Hung Out To Dry

By Elka

Title: Hung Out to Dry
Author: Elka Carpenter
Email: [email protected]
Rating: PG
Part: 2 of ??
Order: Follows Part 1. Genuis!
Spoilers: Some season four, I'm making the rest up as I go along.
Distribution: http://wonder.tentex.com/~breathe
Disclaimer: Joss, WB, Fox, and Mutant Enemy get BtVS. Natalie Imbruglia
gets
'Smoke'. I get everything else.
Feedback: I lick those that don't comment.
Author's Notes: Here's some more. The idea is there, I'm afraid the
actual
writing isn't as brilliant as it could be. I apologize.

-----

My Lullaby, hung out to dry
What's up with that
It's over
Where are you dad
Mum's lookin' sad
What's up with that
It's dark in here

Why, bleeding is breathing
You're hiding underneath the smoke in the room
Try, bleeding is believing
I used to

My mouth is dry
Forgot how to cry
What's up with that
You're hurting me
I'm running fast
Can't hide the past
What's up with that
You're pushing me

Why, bleeding is breathing
You're hiding underneath the smoke in the room
Try, bleeding is believing
I used to
I used to

Why, bleeding is breathing
You're hiding underneath the smoke in the room
Try, bleeding is believing
I saw you crawling on the floor
Why, bleeding is breathing
You're hiding underneath the smoke in the room
Try, bleeding is believing
I saw you crawling on the floor
Why, bleeding is breathing
You're hiding underneath the smoke in the room
Try, bleeding is believing
I saw you crawling on the floor

-----

        Spike stared down at the slip of paper in his hand, fingering the tear
stains that ran over it in a painful pattern, he glanced up at the open
door, back down at the paper, then again at the door. He had been given
strict orders to stay in the apartment or dustbunny he would most
certainly
be. He sighed helplessly.

        But then, when did he obey strict orders?

        Spike retrieved his duster and headed out after Willow.

-----

        She sat alone, clutching her sides, afraid if she let go everything
inside
her would fall out and she'd never get herself back together again. Her
head
throbbed, her heart ached, her thoughts blurred. She felt like she was
running around in circles, trying to think things through, but not
moving.

        Willow's head fell in her hands, her sobs drowning out the sound of
the
approaching figure.

        "Hello luv." Spike eased down her next to her on the park bench.

        She looked up at him, surprised, her eyes wide with tears. "You...you
followed me?" She asked. "Why?"

        He reached in his pocket for the paper and handed it to her. "You
dropped
this."

        Willow looked down at the telegram, she swallowed the evident pain.
"And
you thought the best way to comfort would be to bring that to me?" She
shook
her head, slapping it roughly with the palm of her hand. "God." She
looked
up at the sky, biting her lip. "I wish you were still killer vamp. Then
you
could just put me out of my misery."

        "What's that about?" Spike asked, following her gaze to the stars.

        "You know. Torture heartlessly and kill mercilessly."

        For some reason that offended him, he turned to glare at her. "I don't
have
to kill people." Spike replied indignantly. "I just like to. I may not
have
a soul, but I do have a brain...and a heart, granted it doesn't tend to
beat, but it's there just the same. I can feel love. What do you think
it
was that kept me with Dru for almost a hundred years?"

        Willow sunk into Spike's arms. Surprised, he held her as she shook.
"Sorry
about that, pet. Probably not the best thing to say."

        She clenched him tightly with her small hands, burying her face in his
chest. She clung tightly to him.

        "I feel..." She sobbed. "I feel like I'm standing at the edge of the
earth
with nowhere to go...and it's cracking under feet." She tried through
cries.

        Spike tilted her face up to his, he wiped away her tears with
surprisingly
soft fingers, pushing her wild red hair from her face.

        Willow sniffed and stared at him, his eyes were caring and genuine.
Everything was falling to pieces and he was like a rock, someone for
her to
lean and depend on. She stayed for many minutes in his arms.

        "We best be getting back, luv. The Slayer and friends are apt to be
ticked
if I'm not in my cage."

        Willow stood, blinking away a few stray tears. "Oz had a cage."

        Spike shook his head, draped an arm around her shoulders and led her
away.

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