a/n: Betas Slaymesoftly and Mabel Marsters.

Soul Survivors

Chapter Sixteen: Bloomin’ Idiots



From his spot behind the door in the bedroom, Spike strained to see the woman who was speaking. That voice seemed familiar.

“Ah, yes. Here it is.” She paused for a moment. “How do we know that her soul is not a temporary thing?”

“That’s just…ridiculous,” Giles sputtered.

“I think it’s a very good question,” a bald man with thick glasses said.

With notepad and pencil in hand, the woman stood up, and Spike couldn’t help but smile. Now he knew who she was. She was the watcher who had done her thesis on him. She was a weak link in the chain as far as he was concerned, and he knew where he’d be focusing his charm and powers of persuasion.

She spoke again. “We know of only one other vampire with a soul and he is very unstable. Would it be wise to allow Miss Summers to continue if there is any doubt that her soul won’t go “poof” like his does?”

With a wink to Torch and Andra, Spike whispered, “That’s my cue.”

He cracked his neck and allowed his face to relax into a serene and innocent pose before he quietly closed the door behind him. His confidence grew as those with their backs turned to him caught the looks of shock on the faces of those who did see him and turned to stare.

With all eyes on him, he took long strides until he was by Buffy’s side where he kissed her cheek. Mesmerized by the beaming smile she directed his way, Spike nearly forgot where he was. Giles cleared his throat as the vampire focused his attention on the group of tweed wearing dolts littering up the suite.

“I recognize a few of you.” He directed his smile at Lydia and she gave him a tentative smile in return, before patting her hair and sitting back down. “What was your name again, pet?”

“Ly…Lydia.”

“You are as lovely as I remember--are those new glasses?”

Nearly choking on a laugh, Spike coughed to cover it as Lydia’s whole face lit up. “Why, yes, they are new.”

George Foster stood up again. “Who are you?”

“Name’s Spike.”

Giles cut in, “This is William the Bloody also known as Spike. You may recall hearing how he was caught by the American government’s Initiative program and had a chip implanted into his head.”

“Ah, the neutered vampire.” George sat down again, frowning at him. “What is he doing here?”

“Spike has a soul,” Buffy informed the group. “His is not from a curse like Angelus’ and he can’t lose it.”

“This must be a new development,” another man said, “We would have heard about this otherwise.”

Lydia spoke again with wonder, “If it’s not a curse, then how did you ever get a soul?”

“Does it matter how he got it, or even if he’s telling the truth?” Baldy said with derision. “He was never a slayer, and if he does have a soul, he’s gotten it so recently that there is no way to judge whether he will keep it or not.”

“This is stupid,” Buffy complained. “We can settle this right now. Andra!”

They all looked around, and then watched as Andra slipped out of the bedroom, leaving the door open a crack for Torch to get a good view of the proceedings. Buffy met her halfway and held her hand as they walked back to Giles and Spike.

Pride filled his heart as he watched Buffy take charge. “This is Andra. She was a slayer and was turned in the 1600’s. I think it’s safe to say, the soul sticks.”

Giles had yet to see her and he looked on with as much avid curiosity as the others. When questions and comments started flying about the room, Spike mirrored Giles’ moves and relaxed against the mini bar to watch the chaos. Their eyes met and an unfamiliar feeling of solidarity passed between them before they both looked away.

Even with the noise, all heard the pounding on the door. It continued as the room slowly quieted down.

Giles scratched his head and looked around the room while walking slowly to the door. “We’re all here, aren’t we?” he asked Aida.

She consulted her clipboard and did a quick inventory of the room before nodding. “Everyone who was invited is in this room right now.”

Once Giles undid the locks and turned the handle, the door was pushed open and the watcher stumbled back. Quentin Travers glanced wildly about the room, slamming the door behind him. He took a deep breath and exhaled, but before he had a chance to speak, Spike had him pushed against the door with his feet a couple of inches off the ground.

Spike growled and ignored the screams and sputtering of the humans behind him. It was Buffy’s voice that was able to get past his intense anger. Giles pulled on one of his arms while Buffy had the other, but he refused to let go. Travers was stock still, with his head turned and eyes squeezed shut.

