Memory Redux

Chapter 10

Time’s No Friend of Mine:


Not that she had an abundance of patience to begin with, but Beth’s patience was currently plunging from the top of Mt. Everest to the ground below at Mach 5. The plan was for her and Spike to meet at his place, and then drive together to a restaurant before catching a movie. Then she provided the first problem. She was running late. Not a shock there, but they had a time frame to make the movie. When Beth realized that she would be running behind, she called William. To save on time, they agreed to skip meeting at the loft and each go to the grille William had picked out, which led to the second problem. Beth treated following directions to the Uptown Grille as if William had given them to her in Latin. Hence, Buffy wast ant and only had a thimble full of patience left.

‘Damn, where in the world is this place? The Up Town Grille. The Up Town Grille. The Up Town Grille. I would even settle for just “up town” at this point, and then I could go from there.’ She was sure that the problem wasn’t with William’s directions, but her lack of ability to follow said directions coupled with her impatience to see him again. She hadn’t seen William in two weeks, and she wanted to see him, touch him, smell him, anythiim. im. Now.

On top of that, she was awfully nervous about this night. Willow had finally convinced Beth to tell William. As a result, when they returned to his loft, she was determined to finally tell him that she was in love with him. She had been procrastinating, but since she confessed her love to her best friend, Willow was relentless, pushing her to tell William that she loved him. And to be honest, she felt like she her secret was a weight on her shoulders, Beth just didn’t think she could go any longer without telling him, no matter if he rejected her feelings or not.

Just before calling William to admit she was horribly lost and need more directions, she finally spotted the grille. Her pride was saved at the last moment. Beth quickly parked, and as usual, she barely had time to shut off the Jeep’s engine before William was there to open her door. His old fashion manners always made her melt.

Just as William had described, the grille was boisterous, friendly, and fun. During the course of their meal, they spent more time catching up than eating. Spike exaggerated outrageously about his jobs, making her laugh, and then Beth caught him up on two weeks of Sunnydale. Joyce’s gallery was doing very well, but that also meant the she traveled more on buying trips. Spike could easily tell by the expression on Beth’s face that was missing her mom, and he didn’t blame her. He missed Joyce, too, and wished he could see her.

But when she switched topics, Spike enjoyed watching the sparkle in Beth’s eyes come back as she told her next news. “Xander has met a new girl, Ann? Angie? An…?”

Spike almost didn’t ask, not sure if he wanted to know. “It’s not Anya, is it?”

Beth brightened even more. “Yeah, that’s it. She must have missed the department where they handed out the social skills of life because she is really blunt and often accidentally rude. Although, she makes up for it in the nice department.”

If the news about Anya entering the Sunnydale scene struck Spike as suspicious, Beth’s next news would have floored him if he hadn’t already been sitting down. Beth sounded very matter of fact when she said, “Willow’s getting pretty good at witchcraft. She practices, but sometimes her spells still go wonky like they did in high school. She means well, but we just make sure we are out of the way when she is trying out a new spell. Back in our freshman year, she did a spell that turned out bizarre. Xander became a dog magnet, and Giles went blind. I guess the blind part is not so funny, but Xander must have spelled like a can of Alpo because every dog in Sunnydwas was after him. I was the lucky one since nothing happened to me. Still, it was kinda scary for that day, but she fixed everything. Nevertheless Xander couldn’t wash the dog smell off for a week, and Giles cleaned his glasses more than usual. And the usual is a lot.”

As for Anya, Spike could have explained away her presence as a cosmic coincidence. She could still be mortal now in Sunnydale. If she was once a vengeance demon, she could be mortal and just is not telling Xander. But now Red was into witchcraft? He was positive Beth never mentioned before that Willow was practicing witchcraft, let alone that Red was getting good at her spells. That and everything that Beth had said implied that she had been practicing for awhile. “When did Willow get into witchcraft?”

“Way back in high school. I told you that, don’t you remember? Maybe I didn’t tell you.” She waved her hand, signaling that she was finished with the Willow topic and ready to move on. “Oh, I almost forgot tell you about Giles. His book and magic shop is really beginning to take off. He would probably do the happy dance if he wasn’t so stuffy. All the previous owners had failed, but I think he is going to make it.”

“I thought Giles just sold books.” What the bloody hell was going on? Just as with Red, he knew she had told him before tRupeRupert just sold books.

“Oh, he does sell books, but he’s been adding some magic books and stuff. I don’t look at the magic books much, but they do sell.”

