Work Text:
The Giles Saga - Night Music
by Ragna (Obsessive-Compulsive Spike)
The pain was almost unbearable. She'd been cooped up in the damn hospital for almost a month. Snyder had been very close to firing her, but her uncle had intimidated him into thinking otherwise.
She wished she'd been able to see that.
The soaps and television shows were getting boring, so she resorted to leaving the television on MTV all the time. Even when she was asleep. The only exceptions were for Law & Order, Martial Law and Nash Bridges.
And even the last two didn't make her laugh much. Partly because the Tylenol 3 was having no effect anymore.
She shifted slightly and winced in pain. It was only eight PM, but she wasn't expecting anyone to come by and spend time with her. Not at that time. Gaby and Buffy were probably out patrolling, and the others were probably researching.
So, once more, it was her and Carson. Fun.
The almost timid knock on the door surprised her. "Who is it?"
"Spike."
She sat up as best she could to get a look. "Well, it really is you. Come in."
He walked in slowly. "You're okay?"
"I've been better," she replied shrugging.
He nodded. "I suppose so."
"Yeah," she said, turning the TV off. "Why'd you come here, anyway?"
"Would you believe I don't know?"
"Not really."
"Well, for once, it's the truth." He turned around. "Well, I guess I'll go. Just wanted to see how you were."
"Wait. Come back here, Spike. I'm bored, and...you're decent company, I guess."
"You guess?" Spike turned around, then walked to a chair next to her bed and sat down.
"Well, I haven't actually just talked to you much. Normally, we bicker." She moved and winced again.
"You must really be in some pain, love. Exactly how bad a beating did you get?"
"He went for my weak spot. I don't remember much else after that."
Spike nodded. "I would have tried to help..."
"Hey, he kicked your ass too, you know. So you really weren't in a position to offer much help."
Spike glared a little, but the look was gone just as quickly as it came. "I suppose so, love."
"How are you doing?" she asked.
"Not so well. I miss her a lot. Things had started to be even better than before...and then she was gone."
Alex nodded. "I know how that is."
Spike looked at her. "I'd forgotten about Jacob. Did you ever figure out which vampire did it?"
"Yeah. He was supposed to just fight me, but...he got carried away by his own importance." She shrugged again. "He's dust...I staked him that night."
"I'm glad I threw the dagger that killed Laigon. It made me feel a little better, finally offing that bugger. But then...when I was alone..."
"You couldn't stop thinking about her. Then you pushed everyone away, thinking it was the right thing to do, but you ended up spending more time thinking about her than before. Am I right?"
Spike nodded. "Score one point for the human."
"Depressing, isn't it?"
"Yeah, that it is." He looked around before remembering the thing he'd brought. "Oh. I did bring you something."
"Why?"
"I made it so I would stop thinking about Dru." He pulled a cassette tape and a Walkman out of two of his duster's numerous pockets. "Thought you'd enjoy it."
"What's on it?"
"A lot of stuff. Mostly classic rock, some classical, some punk, some modern stuff. Music I know you normally don't listen to."
"Ah. I'll listen to it later, okay?"
He nodded, then stood up. "I need to go, anyway. I must eat, you know." He cracked a small smile. "Keep the Walkman...it's in good condition. When are you getting out?"
"Friday."
"I'll come by Friday evening, if you want. To see if you liked the tape."
"Okay."
He surprised her by his next move. He bent down and kissed her forehead lightly, and murmured a sleep protection spell. "You're not the only one who knows magic, love," he said before walking off.
She stared after him, still feeling his cold lips. Shaking her head, she popped the tape into the Walkman and hit play.
"Hello, love," Spike's recorded voice said. "Needed to do something to forget Dru for a bit. Thought I'd show you the finer side of music...things I'm pretty sure you don't listen to on a regular basis." There was a pause. "I hope I do this right..."
She giggled a little and was pleased to hear music flood through the headphones a few seconds later. She was surprised to hear one of her favorite songs from the eighties.
[Won't you come see about me
I'll be alone, dancing --- you know it, baby
Tell me your troubles and doubts
Giving me everything inside and out
Love's strange --- so real in the dark
Think of the tender things
That we were working on
Slow change may pull us apart
When the light gets into your heart, baby]
She closed her eyes and laid back against the song, just listening to the song.
[Don't you forget about me
Don't, don't, don't, don't
Don't you forget about me
Will you stand above me
Look my way, never love me
Rain keeps falling
Rain keeps falling
Down, down, down
Will you recognize me
Call my name
Or walk on by
Rain keeps falling
Rain keeps falling
Down, down, down]
She hadn't realized how tired she was until she shut her eyes...and she knew sleep wasn't very far behind.
