STRIP SNAP by Lilachigh
Chp 22 A sort of betrayal


Spike’s words rang out again round the Magic Box basement. “Have we all been struck dumb overnight? Who the hell is that?”

Anya tossed her head. “It’s you. Except that it isn’t. It’s your earlier self – William. Buffy now has two of you, which I think is extremely unfair as I wasn’t allowed to keep the other Xander!”

Spike shot her a glance, the laughter dying out of his face and whatever the ex-demon girl now saw in his eyes caused her to stop talking, turn and retreat slowly up the steps back into the shop. “Well, I’ll leave you all to do – whatever it is Buffy wants you to do. I’ll go and tell Xander. I expect he’ll be interested. It was his spell and his demon, after all.”

There was a long silence when the upper door banged shut behind her. William was still sitting on the floor, dabbing at the bloody graze on his forehead where Buffy had flung him against a crate.

“So that’s me? That’s what I look like?” Eyebrows raised, Spike stared down at the man, taking in the black T-shirt and jeans, his spare boots. Identical blue eyes gazed back at him, but William’s expression was softer.

Buffy nodded, trying to take in the enormity of what she’d just done, fizzing with the joy of having Spike back. “Remember when Xander was split into two people? I used the same rod thingy the Toth did.”

William scrambled to his feet and held out his hand. Of all the weird things that had happened to him recently, this was one of the oddest, but he refused to let that stand in the way of common courtesy.

“Good day, sir. William Pratt at your service. This is an odd kettle of fish, eh?”

Spike automatically shook hands, then stepped back, appalled. “God, it is me! What the hell have you done, pet?”

‘I need you both,’ Buffy said wearily, trying to force her mind to start explaining the complexity of the Charm and the Thrall. “Look, Spike, just believe me, there’s a Charm thingy and a Thrally one as well. The Master’s rising and we have to kill him. God, Spike, can you just accept it for now?”

“Buffy has been distraught in her endeavours to find a way to oppose the Master,’ William broke in. ‘And I must apologize, Sir, most profusely, for appropriating your attire, but I found myself clad in next to nothing and “

Spike flared into game face and an instant later, William followed.

‘You’ve touched her!”

“My right to do what seemed fit – ”

“I’ll tear your bloody head off and ”

‘Try, Sir, try your best!” William flung up his fists into a classical boxer’s stance and Spike shimmered back into normal face, looking bemused.

“For fuck’s sake – you’re a vampire, not an old Harrovian pugilist!”

Buffy pushed between them, her eyes angry. “Enough! All this jealous vampire crap will have to wait.”

Spike stared at her, and as he did so, she could see the warmth and animation drain from his face. “Jealous, pet? Why should I be jealous?” He sat on one of the wooden steps, looking bored. “Hey, last thing I remember Slayer, is seconds ago we were shagging on your picnic – then being attacked by some rotten smelling demon. A Tazksha, I reckon. I take it this – ” he waved a hand at William – “is the result. And it doesn’t need the winner of Mastermind to work out that – ” He lifted his head fractionally and she knew he was smelling himself – or William – on her body – “the shagging has continued. Not sure of the time scale here, pet, but reckon you also knew it wasn’t me!”

He fought to control his voice. There was a roaring in his ears, louder than a thousand screaming demons. He stared at the woman he loved and wondered how he could possibly be keeping himself under control.

The pain of her betrayal was hitting him harder than anything he had ever experienced before. Harder than Dru leaving him. Harder even than when he lost Cecily when he’d still been the man standing in front of him.

This William might look like him – well Xander’s double had been identical as well, but Anya had had every reason to be uncertain, confused. Spike knew from the expression in her eyes, that Buffy had known – right from the first moment that she was having se x with a stranger. OK, a stranger who wore his body, but a stranger all the same.

“Spike – ” There was enough pain in her voice for both men to look at her sharply. William took a pace towards her, hesitated, then reached for her hand. ‘Buffy – Miss Summers – I fear you have created a monster by your magic, but – ” he glanced across at Spike, his soft blue eyes brave – “I also believe there are more important issues to be considered than our own feelings.”

Buffy squeezed his hand, once, in thanks. “Yes. Spike – we’ll talk afterwards – if there is an afterwards. But – ” her eyes flashed in supplication for a second, then in courageous determination – “I needed you both here to help me. William will do his best, but I need you! William has only been a vampire for a couple of days. You’ve got a lifetime – or deathtime – whatever – Spike - it’s the Master. He’s rising and the Thrall – ”

Suddenly she stopped, her eyes widening as the realisation hit that she no longer felt that humiliating, burning desire to have sex with William. OK, she still had a mad desire to run her fingers through Spike’s silly hair and muss it up into curls, but that was a feeling she lived with every day.

‘The Thrall must be finished,” she said softly. “So The Master has risen.”

“Right! So great, great, great something Daddy’s back.” Spike’s voice flicked out across the basement. “Be interesting to see the old boy again. Any more Aurealian family members coming to the get-together, pet? Darla, Dru, Chief Ponce himself, perhaps?”

Buffy refused to let her expression change. Refused to let him see how much he was hurting her. “No, jus the Master. The three of us have to kill him. It’s in the charm.”