Now he was starting to get a weird feeling about this whole conversation. He knew when she first told him about Willow, Xander and Giles, that their lives sounded like an image of their past lives but with no demons, no magic, and no vampires. They were just normal people now. Now witchcraft was an accepted part of their lives, and Beth acted like magic had been a part of their lives for years. In Willow’s spell, Giles going blind was exactly what had happened to him in the past reality. Xander was a dog magnet instead of a demon magnet, which made sense if the Scoobies didn’t know anything about demons even though they accepted magic. Yet Buffy said nothing had happened to her from Red’s spell. He and Buffy’s whole engagement part of the spell had been left out; his part in the spectacle was left out.

That omission reminded Spike of his conversation with Beth when she had told him about her past experiences with sex. She said there had been three guys she had slept with. Oe ote other hand, in her past life as a slayer, there had been four men, to be more exact, two vampires and two men.vertvertheless, Spike should know since he was the forth and the last. Following all the other patterns of her past memories, Beth’s first love had been very similar to Angel in that he had left her for to go to Los Angeles so she could find someone better. The second had been a one night stand like Parker, and the third went into the military, which was similar to Riley. So if there were mirror images of those past three, there should have been a mirror image of himself, her fourth lover. But his double of him was completely nonexistent. So his mirror image was left out of Red’s spell and left out as one of Beth’s lover. Were the Powers That Be initially leaving any reminder of him out on purpose? Was it because in this new reality he was actually seeing her here in Sacramento, and so she doesn’t need those memories replaced? Maybe he had been such a bad part of her life that they obliterated anything that resembled him, and meeting her again had just been an accident. No matter the questions or answers, a small part of Spike dared to hope that this was another indication that the Powers That Be were giving him a second chance with her.

Before Spike couldn’t think about the changes any further, he was distracted when she started talking about her classes, mainly literature and the criminal justice ones. Criminal activity Spike a subject he knew well and had juiveniven up that activity in the last couple of years. But since becoming a skip tracer, he was still learning about the American justice system, so was very interest in that topic. As a result, Beth was flattered by his rapt attention and enjoyed answering his questions.

When the conversation moved on to her ancient literature class, specifically the Satyricon by Petonius, really peeked his interest. He had a passion for literature before he had been turn, and then passion stayed with him as a vampire even though he tried to will it away or hide it. But to Beth, he wasn’t a Big Bad, so he was relieved that he didn’t have to hide his interest. For the next half hour, they discussed Greek life and the satire based upon it.

Their conversation would have kept going if Spike had not looked at his watch and realized that they needed to leave so they could make the movie on time. Beth had chosen X-Men 2. The movie had been showing for months, but when Beth found out he hadn’t seen it, she insisted they go to the one theatre where it was still showing.


*****


About an hour into the movie, Spike heard a ruckus from the back rows and absently looked back to see who needed a boot out of the theatre. Picking the culprits out, he quietly groaned and rolled his eyes. The problem was that a month ago Spike caught the skip, Ray Clark, whose brother was sitting in the back row making an ass of himself. In the total loser category, the skip, Ray Clark, had beat up his girlfriend, breaking her jaw in the process before the cops were called in on the “domestic dispute.” However, when Clark was arrested, the police found enough heroin in his apartment to call it “intent to sell,” adding another substantial charge to the assault. Later, the bastard had skipped his bond to Nevada with the said brother in the same theater. Spike found the brothers strung out and trying to gamble in a small bar off the main strip of Las Vegas. Looking back again at the two guys next to the brother, Spike assumed that were his friends. In fact, Spike bet that if he checked the trio on the back row, he would find fresh track marks on all three of their arms. But he was here on a date with Beth and wanted to stay away from any trouble.

When the movie ended, Spike tried to avoid any potential confrontation, so guided Buffy straight out of the building through the back exit instead of going through the lobby. He suspected the trio was too stoned to recognize him, but he wasn’t taking any chances. Oblivious to any possible problem,h wah was going on about Wolverine, how gorgeous he was, how sexy he was, how he was the best in the movie… Knowing that she was teasing, Spike played along, acting offended and jealous. They headed around the back of the theatre, making their way down a wide walkway to the street in front of the building. Walking between two buildings, they were met by Brother Clark and his two friends at the exit of the walkway out to the street. Rolling his eyes and giving a hefty sigh, Spike gave a heart felt “Bloody Hell” before closely assessing the three thugs. The brother had a long chain that was probably off his wallet, another held a double edged blade while the last one sported brass knuckles.

Beth felt William drop her hand and take a step forward to confront the thugs. “Just a sec, luv. Why don’t you step back a little while I sweep some rubbish out of our way. Then we can leave.”

Staying where he left her, but still not far from the men, she smiled at his veiled threat.

Clark took a step forward to square off with Spike. “Blondie, you gave my brother to the cops.”