[Don't you try and pretend
It's my beginning
We'll win in the end
I won't harm you
Or touch your defenses
Vanity, insecurity
Don't you forget about me
I'll be alone, dancing --- you know it, baby
Going to take you apart
I'll build us back together a heart, baby
Don't you forget about me
Don't, don't, don't, don't
Don't you forget about me]
Her hand unclasped the Walkman as she set it on the small night stand next to her bed, and she carefully positioned the headphones so she wouldn't crush them as she slept.
[As you walk on by
Will you call my name
As you walk on by
Will you call my name
When you walk away
Oh, will you walk away
Will you walk away
Oh, call my name
Will you call my name]
She missed the rest of the songs because she'd fallen asleep, a smile on her face. She didn't even notice when Spike crept back in to retrieve the keys he'd accidentally left on the chair.
Noticing the smile on her face, he smiled himself, then shook his head and walked back out. He really didn't even want to hunt. What he did want to do was stay by her side until she woke up again, sunlight be damned. But he couldn't very well tell her that.
He didn't know what he'd do if she never wanted to see him again. So he kept his gob shut. Stuffing the keys in his pocket, he walked out into the night, not really caring where he went.
***
[Tender is the night lying by your side
Tender is the touch of someone that you love too much
Tender is the day the demons go away
Lord, I need to find someone who can view my mind]
Blur's new song was playing on MTV and Alex looked at it. Finally home, she'd settled on her couch, propping her leg out so the rod wouldn't make it hurt even worse.
It was Friday evening. She'd been released from the hospital earlier that evening, and everyone had wanted to make sure she was okay. She'd had more visitors that night than she had had her entire month in the hospital.
She shook her head and closed her eyes. She was...waiting. For a lot of things. Her leg to heal, Monday so she could yell at Snyder, world peace.
And Spike to show up.
[Come on, come on, come on get through it
Come on, come on, come on love's the greatest thing
Come on, come on, come on get through it
Come on, come on, come on love's the greatest thing
That we have I'm waiting for that feeling
I'm waiting for that feeling waiting for that feeling to come]
Spike was getting nervous.
{Wonder why? It's just Alex...not like I like her as more than a friend or anything.} He finished getting dressed in his now standard outfit: black shirt, red shirt, black jeans, leather duster.
A song was playing on the telly...some minion was watching that God-awful MTV. But he had to admit, it was a good song.
The volume started to dip, and Spike spoke up. "Craig, turn the volume back up, you twit!" Instantly, the song got louder.
[Oh my baby Oh my baby
Oh why? Oh my
Oh my baby Oh my baby
Oh why? Oh my]
{This is a really long song.} Alex grabbed her crutches and slowly hobbled into the kitchen, her body still hurting.
Wearing pants was out of the question, thanks to a behemoth cast encasing one of her legs. So her long black skirt with two side slits fluttered against her legs as she made herself move forward.
{I hate crutches. Wonder what happens if vampires get broken bones...} she mused, then shook her head. {And why can't I stop thinking about one vampire in particular?}
[Tender is the ghost the ghost I love the most
Hiding from the gun waiting for the night to come
Tender my heart for screwing up my life
Lord, I need to find someone who can view my mind]
Spike mused on that last verse. {He has no idea how true that is. Alex could view his mind for him...} he thought, then discarded it. He instead grabbed a different shirt and pulled it on, it being a midnight blue instead of glaring red.
{Maybe that's what I need. Maybe that's *who* I need.} The thought shocked him a bit, and he sat down. {Maybe it's who I've needed for a long time.}
[Come on, come on, come on get through it
Come on, come on, come on love's the greatest thing
Come on, come on, come on get through it
Come on, come on, come on love's the greatest thing
That we have I'm waiting for that feeling
I'm waiting for that feeling waiting for that feeling to come
Oh my baby Oh my baby
Oh why? Oh my
Oh my baby Oh my baby
Oh why? Oh my]
Alex grabbed the box of Oreos from the counter. Her uncle had remembered that she loved those. It had been his welcome back home present, and she smiled.
It was her comfort food, the thing she had always made sure she had on hand. And, well...she'd eaten all hers up prior to her month long hospital stay.
Balancing herself on the crutches and the box of Oreos as best she could, she headed back out to her living room, and situated her self on the couch, still watching the video. {If he doesn't get here soon...I'm going to bed.}
[Come on, come on, come on get through it
Come on, come on, come on love's the greatest thing
Come on, come on, come on get through it
Come on, come on, come on love's the greatest thing
That we have I'm waiting for that feeling
I'm waiting for that feeling waiting for that feeling to come
Oh my baby Oh my baby
Oh why? Oh my
Oh my baby Oh my baby
Oh why? Oh my]
Spike really wished he could be able to look into a mirror.
{And why the bloody hell do I care how I look?} he thought silently, glad none of the minions were telepathic. {Cor, they'd love to string me up if they found out I was going out to visit Alex. Lop off my head and feed it to...some sort of demon.}
Instead of standing around, he went to where the television was. Craig was the only one around. "Aren't you going to hunt?"
