" The teenager took up a fighting stance, but it looked half hearted. Spike had to think on his feet and he sighed dramatically. The act would be hard, since the root was designed to make people more innocent, open and vulnerable. He figured this way she might actually listen to him. He dropped the squeezed pulp on the ground and began to rant.

"It figures... I come to show the Slayer something and she already knows!" He began walking away, but kept an eye on her in case she tried anything. The little blonde followed, as expected.

"What are you talking about?"Her eyebrows knitted, she was playing right into his game. One thing he'd learned from the visions was that her curiosity normally won out against her loathing for him.

"Alright! I'm showing you already!" The vampire made a show out of being irritated as he made his way to the back entrance of the old factory, making sure to slow down so she could follow.

She caught up with him at the door and slammed him into the wall, holding him there. "What is up with the cryptic, Spike? I've had a bad day and I'm looking to stake something."

"Stake all you like, but be a love and wait til you've seen the show first. I guarantee you don't want to miss it." He shrugged her hands away and pulled her gently through the dim factory.

He turned and faced her, all at once remembering visions of them talking on the front porch, comforting her after she'd been returned to life. It didn't hold a candle to what he had with Xander, but affection warmed his heart and it was impossible to forget that in some alternate future, he sought out a soul for her.

"What were you crying about?" He placed his hands on her shoulders. She tensed, but after a second of her hazel stare, Buffy let out a breath and furrowed her brow.

"He..I...It's nothing...Angel and I broke up...." She was trying to keep her defences up, but Spike knew that with the Kanjee root's help he was gaining her trust. By now her eyes were swimming in tears. "It's not like we were officially together... God, I can't believe it's just over. He didn't even- "She broke off,  letting Spike stroke her face, totally giving herself over to him. He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"He's a right git to let go of someone like you, luv." He wanted to say more, but he was afraid of what would happen if he said too much.

She stiffened in his arms, "Why are you being so nice to me? Are you under a spell? Are you trying to- oh god, jump my bones or something?" The sharp tone she was going for was lost in the sniffles that were still clearing up. Spike chuckled as she pushed him away.

"Sorry, you're not my type, Slayer. I know what it's like to lose someone is all. Lost Dru, didn't I?"

At her sceptical look, he continued,". As far as everyone knows, I'm the Big Bad... Just know something's changed, alright?"

"This is insane. Why are you not dead?" She continued her token resistance while he directed her to a dark corner so she could see the entire room but go unnoticed. He hadn't been back here since he had staked Dru and her scent here made him feel vulnerable.

"Stand here, goldilocks, and don't make a sound until I tell you to."

The master vampire had gone to great lengths to hide his new relationship with Xander from his minions //They're morons anyway// He'd given them mindless errands and petty crimes since the night he'd left Priya.

He'd left them guarding the front of the factory, since his presence as Big Bad in Sunnydale might work in his favor. The blonde vampire cringed as he made his way to the center of the giant room, which was a blessedly free of pipes and machinery. Dru's dead bird lay rotting in a cage, and her dolls littered the place. These reminders served to scrape at his heart as he paced the room and waited.

Finally he heard footsteps and a gangly teenage boy walked in, flanked by Spike's henchmen. Ford stepped into the light, "Too cool!"

They began the conversation Spike had envisioned, where Ford asked to be turned. With his vampire hearing, Spike heard Buffy take a breath when she heard Ford using her life as a bargaining chip. Spike called to his minions.

"Leave us, you sods! I'll tell you what I've decided when we're done!" The idiot vamps scuttled out of the room, leaving Spike and the human to be observed by Buffy.

"Why do you want to be turned so bad? You're not like the little twits you have at your club...Tell me the truth- cause I'll know."The vampire crooned at Ford, tapping his own temple as he said it. He knew the answer, but he needed for the Slayer to know.

"I...I'm dying."

"That *is* interesting! Alright, you have yourself a deal."

***

After the boy left, Spike made his way to Buffy, who had her teeth clenched and stood ready for a fight.

"How could he just sell me off to you without- he was my friend!"

The vampire guided her back out the door. What happened now depended on her.

"Spike...why are you doing this? I don't know whether it's a trap or you're crazy!"

He sighed, "Just run and tell your mates. Despite what Anne Rice taught your friend there, I have standards. I'm not turning every ponce who asks..."

`*^~--.;'.--~^*`*^~--.;'.--~^*

To be continued...

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