"That's the $64,000 question, isn't it?" Xander said, and then laughed. "I guess I remember lame TV shows. I remember...umm..." Xander's fingers rubbed over the bracelet on his wrist, twisting it, and Spike watched him.
"Where'd you get that? Remember that?"
"Not - really. It's like - there's little flashes sometimes? Like a movie. But - I know when it's real and when it's, you know - Star Wars."
Leave it to Xander to remember the important things =D
The cab stopped with a jerk and Spike shoved the last of his cash through the slot - got out and got their bags and led Xander up the stairs and inside. Nondescript sort of building near Finsbury Circus on the City Road. Surrounded by museums and libraries - perfect camouflage for the buttoned-down Watchers. Inside it smelled like books and dust and wet tweed and magic and Spike gave an involuntary shiver as he crossed the wards at the threshold. They were spelled so he could get in, but they still felt like a two-second dip in burning ice.
"What was that?" Xander asked, standing stock-still in the entry, his bag in his hands and his expression a little wild.
"You felt that?"
"Yeah, it was -"
"Nasty, yeah. Tell you in a bit. Mostly it's just - protection."
"Protection from what?" Xander asked and he looked a little - freaked.
"Things that go bump in the night." Spike headed for the lift, pushing back the scrolled gate and waiting for Xander to step in. He didn't seem to want to. "Listen, let's get upstairs and see Rupert - he can tell you what's what, all right?"
"Are there maybe some stairs we could take?" Xander asked, and Spike sighed.
"No. Just for fires. C'mon, the lift works great - just had the cables oiled."
Xander gave Spike a look that was reminiscent of the old Harris - a look of utter incredulity and 'I'll make you sorry if you're lying' kind of look, damp hair sticking up in tufts and glittering with rain drops. "I don't like - lifts," Xander muttered. But he got in and watched Spike work the gate and the button and then stood there with one hand locked tight around the rail and the other white-knuckled on the strap of his bag. Spike felt kind of bad, but not bad enough to take the stairs. 'Sides - he wasn't hyperventilating or anything, so he was okay.
Shades of MIB and Hellboy, and Xander feels the wards! Why does Xander feel the wards?!! *bounces* *is excited*
"Is Rupert somebody I know?" Xander asked faintly, eyes on the creeping brass needle that indicated the floors.
"That he is, mate. Known him longer than you've known me - practically your dad, isn't he?" Spike said. Sure, laying it on a bit thick but the man needed a little reassurance.
"Why didn't he come to get me, then? Why'd he send you?"
Spike saw the little flicker of uncertainty in Xander's expression - the hurt - and sighed. That's what he got for trying to be nice. "Dunno, really. Important man an' all, Rupert is. You'll have to ask him yourself."
"Yeah, okay," Xander said. He didn't sound happy about the prospect. Spike didn't blame him.
no subject
"So - what do you remember?"
"That's the $64,000 question, isn't it?" Xander said, and then laughed. "I guess I remember lame TV shows. I remember...umm..." Xander's fingers rubbed over the bracelet on his wrist, twisting it, and Spike watched him.
"Where'd you get that? Remember that?"
"Not - really. It's like - there's little flashes sometimes? Like a movie. But - I know when it's real and when it's, you know - Star Wars."
Leave it to Xander to remember the important things =D
The cab stopped with a jerk and Spike shoved the last of his cash through the slot - got out and got their bags and led Xander up the stairs and inside. Nondescript sort of building near Finsbury Circus on the City Road. Surrounded by museums and libraries - perfect camouflage for the buttoned-down Watchers. Inside it smelled like books and dust and wet tweed and magic and Spike gave an involuntary shiver as he crossed the wards at the threshold. They were spelled so he could get in, but they still felt like a two-second dip in burning ice.
"What was that?" Xander asked, standing stock-still in the entry, his bag in his hands and his expression a little wild.
"You felt that?"
"Yeah, it was -"
"Nasty, yeah. Tell you in a bit. Mostly it's just - protection."
"Protection from what?" Xander asked and he looked a little - freaked.
"Things that go bump in the night." Spike headed for the lift, pushing back the scrolled gate and waiting for Xander to step in. He didn't seem to want to. "Listen, let's get upstairs and see Rupert - he can tell you what's what, all right?"
"Are there maybe some stairs we could take?" Xander asked, and Spike sighed.
"No. Just for fires. C'mon, the lift works great - just had the cables oiled."
Xander gave Spike a look that was reminiscent of the old Harris - a look of utter incredulity and 'I'll make you sorry if you're lying' kind of look, damp hair sticking up in tufts and glittering with rain drops. "I don't like - lifts," Xander muttered. But he got in and watched Spike work the gate and the button and then stood there with one hand locked tight around the rail and the other white-knuckled on the strap of his bag. Spike felt kind of bad, but not bad enough to take the stairs. 'Sides - he wasn't hyperventilating or anything, so he was okay.
Shades of MIB and Hellboy, and Xander feels the wards! Why does Xander feel the wards?!!
*bounces*
*is excited*
"Is Rupert somebody I know?" Xander asked faintly, eyes on the creeping brass needle that indicated the floors.
"That he is, mate. Known him longer than you've known me - practically your dad, isn't he?" Spike said. Sure, laying it on a bit thick but the man needed a little reassurance.
"Why didn't he come to get me, then? Why'd he send you?"
Spike saw the little flicker of uncertainty in Xander's expression - the hurt - and sighed. That's what he got for trying to be nice. "Dunno, really. Important man an' all, Rupert is. You'll have to ask him yourself."
"Yeah, okay," Xander said. He didn't sound happy about the prospect. Spike didn't blame him.
Explanation? Soon?
*puppy-eyes*
Crap--gotta go--will continue tomorrow. Sorry =(