Chapter 4 – Mercy
It’s gonna be alright
It’s gonna be okay
Just hold on tight
Let it all go away
Mercy baby
What do you want from me?
Mercy, mercy baby
Melissa
Etheridge
The house was dark and cool
despite the heat radiating from the beach outside. It always seemed that way
these days. Spike put his bags down in the vestibule until later. Right now he
wanted a warm mug of blood and a few moments to clear his head. He headed for
the kitchen, realizing he wasn’t alone when he heard soft sounds echoing through
the mausoleum of a room. Nobody really cooked in this house and only found
their way there for drinks and snacks.
He already knew who was
there before he saw. The stench that clung to her made his stomach recoil in
repulsion. It wasn’t something that any human could smell. It was the vampire
recognizing that there was something wrong with this human. A signal to tell
him to move to healthier prey like the smell that came from meat left too long
outside. His love for her made him continue into the room.
In the few short weeks since
he had seen her, she had lost more weight. Her body had thinned to the point of
emaciation. A bandana covered her head to hide the bareness of a scalp that
once wore a crown of lush locks. So lost, she didn’t even hear him until he
cleared his throat. Startled she looked up from the cup of tea she was stirring.
The woman she once was still shone in the depths of her eyes, the beauty, the
love and the spirit that was Cordelia Chase.
Spike wrapped his arms
around her and pulled her close to him.
“Hello, beautiful,” he
whispered as he buried his face in her neck. “Did ya miss me?”
“Always.”
They clung to each other as
survivors and friends do. Cordelia had survived all that the supernatural world
could throw her way and was now falling victim to something so common it made
everyone wonder about justice. The first lump had been found a little over two
years ago in a reconciliation attempt with Angel. His hands, knowing her body
so well, felt it in the curve of her breast. The doctors kept trying to cut it
from her but somehow it slipped past every attempt.
“I’ve missed you, too,”
Spike whispered, kissing the sensitive skin below her neck.
“Quit being all maudlin,”
Cordelia said, with a small laugh. “The one tit woman still lives to see
another day.”
Laughing, Spike stepped back
and directed his gaze to her chest. “I see two tits and well,” he squeezed one
lightly. “Feel…”
She slapped his hand away
before he could touch the real one.
“You are a sick bastard,”
Cordelia said, between giggles. “Getting off on playing with my fake boobie.”
“And if you don’t quit
hitting on my wife,” Angel said, his voice made them turn toward the door. “I’m
going to have to break your neck.”
“Oh, please,” Spike said,
laughing as he leaned back against the counter. “With this weird ‘I have to
take care of Angel’ spell you have on her, she’d never be smart enough to run
off with me.”
“That’s because you’re a
moron,” Angel said, reaching his wife and leaning down to kiss her cheek. “And
everyone knows that your wife’s only with you out of pity.”
“And because I’m the best
lover she’s ever had.”
“Someone get a shovel
please,” Cordelia said, leaning into her husband’s embrace. “The bullshit is
rising.”
It was good to be there.
Spike watched the tenderness Angel gave to Cordelia as he held her and asked if
there was anything she needed. He blinked and looked away from the intensity of
the gaze they gave each other. It was just too bad they had lost almost of year
of time when Angel was being an ass about forgiving her. The discovery of the
lump had his grand-sire calling them in the middle of the night crying. Angel
hadn’t left Cordelia after that. He was devoted to be with her every second
that he could and nothing was spared to make sure she was taken care of.
“So, how was your first day
at Matrix?” Angel asked.
“It was okay except for the
asshole Jake partnered me with,” Spike said, still shaking his head over Dylan.
“Okay, cue Cordelia to leave
the men alone for a talk.” She picked up her teacup and headed for the door.
“I’m going to take a nap. Call me for dinner, okay?”
