Lunatics
& Ladybugs
by Echo
Had A Bad Day
He stalked into the hotel just because. He wasn't really angry. Well, he was, but oh well. He was always angry these days. He had a lot to be angry about. But stalking wasn't gonna solve anything. Plus it was sunny out. He threw the blanket covering him to the floor and growled at it. It was still smoking. He growled again. He heard a gasp and looked up.
There was this girl there. Behind the counter. He'd never seen her before. She had a sweet face and long brown hair. Big brown eyes that were wide and staring at him. A bottle of water frozen halfway to her mouth. There was such innocence to her.
"Hi, Fred." Willow moved in past him. "Don't mind Spike. He's just a bad, rude man."
"Stick it up your arse, witch."
Fred's eyes got wider. She took an enormous gulp of her water and slammed the bottle on the counter. Spike just stared at her. Willow had mentioned that Fred was a little off due to her stint in another dimension. Some of her mannerisms were eerily reminding him of Dru though.
" 'Lo, pet." He took Fred's hand and kissed her knuckles. "The name's Spike."
Fred giggled nervously and tried to remain very still. She was the rabbit, and he was the wolf. He could eat her alive. His touch was so cold. Like Angel's. But she kinda liked it.
"Ewww."
They all looked up to see Cordelia and Angel descending the stairs.
"Hey you, get your damn hands off her!"
"Anything for you, George McFly." Spike mumbled as he dropped Fred's hand.
She busted into hysterical laughter. A reference she knew. Angel glared at her.
"He's funny."
"Yeah. He's a regular laugh riot." Angel deadpanned.
Spike was staring at Fred. Willow was right. She was off. But it wasn't so bad. He sort of liked it. It made him feel at ease.
"You make me giggle. You and I are gonna be friends. I can tell."
Cordelia broke down into laughter at the bug-eyed look on Angel's face.
"No way."
Fred looked at him. "What? You're the only handsome man I'm allowed to talk to? Think again. What EVER. Jealous much, hairboy?"
Spike busted out laughing as Angel turned to glare at Cordelia.
"I don't know where she gets that stuff." The former cheerleader said unconvincingly.
"So where is everyone?" Willow asked trying to diffuse Angel's irritation.
"Wesley and Gunn are in the basement trying to work out all the kinks in the spell."
"Spells. Oh, that would be my area. Point me to the basement."
Cordelia grabbed Willow's hand. "This way."
Angel was left glared at Spike who was grinning at him.
"How's it going, pops?"
Angel growled. Fred turned with wide eyes.
"You're making him all growly-like."
"It's what I do, ducks. I'm evil."
"I see no evil here."
Spike turned and growled at her. Angel growled at his growling.
"Very menacing." Fred said calmly. "Very not evil though." She patted the top of Spike's head as if he were a little stray puppy she had happened upon.
Spike just stared at her. It was Angel's turn to laugh. Fred was just taking the wind right out of the Big Bad sail. She didn't seem affected by his undead state at all. But she did seem affected by HIM.
"Give it up, boy. If seeing me as pure vampire doesn't scare her, your little Chihuahua act isn't gonna make her bat an eyelash."
"Who are you calling a Chihuahua, soulboy?"
"You, you big infant."
"Boys!"
Angel gaped. Fred had actually yelled.
"Let's go on down into the basement. I'm curious."
She came around the counter. Angel growled when Spike offered her his arm and she took it. He was having the worst internal struggle to keep from ripping Spike apart. Spike and Willow were going to be here all week. He didn't know how he was going to make it without hurting the younger vampire. Spike wasn't supposed to be playing the gentleman to Fred's lady. He was supposed to be rude like he always was. Fred wasn't supposed to like Spike. Fred was HIS.
Whoa. Where had that thought come from?
---
He just stared at them. He couldn't believe it. Maybe Willow was right. Spike was different. Hell, he'd offered to drive her to LA when she'd told him they needed her for a spell. He hadn't stopped talking to Fred since they got here. Actually, he hadn't stopped listening. He stared at her intently and commented every so often. Angel was baffled. This was Spike. Half the time he hadn't even been able to take Dru's prattling, and he loved her. He was so patient with Fred. Like he never was with even himself. Angel just didn't get it. This wasn't the Spike he knew. He guessed all this stuff with the chip in his head and helping Buffy had really altered him.
Spike knew Angel had been watching him the whole time Fred was chattering on. Funny how her continuous stream of words didn't bother him. It was soothing. To have someone so interested in talking with you. Granted she was doing most of the talking, but no one ever wanted to talk to him. Not since Dru.
"You feel disconnected." He whispered and moved closer to her.
"Yes."
"It's ok to be a little disconnected."
"But I almost got disconnected from me."
"But you didn't."
"I feel like I did. There's no me sometimes. And I forget things I ought not forget."
"Like what? What could you possibly have forgotten?"
"How to dance." She looked away.
"You forgot how to dance?"
