Last week, the Gentlemen came and stole my voice. That was scary. But I kept my cool, sent Joss (who owns everything and totally rocks) an e-mail and he kicked their butts! … What do you mean I’m crazy?
 
 
Chapter Thirteen – The Past The Love The Memory
 
 “Let me take this time to
Ask you, inform you
Of all the things you did not know
I’m sorry I can’t be the cure for your life
You were always by my side
Life spent without rain
You will always be the heart in me
You will always be
The past, the love, the memory…”
Skylit Drive, The Past The Love The Memory
 
 
The first thought that came to Angel’s mind was  Wow! She’s even prettier than Cordy!   But when the beautiful brunette smiled brightly at him while obviously recognizing him, he couldn’t help to smile back: “Hi, there. I’m sorry, have we met?”
 
She nodded. “Yes, when I was in –“
 
“Bloody hell!”
 
Spike had just appeared behind Gayle, and Angel, nom complete with growling game face, launched himself at him.
 
Gayle made a face as she was pushed out of the way. “Is this a regular occurrence with those two? Hey! I was talking here!”
 
Buffy came into the foyer: “What’s going on – Oh, my god, Angel!”
 
“That’s Angel? Oh, great: another one I can’t fuck…”
 
“Gayle!!”
 
“What? I’m a woman, I have needs!”
 
The two vampires were punching and kicking each other away, now fully in game face and into the fight… and starting to knock some furniture over…
 
“Ok, guys?” called out Dawn, holding a broomstick. “Let’s take the testosterone out in the yard, okay?”
 
Neither vampire replied nor stopped fighting, but as Dawn kept pushing and poking at them with the broomstick, guiding them like a herd, they eventually rolled out into the back yard.
 
The rest of the Scoobies followed onto the porch and watched the fight.
 
“Is anyone going to stop them?”
 
Buffy winced. “It’s complicated…”
 
Gayle glared at her. “Really? Like everything else around you. Anya?”
 
“Are you kidding me? I’m waiting for them to rip each other’s clothes off so I can throw baby oil on them!”
 
“Anya!” screeched Xander.
 
“What? I am! Watching hot males fight in oil is a popular female pastime!”
 
Gayle’s gaze zoned out for a second. Buffy gasped “Gayle!”
 
“What? Sorry, manwich thoughts…”
 
Buffy looked back at the fighting vampires. She had to admit, it was kinda hot…
 
“Hey, Giles, bet you a twenty on Angel winning that one!” said Xander with a nudge.
 
“Done”, replied the Englishman.
 
Fifteen minutes later, they were still at it. Xander and Giles, now bored, had gone back inside. The girls, on the other hand, were all sitting comfortably on the porch and watched. Willow joined them and passed around a bowl of popcorn. “What did I miss?”
 
Gayle grabbed the bowl first, grabbed a handful and passed it on. “Spike called Angel a pathetic ponce, then Angel replied something like ‘as long as I’m around you’ll only be second best’, at which point Spike landed him with a really mean kick that sent Angel flying and he landed against a tree.”
 
“Damn! I miss all the good bits.”
 
“How long is this likely to go on for?” asked Faith when the bowl reached her.
 
Buffy shrugged. “Well, they’re immortal. If the sun doesn’t ever rise again, it could be a while…”
 
“And they’re still not naked…” sighed Anya.
 
“Tell me about it…” said the three slayers in unison.
 
The two witches and Dawn chuckled, before Tara pointed out: “You know, the neighbors are going to complain about the noise eventually…”
 
Dawn nodded. “I already got them out of the house, not much more I can do…” she said between mouthfuls.
 
“Not much  I  can do either” said Faith, looking at Buffy. “They’re not  my  boyfriends…”
 
“Hey, they’re not my… I mean… it’s –“
 
“Buffy”, interrupted Gayle with a raised hand, “I swear if I here once again the word ‘complicated’ coming out of your mouth, I  will  hit you!”
 
“It’s… not simple?”
 
Gayle threw her hands into the air.
 
