Role Reversal: Chapter Two

[jesterladyfic]

Chapter Two:In Which a Truce is Made and Vampires Try to Kill Me—What You Expected Something Novel?

Spike pulled the Desoto up onto Crawford Street and swung into the garage of the mansion. This was a great credit to his driving seeing as Drusilla was practically sitting on his lap at the time. They got out of the car and Spike carried in Drusilla’s dolls and clothes, then returned to her, scooped her up in his arms and brought her inside.

“Angel has gone all away,” she murmured to herself. “Nothing left but ashes, ashes.”

“Slayer got him then. Way it looked, he was about take out his first Slayer. But she’s a tough bird,” Spike said.
“Best Slayer I ever fought.” He grinned in remembrance.

Drusilla shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. She moved over to the couch and lay down on it.
Spike knelt at her side.

“Cold, love? Still feeling weak?”

She grinned suddenly and laughed.

“No, not weak. Strong and ready to frolic. Do you want to frolic, Spike?” She beckoned to him with a long,
curved finger. His lips turned up into a smile and slowly, starting at the end of the couch, crawled up her length and
curled his tongue against his teeth before sinking down to kiss her throat. Her hands rose to caress his hair and she
gasped as he found a tender spot.

“We’ll play till tomorrow. Business burns up the pleasure, Spike. But my love will find his way.”

Spike lifted his head a moment and looked into her eyes.

“I take it you mean we’ll see the Slayer tomorrow and tonight’s all ours?” She nodded and raked her nails along his
chest. “Then, baby, let’s get some playing in before bedtime.” Spike lowered his head once more and captured her
mouth in a searing kiss, her delighted laughter ringing out between their joined lips.


***

Faith waited impatiently before a closed door with the Mayor’s hands over her eyes.

“Can I look now? I’m growing roots here, boss.”

“Now, now, Faith. A little patience never hurt anybody. I just want to be sure it’s perfect for you. The best for
my Faith.”

After a few more minutes, he removed his hands and gestured her inside a magnificent apartment, adorned
perfectly to her tastes.

“Dude, this is awesome.” Faith slowly turned around, taking in her surroundings. She felt an odd choking
sensation at the back of her throat, but forced it aside. “Breaking out the big bucks, huh, boss?” She sidled up to
him and he smiled at her indulgently.

“You’re doing tremendous work here; it’s my job to properly reward my employees and to punish them when
their work ethic falls. I want your strict promise, though, that you’ll keep this place tidy. None of this mess and wild
partying kids seem to enjoy nowadays.” He shook his finger at her firmly and she rolled her eyes at him.

“I’ll try,” she finally said.

He smiled brightly.

“That’s my girl. Excuse me,” he added as his cell phone began to ring, “Hello?” He listened for several minutes
before chuckling. “That character. Always up to something. No, we can’t afford that now. Right. Language, Alan.
Okay, send a committee to deal with it. Bye, bye now.” The Mayor hung up the phone and turned back to Faith who
had started jumping on the bed. “Off right now, young lady. Decorum is a virtue, you know.” When she complied,
albeit reluctantly, he continued, “Well, it seems we have a Spike problem. We don’t want him rocking the boat this
close to the Ascension. I’ve sent a committee to take care of him.”

“That vamp B’s always on about?” Faith asked. He nodded. “Send me. He’ll be dust in seconds.”

“While I do appreciate your enthusiasm, I think we’ll just wait awhile to unveil your talents, what do you say?”
When she started to pout, he tried again. “Come on, smile that pretty smile. I know a certain young lady with a
Play station in her room.” Faith brightened and leapt across the room to the bedroom. The Mayor shook his head
and laughed before following her.

***

I put away the jump rope and prepared to go home. Mom had called at least three times to talk about colleges, though for the last hour the phone had stayed mercifully silent. Giles was off on his mysterious retreat and the rest of the gang was on their glamorous bowling date. Times like these, I really missed Angel or heck, even Faith. While she might not be tall, mysterious and brooding, she was at least someone who understood me and whom I could talk to when the gang was all out making with the smoochies.

I cursed my thankfulness about the phone’s silence when I entered my kitchen to find Spike sitting at the
kitchen counter drinking hot chocolate with my mother. Grabbing his shoulder, I spun him around to slam into the
cupboard and brought the stake I’d snatched from my back pocket down toward his heart.

Spike kicked it aside, even in such close quarters and jumped to the other side of the kitchen, keeping the
counter between us. Despite really hating him at that moment, I had to admit, the guy had moves.

“You know, Slayer, you really ought to have that Watcher of yours remind you that when you come into a home
and find a vamp there not eating, it’s probably not for death and mayhem reasons that he’s there.” Spike lifted his
hands in a gesture of peace. As if. “Just wanna talk. If I wanted to go all Angel on you, your mum would be
digesting rather nicely about now. We had quite a nice chat really, after I got over the axe thing.”