“Spike. Let him go, please,” Buffy pleaded. “This is not proving our case.”

He could see the logic of her words, but his demon wanted to tear the bloody weasel into pieces. He slowly came to himself and still he hesitated. He had warned the man that if he tried to have Buffy or her friends harmed, that he would track him down and cause him excruciating pain. He released his grip little by little until the man was able to slip down and his feet found purchase.

Quentin pushed at him, but Spike remained in place while he changed out of game face. Then, he slowly leaned in by his ear, breathing on him before whispering, “This is not over. Not by a long shot. I am a man of my word, and you will pay for what you did.”

Spike backed up and when Buffy put her arms around his waist, he squeezed her back. “Sorry, love, I just lost it.”

Everyone was standing up now, gawking at him in horror.

Spike frowned at them all. “What would you do if someone put a hit out on your family members?” he asked them defiantly.

In unison, everyone in the room let out a breath. The man in the grey suit took a step forward and tilted his head at Spike. “Let me get this straight. You are a vampire and you consider a slayer and a watcher,” he pointed to Giles, “as family?”

Spike held on to Buffy. “She’s my woman and that makes the watcher sorta like my father-in-law, doesn’t it?” He shrugged. “I’ve never been conventional; having humans as family seems perfectly acceptable to me. What do you think?”

Spike groaned inwardly. He was such a ponce. And there was no way he’d make eye contact with Giles at the moment. Did he just admit that he considered the man to be family?

“What do I think of a vampire who considers a watcher his family and who protects him?” George Foster interrupted to ask as he glared at Spike, before a grin took over his face. “I say, call me Uncle George.”

Giles made a choking noise behind Spike, and he glanced back to see the man poorly attempt to cover a laugh. He frowned and glanced back at “Uncle George”, who was still grinning at him.

Then, the strangest thing happened. The room full of watchers started to snicker, snort and giggle. Spike had seen a whole lot of crazy things in his life, but this had to be at the top of the list.

Travers straightened his tie and readjusted his coat while giving the room a disgusted glare. As he took a deep breath, his chest puffed out in front of him. In a loud voice, he said over the laughter, “Is this how the Watchers’ Council conducts themselves in the absence of its leadership?”

The room went still as Travers slowly made his way around it. “Do we have unofficial meetings in the presence of filthy demons and air our dirty laundry?” His voice continued to rise with his indignation. “And do we hold these back stabbing meetings in cheap hotels?”

“Cheap!” Aida Giles rolled her eyes and smirked at the head watcher in a way that Spike was sure would gain any vampire’s respect. “You’ll be singing a different tune when you see the bill.”

“Mark my words,” Travers said in a low voice, “The Council will not be paying for these rooms.”

Aida’s smirk widened into a full-blown smile. “As treasurer, I think I’m well within my rights to authorize such an expense.”

Andra snorted and Travers glared at her. She bugged her eyes out at him and put up two fingers. “I don’t like you, and you’ve a face like a skelpit erse.”

“Aye!” A voice in the bedroom agreed.

Spike stepped forward and to cover Torch’s loud exclamation, he said, “I have to agree with Strawberry here. Your face does resemble a smacked arse.”

Travers frowned at her. “Who are you?”

“Just another vampire,” she answered with a sneer.

“If you’re feeling peckish,” Spike said as he pointed at Travers, “You are welcome to this one.”

Travers’ glared at him but backed down to appeal to the others in the room. “This cannot continue. Watcher Council business should be conducted within our building and in an official manner.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Foster said with narrowed eyes. “Let’s reconvene tomorrow in the conference room. We have much to discuss.”

The others nodded in agreement and Travers perked up. “Good, then. Tomorrow at 9:00 A.M. sharp.”

Giles cleared his throat. “I…I think 9:00 P.M. would be more appropriate as some of those who will need to be in attendance cannot safely move about in the daylight.”

“The vampires are not invited!” Travers yelled in a display of temper. “We kill vampires and rid the world of their kind of filth; we don’t invite them up for tea!