Just then, Angel landed a mean blow to Spike’s ribcage that sent him flying several feet in the air before he landed hard on the grassy ground.
 
“Hey, whaddya know?” mused Dawn. “Vampires do fly…”
 
Spike was back on his feet the next second and the fighting resumed.
 
“Ok, that’s enough now” said Gayle.
 
She got up and walked to the snarling pair, keeping at a safe distance to avoid any stray blows. “Um, guys? Not that this fight isn’t totally arousing, but you’re kinda scaring the little ones. Plus we’re out of popcorn. D’you think maybe you could stop the testosterone overdrive now?”
 
Neither vampire even acknowledged her presence. She renewed her request once, then twice, then stamped her foot while the girls behind all hung their heads down in desperation. Except for Dawn and Anya, who were munching away on popcorn like they were watching an intense TV show.
 
 Reasoning that the end justifies the means, Gayle made her last move. Both vamps were punching each other on the floor, so she bent down, and to everyone’s disbelief, grabbed their ears and pulled.
 
“OW! OW! OW!” cried out the ‘victims’. Slowly, inch by inch, Gayle pulled them up into a standing position.
 
“Now, boys, I tried to be reasonable about this, but you left me no choice. You act like little kids, I shall treat you as such, got it?”
 
“Go Gayle!” Faith shouted.
 
“Thanks honey! Now you are going to stop fighting like schoolboys, and start acting like grown men… pires. Okay?”
 
Both vampires just winced, but also nodded frantically.
 
 “Good. Glad we could agree.” Gayle let go of their ears and started walking towards the house.
 
Behind her, Angel snarled: “I’m going to tear you apart limb from limb, boy!”
 
“Oh yeah? Come and just try to get me, you plonker!”
 
Gayle spun around. “Okay, apparently, I haven’t made myself clear enough…” With speed that was exceptional even for a Slayer, she grabbed the vampires’ ears again before either one had a chance move away.
 
“AAARGH!!”
 
 “He started it!”
 
“Did not!”
 
“Will you listen to yourselves?” Gayle growled. “You’re worse than a couple of toddlers! Now, let’s try this again in words you might just understand: stop the fighting or I will kick both your asses!”
 
“OKAY!!”
 
“Say ‘Yes, Mama Gayle’!” she said with another tug.
 
“OUCH! YES MAMA GAYLE!”
 
Satisfied, the newest slayer let go. After a threatening ‘I’m watching you’ gesture, then went back to the rest of the girls. Most of them had their mouth open, except for Faith who was clapping. Gayle smiled and gave her a Broadway-style curtsey.
 
Back in the yard, the vampires were massaging their sore ears.
 
“What are doing here, anyway?” Angel asked Spike.
 
“You couldn’t ask  before  you started the pummeling?”
 
Gayle snickered. “Ha! Ladies and gentlemen, the Scourge of Europe!”
 
“Shut up!” said both vampires in perfect unison.
 
Gayle pouted and sat back with the girls.
 
Angel turned back to his granchilde. “So what is it? You worked out another truce? Who needs killing this time?”
 
Spike shrugged. “Some priest and his cronies.”
 
“… that’s a new one.”
 
“Bastard killed Dru.”
 
Angel gasped. “Dru’s dead? Oh my god, Spike, I’m so sorry… I did not even feel her go…”
 
“She was kinda under a spell at the time, mate… look it’s a long story …”
 
“So that’s what the truce is for? You want revenge?”
 
“… yeah, that too…”
 
“Too? What else is there?”
 
“It’s really more Buffy’s choice to tell you or not.”
 
 “Buffy’s? Why? What is the matter with you? Why are you obsessing over her? Is it because she’s different or prettier than the other two?”
 
“HEY!” said Gayle and Faith in unison, both outraged.
 
“I meant the ones he killed!”
 
“Whatever…” said Faith.
 
“Yeah, watch it!” said Gayle.
 
Buffy got up and walked to the vampires. “Angel, can I talk to you, in private?”
 
