Old Friends
Author: Colleen Hillerup
Email: hillerupc@globalserve.net
Rating: G
Spoilers: Everything up through Wrecked.
Disclaimer: Joss owns all. All praise be to Joss.
“Hello, my Spike. Miss me?” Dru purred.
Spike spun around in the hallway to see Drusilla with her hand clamped
around Dawn’s throat. The teenage girl was pale and terrified. His
blood froze. “Dru! How did you....”
“I let her in,” Dawn sobbed. “She had glasses on, and her hair pulled
back. I didn’t recognize her. Thought she was the social worker...”
Her voice was cut off as the hand tightened.
“Enough, little dolly. Too, too, loud.” She smiled a childish grin.
“How do you like my dolly, Spike? Isn’t she pretty? We can play all
day...”
“Yes,” Spike said, calmly as he could. “Very pretty. Now let her go,
and we’ll all play together.”
“No,” sighed Drusilla, “you only want to take my fun away. I see it.
Always want to spoil my fun.” She pulled Dawn towards the stairs.
“This is my dolly now.”
“Stop, pet!” he cried too sharply, and Dru’s eyes flashed with anger.
He knew that the other vampire could snap the young woman’s neck before
he could stop her. “That’s not a dolly, pet,” he said quietly. “That’s
my friend. She can be your friend, too. Now let her go.”
“I had a friend,” moaned Dru. “My very best friend. She always told me
true things. Beautiful things. But she went away. I miss her so.”
“Who, luv? Darla? Do you mean Darla?”
“She always smiled. Always loved me.” Her voice grew cold. “You don’t
love me. Not anymore. Nasty Slayer. I’ll take her dolly.”
The sound of the shower stopped in the bathroom, and Buffy emerged
wrapped in a towel, drying her hair with another. Her face was obscured
as she rubbed her hair. “Dawn, have you seen...”
“Hello, wicked Slayer.”
Buffy dropped the towel she was holding and gasped. No nightmare
compared to the sight of her sister in a mad killer’s arms. Her eyes
darted around the hall as she sought a way to save Dawn, but anything
she could think would take too long. Her eyes met Spike’s, cold with
fear. She was afraid to speak; afraid to not.
“I’m taking your dolly.”
“Drusilla,” Spike asked, “are you talking about Miss Edith?”
“I lost her,” Dru whimpered, never losing her grip on Dawn. “When I saw
you last. She was with me, then she was gone. She took her.” She
pointed to Buffy.
“Dru, I never....” Buffy said, but Spike stopped her.
“Don’t contradict her, love. Don’t make her angry.” He looked into
Dru’s eyes. “I’m so sorry you lost Miss Edith, pet. I know how you
love her.”
“She’s my truest darling.”
“I know.” He turned to Buffy. “Get something, anything from your room
that you care about. Now.” Then back to Dru. “Buffy can’t find Miss
Edith. She’s looked and looked. But she’s going to get you another
friend. One that will never leave you. Not like the girl. You know
how they break.”
Buffy emerged from her bedroom and handed Spike her favourite toy.
“Give her this.”
“Look, pet. This is Buffy’s favourite friend. He’ll be yours forever
and ever. He isn’t pretty, like Miss Edith, but you can hold him and
love him and he’ll never break.”
Dru held out her hand, still holding tight to Dawn’s throat with the
other. “He’s funny. He has the Slayer’s love all over him. He’ll be
so sad to say goodbye.” She held it to her ear. “What’s that? You’ll
be mine, now? Funny piggy.” She threw Dawn ahead of her into the
others’ path, and ran down the stairs, clasping the stuffed pig to her
chest.
They didn’t try to follow her. Dawn was collapsed in a sobbing heap
against the wall. They both tried to comfort her. “She took Mr.
Gordo. It’s my fault.”
Buffy stroked her sister’s hair. “Mr. Gordo is a stuffed toy. You’re
my sister. No comparison.” She turned to Spike and smiled. “Smart
thinking. It worked.”
“Yeah,” he replied, embracing them both. “I will miss the ol’ pig,
though.”