With forced politeness, Lydia said, “They are essential to our discussion and they must testify before just decisions can be made.”

“You would allow these vile abominations to enter our building and walk our halls?” he asked the room in disbelief.

“The vampires are invited,” Foster said in a tone that brooked no argument.

When the others agreed with their silence, Travers backed down, turned on his heel and exited the room without another word.

A couple of watchers approached Andra and began asking her questions. A few others gathered their things to leave, including the bald watcher with glasses.

Giles shook his hand, “It was good to see you again, Albert.” The man nodded and left quickly.

Buffy stepped away from Spike and Mr. Foster as they discussed the demon in Africa that Spike had gone to see to get his soul. Spike kept an eye on her as she smiled and talked with three watchers until Foster stopped speaking and acknowledged Lydia who had sidled up to them.

Spike graced her with a genuine smile. “’lo there.”

“I…I just wanted to say my goodbyes.” She shyly averted her gaze from him and nodded at Foster. “I shall see you both tomorrow at the meeting.”

Spike grabbed her hand before she could turn away from them. It trembled, but he gallantly ignored that as he brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it. “It was a pleasure to see you again, pet.”

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Using a folded handkerchief, Albert Haynes wiped the sweat off his head. He stepped out of the elevator and glanced around, his eyes darting every which way.

“Here,” Travers whispered and waved at him as he peeked around a corner in the lobby.

They huddled together in the secluded hallway.

“Thanks for the tip, my good man,” Travers said to him.

“Think nothing of it,” Albert told him. “Vampires with souls; vampires without souls. It’s all the same and they all need to be eliminated.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more. And when this is all taken care of, you will have Aida Giles’ job.”

Albert smiled. He’d secretly hoped for a promotion.

“Let’s get out of here,” Travers said while looking around to make sure the coast was clear. “When we get to Nigel’s, you can tell us both all that transpired up there and we can come up with a plan to thwart them.”

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Shutting the door behind her, Buffy took stock of things. Torch was getting restless and he paced back and forth across the carpet. Andra relaxed on the bed as if she hadn’t a care in the world. Spike was still talking with Aida and Giles. The others had all left.

She was ready to have Spike all to herself again and she hoped that he could somehow get Aida to leave and get Giles to go to his room. Then Torch could slip out unseen and take Andra with him.

“With a smile like that, I’m wondering what you are thinking about,” Andra said with a knowing smile of her own.

Spike came into the room. “I convinced Giles that he should walk his cousin to a taxi. If Torch is to leave undetected, he’d better do it now.”

“’S about time. You’d be calling me a bampot if you kept me caged up here much longer.” Torch paused by the bedroom door. “Ye comin’, woman?”

Andra stayed in her spot on the bed. “Go away with you now. I’ll leave when I’m good and ready.” When he just stood there glaring at her, she sat up and flipped her hair behind her. “I want to have a chat with my new friend here.”

“Ach, I’ll be in the lobby, then; waiting.”

Buffy glanced at Spike in alarm. She wouldn’t want Torch to snack on the other hotel guests while he waited.

Spike understood her look and slapped Torch on the back. “I’ll come and keep you company. We can have a chinwag and give the girls some time.”

Buffy felt a little self-conscious when, with Torch looking on curiously and maybe a little wistfully, Spike pulled her in a for a gentle hug. He nuzzled her neck and place a light kiss on the tip of her nose before giving her a soft kiss on the lips and then whispering, “I can’t wait to spend some time alone with you, love.”

Once the men were gone, Andra got up and sat in the yellow chair across from Buffy. “Your, Spike,” she began, “He’s a right pretty man, he is.”

With a far off look, Buffy smiled. “I’ve thought of him as beautiful before, but I don’t know how he’d feel about being called pretty.”

“It’s good that you are not alone.”

Buffy detected the sadness in her voice. “You aren’t alone either. You have Torch.”

Andra shrugged, “I don’t spend a lot of time with him. He can’t behave himself and I can’t live with that.”