Angel nodded. Buffy took his arm and led him further down the garden. When she was sure they were out of reach of human and slayer ears, she spoke. “Angel, about Spike…”
 
“What’s happening, Buffy? You don’t have to ally yourself with the likes of Spike, you know. I’m here, I can help you! Just say the word.”
 
“It’s not that simple…”
 
“I know he wants revenge, but Dru was also my Childe! I’m entitled to revenge too!”
 
“Angel, I love him!”
 
Angel’s jaw dropped. “W-what? No, Buffy, you can’t…”
 
“I’m not asking your opinion or your permission. I’m only informing you before the rest of the gang so that you won’t dust him!”
 
“Oh, he’s dust, alright!”
 
“What did I just say?”
 
“Buffy, you can’t seriously be thinking –”
 
“Seriously?  Seriously?   Look at my face, Angel: do I look anything but serious?”
 
“But Buffy, this is Spike, for pity’s sake! William the Bloody, Slayer of Slayers…”
 
“I’m quite aware of his titles, thank you.”
 
“He’ll only hurt you! You deserve better than this!”
 
That was the last straw… “Oh, Angel, wake up and smell the coffin, will you? I’m a Slayer, I come with a neat little expiration date in the package, which has already come a-calling twice! I’m never gonna die peacefully of old age in the comfort of my own bed! What I  deserve  is to be happy at least a little bit for whatever time I have left! I  deserve  someone who will love me and that I can love back without a curse or redemption getting precedence! I  deserve  someone who won’t hold back his feelings and who can be my equal in every way! Can you name  one  person who can do all that better than Spike?”
 
Angel was dumbstruck. “B-Buffy… that’s not what I meant… I wanted you to have a normal life…”
 
“I know you did, Angel. And I know you meant well. But you can’t make choices for me. I can’t have a normal life. I think somehow you already knew that, but you still hoped… and by extension, so did I. I don’t even want a normal life anymore. I want Spike.”
 
Angel shook his head. “No, Buffy, look, I know you’ve been through a lot and –”
 
“Peaches? Can I have a word?”
 
Spike had appeared at their side. Angel glared fire-y stakes at him. Spike ignored it and turned to Buffy. “You get some rest, love, I’ll handle this.”
 
Buffy raised her worried emerald eyes into his. “You sure?”
 
He nodded. “Yeah. Don’t worry, I know how to handle the old man. You get back to your girlies.”
 
Buffy hesitated for a second, then left, but not before giving Angel a last warning glance.
 
Angel watched her leave, then turned back to Spike: “Give me one reason not to dust you!”
 
“That Buffy will dust  you  the second you do?”
 
“... Might be worth it…”
 
“Look, Peaches, I love her. Is that so hard to believe?”
 
“Love her? Yeah right! Bit hard without a soul!”
 
Spike chuckled. “Like a good friend of mine recently pointed out: you don’t need a soul to love, you need a heart. And mine started beating again the day I met Buffy.”
 
“Oh please!”
 
“M’not kidding! Look, contrarily to what you may all think, I know the difference between love and obsession! I love her, alrigh’? M’not saying it makes sense, m’not even saying it’s righ’ or wrong! It just is! I love her with all I am, and I’m just so damn lucky she loves back after everything… that’s happened before between us! I jus’ want to be with her, fight with her, make her happy as much as I can… for as long as she’ll have me. And when she doesn’t, if that ever happens… I’ll just take a walk into the sun. Either way, you won’t ever have to worry about me.”
 
Angel remained silent for a moment, taken aback by Spike’s vehemence. He then spoke again in a grave tone. “Does your demon love her too?”
 
“Oh, what the hell is that supposed to mean?”
 
“It’s an important question, Spike, answer it.”
 
Spike took in an unnecessary breath before answering. “Doesn’t love her, mate. Demon worships her. Every time she gets near, I can almost hear it roaring. Wants to love her and protect her with everything it’s got.”
 
Angel nodded. “And has always been that way, has it?
 