They agreed and watched her
leave. She probably wouldn’t eat dinner but she wanted to be with Angel as much
she could. A few days earlier she had announced she was done fighting the
disease that was rampaging through her body. This round of chemotherapy would
be her last. She said she wanted to enjoy the few days she was alive instead of
being sick. Angel had thrown a fit but it hadn’t changed her mind. Cordelia was
determined and had just said, “Everything must be balanced. Gifts have been
given and a price has to be paid for it. I’m the price.”
~~~~~~~
Buffy was washing the lunch
dishes while
These days Buffy was rarely
in the Slayer field. Between Raven and all the new Slayers that had been
created in the fight with the First, she wasn’t really needed and that was fine
by her. Her life was here in this house now. She was Spike’s wife, mother to
four, dog owner and a member of the board of Aurelius Enterprises. She wasn’t
really sure who Buffy was other than that but unlike Spike she was okay with it.
For half her life, Buffy had been put on the back burner, so at this point it
wasn’t a big issue for her.
The only time she ever felt
a connection to the girl she’d once been was once a month, maybe twice if she
was lucky, she’d go riding with Essie. The two had stayed in contact and when
she could Buffy would drive up to see her. They’d spend the day on horses
following trails through the mountains around the Brandon Clinic. It created a
peaceful oasis in the lives of both women. The talks they’d share hidden away
from the real world left them with strong binds of friendship.
Life was pretty good as far
as Buffy was concerned. It could be worse and it could be better so she took
the middle in stride. There was always something evil hovering around them so
anytime it wasn’t launching a full out attack, she was happy. It was the only
way to survive.
Car doors sounded in the
driveway and Buffy peeked out the kitchen window. Their weekend guests were
here. A few hours early but she knew how persuasive they could be. Giggles
broke through the silence as she watched, Rona, Molly and Amanda rush toward
the back door. It opened without them knocking but it was home to them. They
had lived here for months during the fight along with dozens of others but
these three had bonded with Raven. So, unlike many of the others they returned
when they had a chance.
“Mrs. B,” Amanda said,
rushing forward to hug Buffy. “We’re here.”
“So, I see,” Buffy said,
smiling as she hugged the girl back. Molly was next while Rona hung back. It
was okay. Buffy and Rona had differences that still hadn’t been fully resolved
but it hadn’t stopped the friendship between the teenagers. “Raven’s in her
room. Go on up.”
They hurried out in giggles
and talks about their weekend plans. Thankfully, she wouldn’t have to deal with
them alone and Buffy turned as their ‘den mother’ came through the door,
carrying all their bags.
“God damn it, B,” Faith
exclaimed. “How the hell did I get this job? Me? Being a fucking guardian to a
bunch of…”
“You’s,” Buffy smiled at the
other woman knowing that secretly Faith adored her charges.
The dark slayer’s return had
been something that hadn’t been anticipated. It had been close to the final
battle and everyone was exhausted, physically and emotionally. The children and
Anya had been sent to LA to stay with Angel and the gang. They were to be the
second line of defense if Buffy and her group failed. The safe house had become
their headquarters. It had been the middle of the night when a small quake had shaken
the ground and a flash of light had brought everyone running. What they found had
been a seriously pissed off, nude Faith standing in the middle of the floor.
The Powers had returned her to help defeat the evil that had slowly been
picking off the dozens of potentials. With Faith’s help they had won with only
a few causalities among them. Afterwards, they’d been afraid that Faith would
have to return to heaven but she was still with them.
With dozens of new slayers
to deal with, the family had decided to open a boarding school to educate and
train them. The Hyperion was now the Hyperion
Private School for Girls. Faith had accepted a position as dorm mother to
the older girls and physical education instructor aide while she earned her
degree.
Buffy was returned to the
present when Faith dropped the overnight cases in a pile by the door.
“Please tell me that you
have something stronger than tea to drink,” Faith begged, heading for the
refrigerator. She smiled when she saw the six-pack sitting on the shelf. “Thank
you, Buffy.”
“Isn’t it a little early?”
“No, mother,” Faith groused as she plopped down at the table and put her
feet up on another chair. “You try dealing with three teenage girls giggling
all the way from LA and then tell me it’s too early.”