“Oh – my – dear – god!” Xander’s voice rang out from above their heads and he slowly walked down the steps from the shop, his face a mask of horrified disbelief. “One is too many. But two Spikes! Come on Buff, what have we done to deserve this? I couldn’t believe Anya when she phoned me. I thought she’d be sampling Giles’ hidden whisky stash.”

“Mr Harris – Xander – ” William looked concerned. “I can well understand that this situation is uncomfortable, but your attitude is – ”

“I wouldn’t bother!” Spike glanced at his other self. “We’re both black balled at this boy’s club meeting.”

William looked puzzle, then his own softer features hardened slightly. “I can see no reason for the antipathy.”

Spike sighed. “You – me – one or both of us have been shagging the woman he can’t! Although he’d like to!” And he grinned, without humour, at Xander’s furious, embarrassed face.

“Spike!” Buffy’s voice was a whip crack. “Enough! Xander all this has to wait. Spike and William and me – we make the three in the Charm. Remember? ‘Past and present merged must be, by love desire and need times three.’ I figured it meant Spike had to be called back somehow. And out there in Sunnydale, old wrinkly face is waiting for me again. And I don’t intend to disappoint him.’

Xander hesitated, his gaze switching between the two vampires, his dislike only too apparent. “Every time you open your moth, filth and evil come out,” he said finally. “I won’t stay and listen to this sick rubbish. Buffy – I’ll be upstairs with Anya. Let us know if we can help.”

Halfway up the steps he stopped. “Hey, Spike, get Buffy to tell you that it’s all Aurelians who get to perish this time. And if I’m not mistake, that’ll include you, that copy of you and Angel as well!”

The silence in the basement hung like a thick cloying smoke as the door to the shop banged shut behind him. William stood, hands pushed deep into his pockets, staring at the man he had once become and the woman he partly loved. Because he knew he didn’t fully love this small American person. Only days ago, his heart had belonged to Cecily and, if nothing else, he was constant in his feelings, if not in his behaviour.

Although sowing one’s wild oats was not considered an unfaithful act and it wasn’t as if he and Cecily were engaged, although he would have liked them to be. Miss Buffy Summers had initiated him into all the pleasures of the flesh, that was true, but he knew, deep down, that only her body had been involved. Her heart, her mind, her very essence were given – promised – whether she knew it or not – to this….

He struggled to find a word that would suffice. All he could sense was a feeling of such anger and despair that it was hard to remain outside the scalding range of the man’s anger.

And suddenly he realised he didn’t have to. He knew, without a doubt, that if he lost Cecily then he, too, would feel just the same. Do and say and think things that no man would ever believe him capable of envisaging. He gave a sad smile, Indeed, if Buffy Summers was to be believed, he had once done just that and the result was there in front of him, over a century of pain later.

“So, Slayer, when were you going to mention the face that killing Great Great Granddad would get rid of all his clan members as well?” Spike’s voice was as smooth and deadly as satin running across the finest steel blade. “Or perhaps that’s just an added incentive? I’m sure your mates would think so.”

“Spike!” Buffy felt a surge of hurt and anger. Why was he making this so difficult? There was an indifference in his eyes that was new and frightening. This man could never have bought her a beautiful white silk dress, never planned the romantic picnic on the lake, bought champagne, made love to her with such feverish joy that every nerve in her body had sung under his control. This man, she knew, would have thought romantic fripperies like that completely unnecessary.

OK, big problem with the sex and William – and would she ever get over the vampire’s ability to smell what she’d been doing? But this was Spike – she blinked as the thought cascaded through her mind – she trusted him.

What the hell? But yes, she trusted him to be there, to help her, to what – give up his unlife for her and the rest of the world?

“Spike, I’ve no intention of letting you and William die. The three of us will find a way. William – look – I realise this isn’t fair on you. It isn’t your fight, but – ”

“Oh William will be at your side, Slayer – to the death,” Spike said swiftly, getting to his feet in one lithe movement. “Poor sod wouldn’t know how else to react if a lady was in danger. Fact that he’s sealing his own death warrant won’t even make him hesitate for a second. ‘Into the Valley of Death rode the Six Hundred’ and all that rubbish, eh, Will? All very Sidney Carton. “A far, far better thing I do, a far, far better death I go to,” or whatever the quote is. Victorian sentimental rubbish.”

He prowled over to stand only inches away from her. “Of course you wouldn’t mind if we both vanished, would you, Slayer? Solve a lot of your problems, wouldn’t it? No nasty little secrets would slip out if I ceased to exist, right?”

William looked up sharply and took a swift, impulsive step forward, his hands suddenly clenching into fists. “Sir, I fear your behaviour and words to a lady are unacceptable. I must ask you to make Miss Summers a full apology or else – ”

Buffy flung herself between them again, only to aware that if they both used their identical strength against her, she would find it more than difficult to control them. And thrust aside one errant erotic thought that blazed through her brain and which she knew she would never, ever reveal to another living soul.

“Spike! William! ” But before she could say more, there was a screaming and crashing from above their heads. Someone – or something – was attacking the Magic Box!

To be continued