Spike nodded. “Thought at first it was excited at the idea of killing her. Boy, was I wrong…”
 
Angel considered him long and hard. If he didn’t know better, Spike could have sworn the older vampire was going to cry! “I thought… I hoped it would be me… so much…”
 
“Angelus? Never expected to say that ever, but are you all righ’?”
 
Angel looked away. “D’you believe in destiny, William?”
 
“Only that I make my own, why?”
 
“There’s a legend going back centuries, about Slayers… That the famed ‘slayer essence’ was actually their equivalent of a vampire’s demon. Kinda like they were made from the same mold.”
 
“Yeah? So?”
 
“Well… every demon is supposed to have a mate out there, right?”
 
After a beat, Spike’s eyes went wide in realization: “Are you sayin’…”
 
“If I were you, I’d wait a little before you do anything… permanent. To give both of you time to really find out the depth of your feelings. You can never be too sure.”
 
Spike nodded quietly. Angel continued: “And if you do find out for certain that she’s your mate… I’d like to be the first to congratulate you both.”
 
Spike could hardly believe his ears.  Angelus  was giving  him  the all-clear?
 
But a second later, Angel had grabbed him by the lapels of his coat and pulled him roughly so close, their faces were almost touching. “Of course, it goes without saying: you hurt her, and you’re gonna be in a lot of pain for a long time before you finally dust, are we clear,  William?”
 
Spike smiled smugly: “Yeah, yeah,  Liam, we are…” He then dropped his voice to a more serious tone:  “And if I ever hurt her, I’ll let you.”
 
The dark-haired vampire looked into his grandchilde’s eyes, and though he would never admit it, he could not see any deceit there. He let go with a grunt.
 
The vampires turned together to face the house… only to find the whole gang, including Giles and Xander, staring at them. They tried to look nonchalant as they made their way back.
 
Xander leaned in to whisper in Buffy’s ear: “So I guess you told him about last year, huh?”
 
Buffy tried her best to suppress a blush. “Yeah… last year…”
 
She glanced back at Spike, and noticed he was trying hard to suppress a grin. His eyes were shinning with glee.
 
 Okaaay… my boyfriend is happy after a bloodshed-free conversation with his once arch-enemy slash eternal rival… my life is getting weirder and weirder… did just say ‘boyfriend’? I’ll be doing a happy dance in a sec if I’m not careful…
 
Out loud she asked: “What was that all about?”
 
Spike tilted his head. “I’ll tell you one day, pet. But the clock is ticking and we have places to be, yeah?”
 
Buffy pouted.
 
“Oh, put that lip away! You know what will happen if you don’t!”
 
Reluctantly, she did. As the rest of the gang made its way indoors, she joined Angel.
 
“You’re being very mature about this…”
 
“Yes, well, I’m nearly 300, Buffy. I had to grow up eventually.”
 
“Says the vamp who ‘did not start the fight’…”
 
“Shut up. By the way, who’s the new girl? The ear-torturer? She’s too strong to be human…”
 
“Oh, yeah, that’s Gayle. It’s a long story too…”
 
“One I’d love to tell you over a drink, handsome.”
 
Gayle had materialized at Angel’s side and was giving him her best seductive look: head slightly tilted, eyes half-closed, lips barely pursed with a hint of a smile…
 
Angel swallowed hard. Think of Cordelia, think of Cordelia…
 
“Erm, thanks, but… no thanks.” With that, he went back into the house.
 
Gayle gawked. “I am so not with the rejection!”
 
Buffy chuckled, and led her inside. “Plenty o’ fish in the sea, girlfriend.”
 
“Then there must be a lot of poaching in those waters…”
 
“I thought you didn’t even want a boyfriend.”
 
“And yet you go paranoid when I look at Spike a lil’ too close.”
 
“We’ve already been through this.”
 
“Yeah we have.”
 
Resenting Gayle’s dismissive tone, Buffy tried to reach out. “I know about your brother.”
 
Gayle frowned. “Which one?”
 
“Erm… Jayce, was it?”
 
The brunette closed her eyes. “You know nothing.”
 
“I know what it’s like to lose family…”
 
“… yeah, I guess you do…”
 
“What did he die of?”
 