“You were probably giggling
and gossiping as much as they were,” Buffy said, grabbing her water and sitting
across from her friend. “No problems?”
“We’re fine, mama.”
The kitchen door swung open
as
Since the house was going to
be full,
“No, we’re fine,” Buffy
said, capturing the woman’s hand and kissing the back of it. “You go ahead and
have fun.”
“Um, is there any…?” Faith
started to ask, looking around the kitchen hopefully but
“Yes, there are cookies.
Buffy knows where the private stash is hidden for the two of you.”
“Thank you,” Faith gushed,
smiling up at her. “Your cookies are the only reason I come up here.”
“Thanks, bitch,” Buffy
joked.
“Play nice and remember to
take care of the kids and the dog,”
“Yes, ma’am,” both Slayers
said as
As the door closed behind
the older woman, all levity disappeared from Buffy’s face and she faced her
friend, all business. “So,” Buffy said, leaning forward on the table. “Did you finally
sleep with Max after your date last night?”
~~~~~~~~
It was always this way. It
had been when they were vampires terrorizing the world and since they had
formed a friendship. The whiskey bottle sitting between them, a glass in each
of their hands and their feet pointed toward the fireplace. Neither in a hurry
to start the conversation that was waiting as they sat in twin leather chairs
staring into the flames.
Angel’s study was the one of
the few rooms in the house that didn’t have a view of the ocean. It was
Cordelia’s house and when Angel had moved in with her he never requested
changes except to this one room. The acquisition of Wolfram & Hart had
given Angel access to the necro-tempered glass that would allow him to live in
a house that was made for sunlight. Cordelia had been ecstatic that she didn’t
have to leave her beloved home to be with her husband. So, giving him one room
to turn into his was an easy gift.
The décor was unlike the
rest of the house that was decorated in bright colors. This room was dark and
filled with heavy cherry wood and black leather furniture. The crowning touch
and focal point of the room was the portrait that hung over the fireplace. It
was a life size oil painting of Cordelia in a strapless red velvet dress, red satin
evening gloves with her hair tumbling down her back in curls.
Spike’s eyes flickered to
the portrait then to Angel who was staring at it.
“How long?”
“Anywhere from now to a
year,” Angel said, rubbing fingers along his brow. “It all depends on her will
to live.”
Spike nodded. There really
wasn’t anything to say that wouldn’t sound trite or condescending. He took
another sip of his whiskey and tried to work up the courage to tell Angel
everything. He was the only one who could understand.
“So, tell me about this
partner of yours.”
“He’s an asshole,” Spike
said, taking another sip of the liquid fire before continuing. “Even before he
saw me he was bitching about me, calling me old and weak.” He leaned forward so
that there was no temptation to look into eyes that knew too much. “I’m tired,
Angel. Buffy was right. There doesn’t seem to be much in me anymore. It’s all
in the routine. I bore myself and I wonder why Buffy kept me around as long as
she did.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Then some pipsqueak kid that
reminds me of who I used to be, comes along and can read me better than I can.”
“That’s bullshit,” Angel
said. “That kid knows nothing about who you are and what you’re capable of. And
he’s stupid if he doesn’t even give you a chance.”
“Thanks,” Spike said,
putting his glass on the floor between his feet. “But I’m not even sure that I
can do this so why should anyone else believe it?”
“Buffy knows and I do,”
Angel said. “And so does anyone else who really knows you and have watched you
change.”
“And the hell with everyone
else, right?”
“Something like that.”
Spike wiped the back of his hand
across his eyes. His body ached from the bewilderment that he felt concerning
his life. The dissatisfaction was becoming more prominent the longer he was
away from home. The distractions of the daily routine weren’t there to keep his
mind busy and away from the truth. This wasn’t where he ever thought he would
end up. His family wasn’t in question. It was just something that he had missed
somewhere along the way. He just didn’t know what it was. He was also tired of
trying to figure everything out. He wanted to forget about everything for a
little while. He turned to Angel, “So, you wanna go to Vegas?”
to be continued…