I glared at him, but I was tired and felt my defenses fall. I sagged against the counter after making sure Mom
was on this side of it with me and not near the bloodsucking fiend I should be staking right about now.

“What do you want this time, Spike? Drusilla run off again? Want me to hunt her down for you?”

“Thanks awfully, but I’m a much better hunter than you, Slayer. This is about Dru. But, matter of fact; she’s all
cozy and not quite warm, waiting for me.”

I closed my eyes in irritation. I’d forgotten how Spike would dance around an issue forever if let be. This peace
talk of ours had better go quick or he was dust. What was I thinking, he should be dust anyway.

“Okay, I’m tired and more than a little stake-happy right now. If you have a point, get to it quickly before I
decide to lend you one in the heart area.”

Spike grinned, obviously not intimidated in the least. Dang, I must be losing my touch.

“Let’s all sit, shall we, and pretend to be civilized playmates?”

I nodded and we went into the dining room, sitting at opposite ends with me holding my stake at the ready.

“Mom, go upstairs where it’s safer, okay?” She started to argue, how typical, but I insisted and finally she went
upstairs and I felt better knowing the only vamp who could come inside was sitting in the same room with me. “So,
Spike. To what do we owe this pleasure?” Sarcasm dripped from my voice. Oh yeah, I still had it.

Spike leaned back luxuriously in his chair.

“We need each other’s help again. You've got a rogue Slayer on your hands and no muscled, love-struck puppy
to help you out. And I need that big brain of yours and his library.”

“Something wrong with Her Wackiness again?”

“Dru,” he emphasized, “is having trouble feeding recently. She’s lost none of her abilities, but actually biting
humans seems to be right out. Some little run in with gypsies. Them and their vampire spells. Ironic, don’t you
think?”

“Still not seeing why I’m caring,” I replied flatly. Drusilla was not my favorite vampire.

Spike leaned back and rested his arms behind his head.

“Well, pet, just this reason. I’ll put myself at your disposal for however long it takes to take down this baddie
and the bad sister Slayer while Watcher-man digs through those musty old books of his and finds a cure for Dru. I’d
just steal one again, but you’d probably come and bollocks it all up and I don’t fancy myself in a wheelchair anymore.”

“How can I trust you?” I asked the obvious question.

“How can you trust anybody, luv? I personally guarantee that I’m on your side till this thing blows over. No
hurting you or your mates without warning and only when we’re done and I’ll keep Dru in line. You won’t be sniping
behind my back and skimping on the research, deal?”

I thought hard. I really did. As much as I hated to admit it, I needed his help. The vampires were getting out of
control, spurred on by Faith and the Mayor’s need for silencing me about his night time activities in the sewers. With
the babies. Did I mention that?

The vamps knew my patrol schedules, routes; they were even learning my moves, dang it. I needed fresh blood bad
and for some reason, my instincts knew I could trust Spike to keep his word. That didn’t mean we hated each other
any less. But it must have cost him to come to me. Well, at least somebody else was miserable.

“Deal.” I broke my silence. “But the instant you or her step out of line you’ll be dead quicker than you can
blink and I can pun over your dust.”

“Right, right.” Spike waved all that aside. He was so irritating! I mean, I just threatened his unlife, hello. “So, let’s get researching, Slayer. Ain’t got all night.”

“Giles is on a retreat. He’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Watcher types and their bloody retreats,” he muttered to himself. “Well, his stuff’s not gone. It’ll be easier to
do this at night for us combustible types, yeah? So, let’s grab Dru and get to the library and start looking. You can
show me your weapons and junk and fill me in on the sitch here.”

I reluctantly agreed. All I wanted was to sleep and forget that this peroxide pest existed.

Mom got that look on her face when I told her I had to go out, like she thought I was going to run away again,
but at least she hadn’t ordered me to stay home this time. I promised to explain everything later, kissing her
goodbye as Spike and I left.

“One more thing, Slayer,” Spike told me as we headed out the door and thankfully, out of my mother’s earshot,
“I promised my Princess I’d kill you this time when it was over. And I always keep my promises, pet.” Perfect,
like I needed someone else trying to kill me.


***


“The mansion? You couldn’t have laired up somewhere else?” I asked Spike as he opened the door for me and
got a glare for his pains. Observe my cunning disdain.

“Well, I always preferred the factory, but, you know, burnt up.”

“That wasn’t my fault!” I protested.

Spike grinned.

“I know.” He turned toward the garden. “Darling, I’m home. Brought a guest for you to play nice with.”

Drusilla slinked inside, wiping her mouth with one hand and glowing with a vitality Spike seemed surprised to see.
Maybe the freaky chick had been on the point of death and recovered. Too bad. She hissed at the sight of me, I
kept my Slayer cool, but she went to Spike and wrapped her arms around him.