She took a deep breath before answering. “He died of prison.”
 
“What does that m –”
 
“He was on death row.”
 
Buffy’s breath seized in her throat. Too many confusing thoughts assaulted her at once. Gayle, one of the nicest yet strongest people she knew, was related to someone who did something bad enough to be executed for it? And she tried to release him onto the world? That didn’t make sense…
 
She wanted to ask more questions, but then saw the closed up look on Gayle’s face. The girl wasn’t talking anymore tonight. So she switched tactics.
 
“Spike and I are going out to meet the local Succubus. Wanna come with?”
 
Gayle considered her gravely. “Depends. Can I talk to him without getting anything removed?”
 
“Keep your lips off the boy, and you go home in one piece.”
 
“You drive a hard bargain. I’ll try to control myself; I want a piece of the action.”
 
Buffy raised an eyebrow.
 
Gayle rolled her eyes back. “The slaying action, you big psycho! Are we going or what?”
 
The petite blonde laughed softly. “We’re going. Hey, maybe she can recommend someone for you, boyfriend-wise.”
 
“That’ll be the day. Besides, Angel’s still here. I’m sure I can work my magic on his mojo…”
 
Before Buffy could protest, Angel was peering in the kitchen where the girls had been talking. “Erm, Buffy? Could you explain to me the whole third slayer thing?”
 
Both girls erupted in laughter.
 
__…-==-…__
 
Willy’s was busier than usual when the blond vampire with two slayers in his wake entered the establishment. Most of the patrons were gathered at the bar, around what Buffy couldn’t see.
 
“What’s going on? Demon happy hour?” she asked.
 
Spike smiled. “Oh, the demons are happy, love… but it’s got nothin’ to do with the hour.”
 
He made his way to the crowd and yelled out: “Alright, boys! Give the lady some room to breathe! Not that she needs it, but it’s still nice, come on!”
 
Several of the creatures grumbled but still the crowd parted…
 
… to reveal a vision.
 
Casually seated on a bar stool, like being surrounded by demons was the most natural thing in the world, dressed in a simple yet stunning gold lamé dress, her legs crossed and her lips around the straw of her elaborate cocktail, was the most beautiful woman Buffy had ever seen. And she’d lived in L.A.!
 
Her skin was pale gold, smooth and flawless, almost glowing in the dim light. Her strawberry-blonde hair hung in loose ringlets around her face. High cheekbones, small chin, an elegant nose… There wasn’t a single flaw anywhere Buffy looked… damn.
 
When she saw Spike, she put her glass down, and enthusiastically opened his arms to him. “William! Oh, darling, it’s so nice to see you!” She then pulled him in a tight hug.
 
Buffy’s eyes went wide when she saw her vampire hug the woman back…
 
“It’s nice to see you too, pet. You look more beautiful than ever!”
 
“Oh, you smooth talker… Flattery will get you anywhere. In some places easier than others…”
 
“Don’t I know it. Here, lemme introduce to someone…”
 
He turned back to his girls and motioned them to come closer. As they did, Gayle looked at the Succubus and pressed a finger to her lips so quickly neither vampire nor slayer noticed.
 
Caught unaware, the demoness tried to redirect her surprised expression on Buffy, who was walking closely to Gayle.
 
“Oh my gosh! Is that…?” she gasped pointing a neatly manicured finger at Buffy.
 
Spike nodded. “Yes, she is. Buffy Summers the Vampire Slayer, meet Agrat Bat Mahlat, Succubus Queen of the Western Quarter.”
 
“Please,” said the Succubus with a bright smile worthy of a toothpaste commercial, “call me Abby.”
 
She extended a smooth, graceful hand to shake the blonde slayer’s, whose mouth was gaping. “Hi… Abby. Erm… wow, sorry, it’s not every day I meet a Hell Queen…”
 
“Oh, honey, I’m not exactly a queen. It’s just a title. I’m more of a ‘Hell V.V.V.I.P.’, if you get what I mean. And your friend?” she asked directing her chin at Gayle.
 