“It must be tough.” Buffy was completely sympathetic. For three hundred years, things hadn’t changed for Andra. It made her realize just how special Spike was. It had taken a chip to rein him in, but once he’d fallen in love with her, they could have taken that chip out at any time and she knew without a doubt that he would have continued to try to be good for her.


~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~


Torch and Spike waited until Giles got into the elevator to go back upstairs before finding an empty couch in the lobby to lounge on. They watched the people walking by, and Torch rubbed his stomach from time to time. It had been a long while since he’d fed, but the look on Spike’s face encouraged him to hold off a little longer.

“So, this thing about a soul?” Torch asked, trying to get his mind off dinner. “Is it true?”

“Yep.”

“Now, why would you go and do a bloody thing like that?”

Spike shrugged. “What can I say? I’ve always been love’s bitch.”

“You did it for the girl?” he asked incredulously. “Are you daft?”

The pointed look Spike gave him was unnerving. “If you love someone enough, you can do just about anything.”

“I heard you tell that old man that you went to Africa?” Torch asked attempting to sound nonchalant.

“Planning a trip to Africa, are you?”

It was Torch’s turn to shrug. “Maybe the thought crossed my mind.”


~ * ~ *~ *~ *~


Andra spotted them right away. Their orange and white heads stood out in the posh lobby, and she giggled when she noted that she wasn’t the only one who thought so. The vampires ignored the people going by with their noses in the air. Good for them.

They didn’t even notice when she walked up. They had their heads together and they were bent over a low table. She leaned over trying to see what Spike was writing down, but Torch got a whiff of her scent and quickly folded the napkin and shoved it into his pocket.

Spike stood up and nodded to Andra before telling Torch that he knew how to contact him if he needed anything more. She watched Spike swagger across the lobby and disappear around a corner.

“So, what was that all about?” she asked.

“Nothing to worry your pretty little head over.”

The vampire was insufferable. She glared at him to let him know that she was not happy, but after a few hundred years, such a look had no effect on him. “I didn’t ask you to wait here for me. I can get on fine without you and I have for a long time.”

Torch glared back at her and stood up. He came around the couch and loomed over her before his countenance softened. “With all those watcher wankers roaming about, I mean to make sure you get home safely.”

“I’ve survived this long and mostly on my own. I don‘t think I need an escort home.” She folded her arms across her chest and attempted to look as if his words did not affect her.

The air around them got thick with tension and Torch’s lip twitched. He seemed to be debating whether to hit her or kiss her. She hoped he’d do the latter.

Instead, his gaze softened and he closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he finally looked at her again, she was taken back by the tenderness she saw there.

“You’re m’ childe,” he said. “I’ll not let anything happen to ya.”

Torch scratched at his elbow. “I mean to see you home. Those bloomin’ idiots that were up in that room are sneaky, evil bastards.”

She blinked at the tears that were threatening to form and hardened herself against him.

“And what are you, then?”

He looked away, fighting his own emotions. “Let’s go.”

They went on quietly until they reached her place. “So, are you coming in?” she asked him coyly.

He leaned down and mashed his lips against hers, letting a small moan escape before telling her, “There are some things that need seeing to tonight.” He gazed into her eyes. “Wait up for me?”

Andra nodded. “I’ll be here.”

Letting out a long sigh, she watched him saunter off before she went inside.


~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Torch didn’t much like interacting with humans. They were food and he didn’t play with his-but he’d made exceptions in the past and he’d make one now. He prowled around for an hour until he found the right element for his needs.

As hungry as he was, the dirty, foul smelling wretch of a man was no temptation for him, and after a bit of conversation, he got the name of the local bloke who dealt in illegal arms.

Once he found the man in question, he followed him until he was alone, jumped him and forced the man to take him to his stash of weapons. Torch had to show him his real face in order to properly scare him into complying. He forced the blubbering big oaf to show him how to load the gun and shoot it. Once he was sure he had the instrument of death down pat, he untied the man and gave him a fair shot at getting away. Then he hunted the criminal down and tore into his neck. He berated himself for eating like a soddin’ fledge, but his hunger was going on painful and he was in a hurry to get back to Andra.