“It’s no fun when they don’t dance, Spike.”

“I know, pet.” He kissed her hand. “But the Slayer here and I are going to take you to work on that. So come
on.”

“Can’t ever get where the traps won’t take you,” she sang to herself, following him.

He glanced back at her thoughtfully, or as thoughtful as Spike can be. I don’t think there’s much going on
above his mouth. Well, maybe he knew something I didn’t, then again, maybe I’m just paranoid. Hey, comes with
the territory. Disgusted by all the vampire affection, I followed them warily.


***


Spike and Drusilla sauntered down the street, their arms wrapped around each other. I followed, alternating between wanting to gag and wishing Angel were here. Grumbling to myself, I sighed as Drusilla stopped and started giggling and dancing.

“Can’t you control her?” I asked Spike sharply.

“No wish to, pet. Love it when she does this.” Spike worshipfully put his hand on Drusilla’s shoulder. “What is
it, Dru? Do you see something?” She grasped his hand eagerly.

“It’s there, Spike. Do you remember? Writhing and screaming and full tummies, all right there.” Drusilla
pointed to a bench. Wow, she got a lot from just that bench. All I could see was metal and wood arranged in a
cunning arrangement just right for sitting.

“Oh, I get it,” he explained to me. As if I wanted to know. “We killed a homeless man on this bench. He
screamed for mercy, but you know, that only made her bite harder.” Spike laughed at the memory. I just stared at
him and wondered what in the world I was doing with two vampires in the middle of the night and not staking them.

“Can we just go?” I finally asked and interrupted Spike’s passionate nuzzling of Drusilla’s throat.

“Oh, right. Let’s go, my lamb, Slayer’s in a hurry.”

“Nasty sunshine,” Drusilla spat, “makes playtime go all away.” I rather liked being compared to sunshine.
Spike took her hand and led her after retreating me.

“Promise you some real playtime later, sweet.”

Drusilla’s face brightened.

“With the branding iron?” she questioned.

He laughed low in his throat.

“Anything you want, baby.”

And though I did not have vampire hearing, I still heard that. Isn’t my life the perkiest?

We were just outside the magic shop when the vampires showed up. I had been waiting for this, really I had.
At least it provided an outlet for my energy, since I wasn’t allowed to kill the two vamps I was with, and it stopped
them from groping each other.

The lead vampire walked up to us all big and macho and explained his errand. You know, I’d probably be dead
right now if vampires didn’t always have to have a big exposition scene before we fight.

“Spike, you should’ve stayed gone.”

Spike chuckled and took in the vampire before him.

“Lenny, long time no see. Wish it’d been longer; you’ve really let yourself go.”

I had to agree with his assessment. Lenny looked like a reject from What Corpse magazine.

“Can we just fight or something?” I asked, anxious to get this night over with. “Cause I don’t know about you
guys, but I got a quota to fill.” Drusilla had been standing quietly by Spike with her eyes closed and her hands
lifted, but all of a sudden she opened those creepy eyes and hissed.

“Yes, work and play. Mummy’s anxious to have a round.”

And she seriously leapt forward like a cat and stuck those fingernails of hers into Lenny’s eyes. Even I winced;
I would not want those sharp things in my eyes, or anywhere near me for that matter.

Lenny shrieked like a baby and backhanded her. I’m guessing he shouldn’t have done that because Spike
erupted like a panther on the prowl and twisted his head off. The other vampires came to life, (not literally!), and
attacked us.

We fought for awhile. Spike had jumped on top of a nearby car and started tossing vamps off it. Drusilla flitted
over to a nearby trash can and delicately bashed it over the vampires’ heads. I jumped into the Espresso Pump and
grabbed a mop, using it to dust everything dead in sight.

The vamps surrounded us after a bit; there were a lot of them. Somehow this gave me some encouragement
over my decision about Spike. If the Mayor wanted him dead this badly, then he probably would be a good ally. After
my entire world had been turned upside down by this realization, I staked some vampires.

They backed us into the magic shop entrance and Spike guarded my back while I kicked the door open. We
crowded in and barricaded the door but they would get in eventually. I broke off the legs of a chair to use as stakes
and handed one to each of them.

“I’m so excited!” Drusilla cried. “I love skipping through the blood.”

“Me too, pet,” Spike said and grabbed the back of her head and smacked her one heavy on the lips. While we
were in dire peril. Well, peril anyway. Give me a break. Thankfully, just then, some vamps came in through the
back door. Spike dusted the first and I the second. We slammed shut the door and shoved a bookcase in front of
it. Spike and I turned around and saw Drusilla actually dancing with the third vampire. He had his hands on her
waist and everything. I think they were waltzing. Spike got this grin on his face like he knew what was coming
next. I had the sinking feeling that soon I would know too.