The vampire’s voice came out slow and modulated as if speaking to a toddler. “No, your brother landed himself in jail when he beat up his bird, was caught with smack, and then jumped bail. I just made sure your wanker of a brother made it to court.” Spike smirked as he watched the stupid git turn read with mounting anger. “And Blondie? Like I haven’t heard that before. Your whole, bloody family must have already donated their brains to science and were rejected.” He punctuated his last insult by unexpectedly punching the brass knuckles guy in the nose. As the git fell to the ground, holding his bleeding nose, the brother swung his chain. Just before the chain made contact, Spike held up his left arm and let the chain wrap around his forearm and hand. Seeing the coward with the knife come at him from behind, he was preparing to sling Brother Clark into the ponce with the knife.

However, before Spike could, Beth, who had seen the danger coming toward Spike’s back, stepped up and used a spin kick to knock the knife out the hand of Spike’s attacker. The guy with the brass knuckles, who was still on his ass, directed his cusses and swears at Beth now in a fighting stance as he climbed to his feet and making a move towards her, the easier of the two targets.

Having before been enjoying the spot of violence, he vampire saw red and was done playing. As he moved to get to Beth, as the bollock passed by him Spike punched the brass knuckles guy hard enough that he sailed across the walkway into a nearby trash canister, leaving a large, noticeable dent we he slid down to the ground. With the chain still wrapped around his left hand, Spike’s right hand shot across his body and punched the one with knife Beth had disarmed by her kick. The stupid bugger crumpled to the ground and didn’t even make an effort to stand up.

“Two down, Clark to go,” Spike said with an evil grin that made almost Clark want to run, but no such luck. Spike laughed as he thought, “The bugger was too stupid to just let go of his chain and run.”

Spike pulled the chain bringing Clark close enough for the vamp to grab him with his right hand by the throat. When the vampire freed his left arm from the chain, Spike lifted Clark up by the throat and slammed him against a nearby wall so that his feet dangled off six inches off the ground. “Listen well, and you don’t want to fuck with me.” Spike let his demon come frd erd enough for his canines elongated into his fangs, and then grinned to show them off. When the brother paled, pike was sure that Clark didn’t miss the change. The vampire kept his voice low so Beth wouldn’t hear. “Don’t come near me or her unless you are prepared for me to twist your head off and send it to your brother in a pretty little box with a big, red bow on top. Right fancy box with horror inside.” With a growl, Spike slammed Clark against the wall again and watched with satisfaction as the slimy tosser slumped to the ground.

Spike let his fangs shift back to their normal bluntness and turned around as he straightened his clothes as he calmly returned his attention back to his date. With a cocky smile, Spike looked at Beth’s face. Her wer were huge, not with the adrenalin rush of a slayer, but with the scared eyes of a naive human, who had never been around such violence. Spike first mentally cussed the fates that put those three assholes with them in the movie, and then he cussed himself for forgetting she was no longer the slayer. When had had kicked the knife out of the wanker’s hand, he completely forgot that she was Beth, thinking of her as Buffy.

Beth was staring down at the body now lying near Spike’s feet, next her gazed traveled up to Spike’s face, and over to the dent in the trash canister. Having gone full circle, her gaze finally stopped at the unconscious body at her own feet. When she spoke, she sounded dazed. “I kicked this guy. I hit him and knocked him to the ground. How?” She paused as she shrugged her shoulders. “I never learned how to fight. I don’t know how to do what I just did.” She looked around again, taking in the destruction and then back at Spike. When their gazes met, Beth motioning toward the dented trash can. “And you. You knocked that guy at least ten feet into that metal, hard enough to cave it in. Then you just held that guy lying behind you six inches off the ground. With. One. Hand.” She started to shake her head back away from Spike. “I don’t understand who you are, and I don’t understand what happened here. I just realized that I certainly don’t understand what’s happening between you and me. When I am with you, I feel like we have some sort of connection, and that if I try hard enough, I will remember. Just as for some warped reason, I was ok with the fighting tonight…with all those things that happen around you.” Beth looked around at the bodies again. “But how could I have a connection to this? Whatever this is, whatever you are.” She looked back up at him, tears beginning to overflow down her cheeks, still shaking headhead from side to side. “I…I’m sorry. I don’t understand, and I’m not sure that I should. But tonight what with all this…this stuff, I’m not sure that I should be around you. I…uh… I’m so sorry, but I’ve gotta go.” With incredibly sad eyes that were still overflowing with tears, Beth ran away down the street, disappear into the parking lot, and then her jeep turned out into the street and raced away.