Buffy recovered from her surprise. “Oh, sorry! This is, err, another Vampire Slayer…”
 
“My name is Gayle” the aforementioned said nonchalantly, shaking Abby’s hand.
 
“Gayle, huh? It’s a lovely name…”
 
Gayle smiled slightly. “Thank you. I like it too.”
 
“Abby,” Spike interrupted, “we need info, and these two an’ their friends figure you might ‘ave some.”
 
“Anything for you, babe.”
 
Buffy stiffened at the term of endearment. “Err, s’cuse me? I can almost accept the fact that an evil vampire knows an equally evil ho-queen, but what’s with the verbal macking?”
 
“Buffy!” interjected Spike.
 
“You’re a demon that brunches on young men’s insides, I have every reason not to trust you!”
 
“Other than your obvious jealousy, you mean?” Abby answered, imperturbably smiling.
 
Gayle snickered.
 
“Gayle!”  Buffy shrieked.
 
“What? Like she’s wrong?”
 
Buffy shook her head and turned back to Abby. “Look, I dealt with a friend of yours a few years back, straight from hell like you and –”
 
“Oh you mean that nasty business with the First Evil? Or are you talking about that skank Glorificus?”
 
Buffy, taken aback, was speechless.
 
“It’s okay, sweetie” continued the succubus, “it’s kinda my job to keep informed, especially of events around a Hellmouth. I told you ‘queen’ is just a title, but more than that, it’s a job. Now, Glorificus? Bothered us all, really. Trust me, it would not have been good for business if she managed to fuse those dimensions. You did us a great service by – oh gosh, I’m sorry, I forgot…” Abby’s hands flew to her mouth, realizing her gaffe.
 
Buffy’s jaw tightened, but then felt Spike’s arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him: his ocean eyes were looking at her full of love and pain. Clearly, like her, his mind was being filled with painful memories…
 
Buffy relaxed and turned back to Abby. “And the other one?”
 
“Darling, seriously, I’m sorry…”
 
“Okay, apology accepted, now: the First Evil?”
 
Abby regained her composure. “A sore loser, who just couldn’t stand somebody trampling his lawn. ‘Somebody’ being my hubby.”
 
“That’s the devil, right?”
 
“That’s one of his names, yes, not his favorite though…”
 
Buffy arched a brow. “What is his favorite?”
 
Abby gave the blonde slayer a playful look. “It’s never been heard outside of the bedroom.”
 
Spike cleared his throat. “So, then. Info. Abby, do you know of any other Succubus active around Sunnydale?”
 
“What? No, I’m the only one… the other three have enough on their plates with their own quarters.”
 
Buffy took over. “Somebody or something has been hunting in the same woods as you in the past few weeks.”
 
Abby suddenly became serious. “What do you mean?”
 
“I know that Succubi prey on young, healthy, preferably even good-looking boys…”
 
“Indeed, we do. Right, William?”
 
Spike gave her a playful look. “I’m touched, luv.”
 
Both Slayers glanced at each other before looking back at the Succubus with a very loud “WHAT?”
 
Spike cleared his throat. “Ahem, Abby and I have been… intimate. In the past.”
 
Buffy’s jealousy flared. Behind her, Gayle made a silent little clapping gesture towards Abby, who in return smiled smugly, but neither Buffy nor Spike noticed.
 
Buffy faced her vampire with fire in her eyes. “When did that happen?”
 
Spike’s smile disappeared. “The summer you… weren’t there.”
 
Buffy’s mouth fell open. “Huh?”
 
He then pointed. “See, Abby here‘s a shifter, like her sisters.” When Buffy looked back at the Succubus, her face had changed to… Buffy’s. With a slight head shake, Abby’s features were back.
 
Spike continued. “I… was not in a good place… couldn’t bear to be in a world where you weren’t… But I promised you to look after the Bit. So some nights, Abby would come over and… play the part.”
 