"No music there. Missed that. And I just forgot."
"I could teach you how to dance again." He'd said it so quiet.
You think we're dancing?
It's all we've ever done.
Fred looked at him. He seemed a million miles from her now. Remembering. She reached out and put a hand on him. "I don't think it such a good idea right now."
Spike blinked. "Why not?"
"It reminds you of something. Something sad. And Angel might get mad."
"It reminds me of a lot of things. And Peaches can be mad all he likes. You wanna dance. We'll dance. Sod the rest of 'em."
"Peaches?"
"Angel."
She giggled.
Spike held out his hand. "Let's go, ducks."
"That's very noble of you, Spike. Just to make a girl you hardly know smile."
He smirked. It was actually. Noble. And he kind of liked the feeling. But, hell if he'd admit THAT. "Not noble, luv. There's no nobility here. I just like to piss off your roommate/guardian."
Fred giggled.
"He doesn't want me touching you. That makes you more touch-worthy in these eyes."
She giggled again.
"Because you MUST be special if he doesn't even want me to do this." He ran his knuckles across her cheek.
"Hey!" Angel was glaring at Spike.
Fred got up and walked to him.
"Winifred-"
"He's hurting. Like a little birdie with a broke wing. I think I can mend him. If he can just close the door to her without any bitterness."
"Dammit, Fred-"
She placed her fingertips on his lips. "Shhh." She smiled. "He's like you sometimes. Too many bad days. He feels like if he had just done one thing different, it'd all be different."
He stared at her. She wanted to 'save' Spike. Fine. He'd let her try. She find out how there was no saving him soon enough. He took her hand away from his mouth and kissed it. "Be careful." He wanted to protect her so bad. But he had to let her figure out some things on her own. Besides if Spike hurt her, he could just stake him. That made Angel smile. He clicked on the stereo in the lobby and turned to leave. A song was just starting on the local station Cordelia kept it on.
Had a bad day again
She said I would not understand
She left a note and said I'm sorry I
Had a bad day again
He turned back as Spike stood and wrapped an arm around Fred slowly. She jumped, and he whispered in her ear to soothe her. It was like watching two teenagers touch for the first time. And it seemed right. Or maybe he was used to seeing Spike with a woman who had long dark hair. He sighed and displayed the ultimate act of trust.
He turned and walked out.
She spilled her coffee, broke her shoelace Smeared the lipstick on her face Slammed the door and said I'm sorry I Had a bad day again
She was stepping on his feet. She was so light he hardly cared. She was smiling at him in a way no one ever had. As if he were all the light in her darkness. He twirled her around. Fred giggled and nearly fell. He kept her from it. He pulled her back into him. She rested her cheek on his chest and tightened her arms around him.
And she swears there's
nothing wrong
I hear her playing that same old song
She puts me off and puts me on
And had a bad day again
She said I would not understand
Left a note and said I'm sorry I
Had a bad day again
Fred pulled back and stared at him. He was a little shocked at the trust he saw there. They didn't stop moving. They didn't stop staring. Spike could feel the change. It was in the air. He could smell it. It made his skin tingle a bit. They were a little alike. She had been through something that had so altered her she would never be the same again. Ever. He could so identify with that.
And she swears there's
nothing wrong
I hear her playing that same old song
She puts me off and puts me on
And had a bad day again
She said I would not understand
She left a note and said I'm sorry I
Had a bad day again
She left a note and said I'm sorry I
Had a bad day
The DJ's voice blared out. They had stopped moving. He was suddenly feeling a little fear. Because he was feeling a little something for this frightened little rabbit. No one he ever truly cared for had done anything but hurt him. Broken his heart bitterly. They all left. One way or another, they all left him behind.
And looking in her eyes in that moment he knew that she knew that. And that knowledge just freaked him out even more. She understood.
"Damn." He muttered.
She cocked her head to the side. "Damn? Damn what? The noble way you still struggle to stay damned? To be evil? No evil here." She placed her hand over his heart.
It very much reminded him of the night Dru had turned him.
Your wealth lies here. And here. In the spirit and imagination. You walk in worlds the others can't begin to imagine.
"Bloody hell."
"I think you understand."
I see what you want. Something glowing and glistening. Something effulgent. Do you want it?
"I think I do see. Bad day again, pet?"
"Lots of them. The nightmares."
"Can I make it better?"
"You just did."
"Bad day." He whispered and rested his forehead against hers.
All we need is for one of us, just one, sooner or later, to have the thing we're all hoping for.
And that would be what?
One. Good. Day.
"I miss her."
Fred pulled back and just stared at him. "Of course you do."
"I'm not supposed to. It wasn't supposed to be a bad day."
"The worst ones rarely are."
She jumped when Spike pulled her close to him in a tight hug. "Can I make a deal with you, luv?"
"What sort of deal?"
"You help me. I help you."
"With the bad days?"
"Yes."
"I think that would be ok."