He shook his head. "Can't. Don't know how to catch live prey. I just got turned two days ago."
Spike nodded slowly. "I think there's an unconscious bloke upstairs. You can have him. Who's your sire?"
"Bern. She's been busy."
Spike nodded again. "I'll talk to her when I get back. Do I look...decent?"
"Yeah."
"Fine then. Go eat. Now."
[Tender is the night
Lying by your side
Tender is the touch
Of someone that you love too much
Tender my heart, you know
For screwing up my life
Lord, I need to find
Someone who can heal my mind]
Alex continued to watch the TV, her eyes shutting slowly. {No. Must stay awake...for a few more minutes.} She pulled out an Oreo and twisted off the top, lightly scraping the cream filling off the bottom.
{Yup. Just me and my Oreos. I should have known I couldn't trust Spike. But...hell, I really did want to.} A few crumbs fell on her shirt, a steel gray and glitter top with three quarter sleeves.
{And I'm really too tired to be eating anything right now.}
[Come on, come on, come on get through it
Come on, come on, come on love's the greatest thing
Come on, come on, come on get through it
Come on, come on, come on love's the greatest thing
That we have I'm waiting for that feeling
I'm waiting for that feeling waiting for that feeling to come
Oh my baby (Oh my baby)
Oh my baby (Oh my baby)
Oh why? (Tell me)
Oh my (Tell me)]
Spike had decided to walk. He hummed the song right where it had left of, his mind consumed with thoughts he didn't want to think.
And the feelings that went with them... When he thought about Alex, he felt hope and a sense of betrayal, like he was betraying Dru. {But hadn't she said she'd see this happen?}
He tried to think of something else, anything else, like offing the Great Poof or reliving the kill of that whorish Slayer. And then he just started to sing. Being as how he'd heard Tender so often around the mansion, it was the first song to come to mind.
[Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh why? (Tell me) Oh my (Tell me)
Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh why? (Tell me) Oh my (Tell me)
Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh why? (Tell me) Oh my (Tell me)
Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh why? (Tell me) Oh my (Tell me)
Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh why? (Tell me) Oh my (Tell me)
Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh why? (Tell me) Oh my (Tell me)
Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh my baby (Oh my baby) Oh why? (Tell me) Oh my (Tell me)]
Alex sighed, and went to eat her fifth cookie this evening. {He's not going to show up, so why the hell am I staying awake?} Picking up the remote, she turned the television off, then grabbed for her crutches.
She knocked one off, and as she leaned down to reach it, she fell off the couch. A few curse words escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, trying to ignore the pain coursing through her legs.
The door opened only a few seconds after she fell. When a pair of arms picked her up, only then did she open her eyes. "It's your fault I fell, you know."
Spike grinned down at her. "*My* fault? Love, what convoluted logic did you use to arrive at that?"
"I was about to go to bed because you weren't here. It's pretty late."
"At eleven? You really must not have a life."
"Well, I'm taking medicine that knocks me out...so sorry." Alex looked up at his face and stuck out her tongue. When she turned her head, she noticed the shirt. "Blue looks good on you. Not that I notice much. I mean..."
"Lexie, you're babbling."
"Only because no one's around and you can drop me, I won't hurt you for calling me that."
"I like calling you that. Not because it makes you mad...because I think Alex is a male name and you are by no means male."
"Well...I...uh..." Alex stammered. "Could you set me back down, please?"
Spike nodded and carefully set her on the larger couch. She reached over to her tape deck and hit play, causing some of the classical music Spike had taped for her. "Glad you like the tape, love."
"I'm surprised you like Simple Minds, though." She reached on the floor, and picked up the box of Oreos that had fallen.
He caught a glimpse of the box. "Mind if I have a few?"
Alex arched an eyebrow. "You eat Oreos?"
"Of course. Vampire can eat normal foods...most of us just don't like to. I, however, enjoy it." He twisted the Oreo and slowly began to lick the cream off the bottom part.
"I can't believe you eat Oreos." {And you look so good doing it...ALEX!!! Get a grip on those hormones!}
"How do you eat them?"
"Almost the same way. Except I scrape the filling off, then dunk the dark parts in milk. But...can't carry milk while using crutches."
"Where are your glasses?"
"The kind I wear or the kind I drink from?"
"Drinking."
"In the cupboard to the left of the sink. Why?" But she didn't get an answer. Shrugging, she grabbed another Oreo and started to eat it. She was a little surprised when Spike came back with a glass of milk.
"Here, Lexie. This, I have to see," he said, handing her the glass.
"What, me dunking an Oreo and eating it?" When he nodded, she took the bottom of the Oreo she had just finished, and dunked half of it in the glass. Then, slowly, she bit into it, taking small bites.
Spike realized he was mesmerized by the simple act. Shaking his head, he reached over to the glass. "Mind sharing?"
end