“We had an understanding: I ‘helped’ him through the pain, he let me feed off his energy. Which he has plenty of, I’m sure you know…”
 
Buffy blushed, but couldn’t suppress a smile. “Yeah, he does…”
 
“TMI, girls, TMI…” sighed Gayle.
 
Spike placed a hand on Buffy’ shoulder. “It stopped the moment you came back, love, I swear.”
 
Buffy wasn’t sure what to make of this. In a way, it was reminding her of the whole Buffybot incident. However, this was not about working out some sexual frustration. It was about having to live on… or being unable to.
 
She shook her head and turned back to face Abby. “Back to business. Like I told you, somebody’s onto the same prey as Your Majesty. Young, pretty, yadda-yadda. Turns them into goo.”
 
Abby’s eyes went wide. “I’m sorry, turns them into what?”
 
“I know! Gross, right?” Buffy said with a face, then proceeded to explain the whole situation.
 
When she was done, Abby actually looked horrified. “Wow… that’s…”
 
“Disgusting? Sick? Gag-worthy?”
 
“Oh my, all of the above! I’ve never heard of such a thing! And you think that I could have something to do with…”
 
“No, not exactly. But since you seem to go for the same victims…”
 
“The worse we can do to a ‘victim’, as you call them, though I promise you they never feel like one after I’m done –”
 
“To paraphrase Mama Gayle: TMI!”
 
Abby chuckled at looked at Gayle: “She calls you ‘Mama’?”
 
Gayle shrugged. “Lots o’ people do…”
 
“Okay… As I was saying, the worse that can happen is that our ‘victim’ could fall into a coma, and that’s only if we get really carried away. Usually, they just sleep for two or three days.”
 
“You never kill them?” asked Buffy.
 
“No. Well, not in those conditions. I have killed the odd human in my time, but mostly in self-defense or because they deserved it. And even then, we don’t ‘melt’ them, ewww! We do prefer to keep them alive, like that we keep a low profile… or we can even keep a couple of them as ‘regulars’!”
 
Buffy raised her eyebrows. The term ‘regulars’ reminded her of a certain profession… “So, d’you have any idea…”
 
“Absolutely none. I’m sorry, really. I’ll keep my ears open though. Like you said: whoever it is is messing on my playground. I can’t allow that.”
 
Buffy stiffened at the use of the word ‘playground’, but also knew that having someone of Abby’s stature on her side could not be of the bad, so she let it slide. After a second, she turned to Gayle.
 
“You’ve been quiet.”
 
The brunette shrugged again. “I’m paying attention. It’s interesting stuff.”
 
Buffy nodded, figuring Gayle was still mad at her. “Okay. Wanna go home?”
 
“Erm… actually, Willy’s been ordering some excellent bourbon for me that I would like to sample. Since I’m here, it would be rude not to, don’t you think?”
 
Buffy sighed in defeat. “Okay, that’s… that’s fine. See you later?”
 
“See you tomorrow.”
 
Buffy nodded and started to leave. Spike gave Gayle a last long look, then turned to follow his paramour. Once they were both out of sight and hearing range, Gayle turned to face Abby so abruptly, the succubus couldn’t help but flinch.
 
“Does Sam know you’re here?” Gayle whispered kinda loudly.
 
“Well, hello to you too! Yes, I’ve been well, thank you, yes of course he does. Does he know you’re here?”
 
“Don’t think so, and it’s gonna stay that way, got it?”
 
“Are you threatening me?”
 
“Abby!”
 
“Okay, okay, I’ll keep my mouth shut… You wanna explain?”
 
“Not really, no. You really have no idea what’s going on?”
 
“I was being truthful, if that’s what you mean. I like William.”
 
“And you’ll tell us if you learn anything?”
 
“Like I said. But this is big stuff: it won’t go down unacknowledged…”
 
“Good.” She turned on her heels, and started to leave.
 
She stopped abruptly when Abby call out:
 
“You’re here for her, aren’t you? The Slayer?”
 
Gayle did not answer and left.
 
End of Chapter Thirteen.
 
Still no soundtrack… I’m losing my touch…
 
Send in the looooove…