t'is the Season!

Season Seven:

The door leading to the basement opened with an ominous creaking sound. The light in the hallway did little to lift the gloom that started halfway down the staircase. A steady drip-drip-drip of water somewhere off in the dark was the only sound coming from the dark basement.

Buffy felt around for a lightswitch, as Willow fumbled with her flashlight. 

“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea at all… M-Maybe we should go back!” Willow offered, as she managed to turn her flashlight on.

“Nonsense!” Buffy replied, flicking the lightswitch she found. She gave Willow a quick smile and pushed the cheery red Christmas hat a little firmer on her friend’s head. Buffy started down the stairs, and Willow followed, lighting the way with her flashlight.

“Spike!” Buffy called, as they made their way through the tunnel-like halls of the basement. The overheard lighting was woefully insufficient, and Willow’s flashlight cast eerie shadows on the walls. The basement was quiet, but not the “Silent night, Holy night” kind of quiet, Willow mused, and a giggle escaped her. It was like something was waiting for them in the dark, holding its breath, not funny at all. Or holy.

In front of her, Buffy opened a door, and Willow let the flashlight’s beam enter the room before they did. She quickly scanned the corners of the room, and the beam fell on Spike’s huddled form on their far right. Buffy let the backpack she had brought slide from her back as she approached the vampire.

“Spike? Spike. It’s me, Buffy.” 

The blonde head lifted from the jeanclad knees, and Spike stared at the two girls. He blinked owlishly, sniffed the air and banged his head against the wall behind him. Buffy opened the backpack and took a thermos and a package wrapped in tinfoil from it. Willow approached, taking care not to aim the beam of the flashlight directly at Spike but a little bit in front of him.

“Spike? We brought you some of the Christmas turkey… and blood.” Willow said, as she shot a glance at Buffy, who held the thermos out for Willow to take from her so she could open the tinfoil package. Willow took the thermos and unscrewed the cap, while Buffy opened the tinfoil package to reveal a turkeyleg and some other pieces of turkey meat.

“You’re not here!” Spike said in a desperate tone of voice, as he let his head sink back to his knees. He shook it violently as if to clear his mind.

“I was bad, bad, yes, very bad! Made them cry, I did!” he moaned, still banging his head against his knees. Willow and Buffy shot a glance at eachother, and Buffy shrugged. She put the half-wrapped turkey down within Spike’s reach, and Willow put the thermos of blood next to it. Then they both took a few steps backwards, maybe they had triggered this behaviour?

“We just wanted to wish you a merry Christmas…” Willow said with a frown, and Spike’s head flew up, piercing stare directed at Buffy.

“From beneath you, it devours.” He spoke, voice crystal clear in the silent basement.