When she started to run away, Spike had taken a step to follow, to try to explain, to say whatever it took to change things back to how they were before they ever stepped into that bleedin’ movie. But if there was part of the slayer inside Beth after all, then five years of knowing the slayer told him that there was nothing he could say. She would run until she decided to stop. Would she come back…? Looking back at past experience, the Buffy he knew couldn’t help, eventually coming back like a moth to a flame, but he was the one that ended up burned. However, with Beth he had no idea. What he did know was that if she was smart, she would stay far away from him.

Spike brought his hands up to his face, covering it, and then rubbing his eyes before dropping them down to his sides again. Weary. Usually so full of energy, this was one of few times since he was turned into a vampire that he felt all one hundred and twenty-nine years of existence; he felt y wiy with it all. Weary and sad, but sadness he knew. Sadness had been with him numerous times, but he always bounced back. This time though, he felt like the sadness that seeped into his bones the day the Hellmouth was closed, and Buffy wished away anything involving the slayer part of her reality, now permanent.

So he already knew this despair of losing any contact with her, but he also knew where there was a big bottle of bourbon. He ran his hand through his hair. “Of all the fucking luck,” he yelled to no one in particular as he walked toward his own car.


*****


After standing in the same place for over half an hour and looking down the street in the direction that she disappeared down, he reminded himself that life, or rather, unlife went on. Slowly and painfully, but still continuing. As Spoke finally made it to his car and drove off, he hime ime to think the situation through. He made an attempt to convince himself that her leaving was for the best, but failed by a long shot. As he thought before meeting Beth, he was confident that he wasn’t destined to be a part of Buffy’s or Beth’s life. Still with those rationalizations, Beth’s leaving was agonizing. Even though his claim of her had not been made with a bite and blood, he still felt the devastating lose of his mate slowly

So that Saturday night, he took a detour before he arrived at his loft and headed for what boasted to be the supermarket of liquor stores. He proceeded to buy enough hard liquor and beer to supply an open bar at a one hundred on pon party. Then he spent all of Sunday and all of Monday making sure that he stayed stinking drunk. Tuesday, Spike sobered up enough to catch up with a drug dealer, who the vamp hassled for the fun of it. Wednesday, not wanting to waste his time on the small stuff, he found a biker bar to pick a fight with the meanest mother fucker he could find. And he did just that, which meant that he spent Thursday and Frihealhealing up and polishing off two bottles of tequila and a case of beer. Saturday moved on by without him as he lay passed out in front of his television, and Sunday he told himself that he needed to stay home to make sure he was fit to work, while nursing a fifth of whiskey with a six pack chaser.

During the course of Spike’s drunken stupors marathon, ugh ugh the second week during his few moments of clarity, he continued to tell himself that Beth’s leaving was for the best, but a small part of him that he didn’t even want to acknowledge hoped she would come back. However, she had been remembering too much of her slayer past. Suddenly knowing first aid, how to identify knife and bat wounds, not to turn you back at a bar like Willy’s, she remembered how to do a spin kick, and not mention the dreams she was having about the past. On top of that and most importantly, Spike suspected that reality was shifting. Giles now had a book and magic store, Willow was practicing witchcraft, and Xander met Anya. All of these had not existed like that when he had first met Beth. It seemed that this reality was slowly reverting to the old reality. So the Monday two weeks later, Spike accepted the truth. Beth’s leaving was definitely for the best, so when the third week began, Spike decided to pull himself out of the abyss of pity he had been wallowing in an and jumped back into his work. He knew it was a vain effort to diminish the pain of losing Buffy again, but at least he kept busy, which somewhat kept the pain at bay.

Decision made and put into action, the vampire’s unlife headed towards his normal routine, but the track definitely had some hard bumps. He stored the memories of Beth away with the slayer’s, but the little things left around the loft that Beth had left behind. A shirt, lip stick, a brush, one of her note books, and more, and none of which he could bring himself to throw them away yet or if ever.

First on his work agenda was to catch up with the wankers that had beat him up with bats and knives, the beating with after which Beth had patched him up. Immediately after that beating, Spike had hunted down the skip, but not his mates. Finding the wankers was easy. He just went back to the bar he had originally found the skip, and the educated guess quickly paid off. After only two nights of a stake out, the three drunken tossers exited the bar together, laughing and staggering. They didn’t know what hit them when Spike attacked using a bat. Numerous bruises and broken bones later, Spike kicked each in the side, making sure all were still conscious. The vampire made very clear who he was just in case they had forgotten and the result of attacking a man when his back was turned. When he turned back toward, his car, he felt satisfaction pumping in his veins, but the sadness eventually returned and pushed his post violence euphoria out of the way.


TBC

MadRog
www.sunnydale-tales.com
madrog@ev1.net