Drusilla closed her eyes and hummed the nameless tune to their song and the vampire swayed with his eyes
shut as well. Drusilla got up close to his neck and opened her eyes and whispered.

“Wakey, wakey. Time for little boys to get their deeds.” She had morphed very early on in the fight and now, as
the vamp opened his eyes in expectation, she sank her fangs into his neck and bit hard. The vampire opened his
mouth and screamed. I had never heard a sound like that before and I hope never to again. The girl had serious
bite. And just when I thought it was over, Drusilla got out all ten of her claws and asked the whimpering vamp,

“What is in your head, my sweet? Let me see.”

Then she stuck her fingernails in his head. I had had enough. Pushing Drusilla away, I staked the vampire and
readied for the next assault, snapping at her,

“Thanks for the help, but we kill them, not play around in their brains like a wave pool.” She started moaning
but the vampires broke down the door then and we had to fight. Thank God.

There were about fifteen left and roughly we got about five each. I didn’t watch to see how Drusilla disposed of
hers, but I think it was more expedient than her last one because she was done before I was. Spike and I staked our
last vampires back to back. Drusilla floated over to us and patted me on the head like a dog. In fact, she even said,

“Good dog.”

I almost staked her then and there, but Spike pulled her out of my reach and instead, I assessed my physical
status.

I was breathing hard. The stupid vampires I was aligned with didn’t have that problem, so they had no issues with
groping each other like they hadn’t seen each other in weeks. I knew this from somewhere: big sweaty fights get
vampires all hot and bothered and ready to do it, no matter who they’re in front of. In a totally twisted way, I suddenly missed Angel again.

“Okay, new rule,” I said, breaking into yet another make out session. “All time spent working together will be spent
working together and not trying to kill me by eww-factor.”

“Your show, Slayer,” Spike told me, breaking away from Drusilla but somehow managing to convey a sexual
heat so strong I felt it across the shop. I need a new life.

We finally made it to the library. Drusilla immediately hovered over to the weapons and started hyperventilating
over them. I think she was imagining all the carnage she could wreak with them. From the look on Spike’s face, he
knew that was what she was imagining and he wanted to as well. Ewww. He must’ve seen the look on my face,
because he immediately started in on me, like he always does. Die, stupid vampire, die.

“What are you looking at, Slayer? Does it annoy you to see us enjoying ourselves? Come on, you know you
loved it. I can smell it on you.” There we go again with the creepy vampire smelling. “You love the rush as much as
we do and you only wish old Angel were here so you could enjoy it with him. Get the two of you all googly-eyed
again. No matter what it might entail.”

I rushed to contradict this obviously insane notion despite the fact that this really annoying vampire was saying
everything that had just been running through my brain.

“Angel’s dead. He’s dead because we made a bad decision. Now you think I want to make it again just cause
you and Morticia get off on fighting? If Angel were here, we’d just be friends. Because we can’t be anything more.”

Never mind the way a voice in my head is singing, ‘liar, liar, pants on fire.’ Spike froze as I said this. It
impacted me strangely. I’d never seen him so still.

“You’re not friends,” he said finally. “You’ll never be friends. Just like me and Dru could never be friends. We’ll
fight and we’ll shag and we’ll hate each other till it makes us quiver, but we’ll never be friends.” He got really
animated then, it was scary. “Love isn’t brains, you child, it’s blood! Blood screaming inside you to work its will. I
may be Love’s Bitch, but at least I’m man enough to admit it.”

Something I will never admit is the way he affected me just then with those words. They ran straight into my
core and reverberated through my body. Why did he always know the truth? Why couldn’t I run around with my
head in the sand? Why did I have to be the one who made the hard decisions?

He stared at me and I stared back and for one moment we understood each other. We were enemies, make no
doubt about it. But we had the same darkness inside and our difference lay in the way we wielded it. We’d never be
friends either. But we could do what we had to and respect the other for it until the time came again to take up our
positions against each other.

Unseen by either of us, Drusilla had come up behind him and raked her fingers through his hair, growling,

“Mine!” into his throat. You can have him, crazy lady.

The look of fiery intensity on his face melted into absolute surrender as he turned to her and replied.

“Always.”

Their shared eye contact was intense too. Didn’t this guy know how to be casual? Drusilla was purring and she
stuck out her tongue and licked the hollow of his throat and then moved it up his neck until she reached his lips
where she outlined them, making them glisten with her saliva. Spike moaned. And I realized that sounded like I was
writing a porn novel, so I broke it up.

“Be gross on your own time,” I reminded them firmly.

Spike sighed, but picked Drusilla up and carried her to the table where he whispered to her quietly for awhile and
pulled out a…doll? from his duster pocket and handed it to her. It was kinda sweet actually, until she started pulling
its hair out. Spike came back over to me and suggested we start working. I heartily agreed with him. Just so long
as I could get some sleep, like soon.