FROM HEROES ━━ buffy

iv. Running illegal gigs

Lilith glances back to Dru and Spike when they're done kissing. "When you take over the city, I get to keep my club?" It sounds more like a threat rather than a question.

Spike shrugs, glimpses around the place, and replies, "I don't see why not. Cozy little thing. Great music. Even my girl seems to agree." True to his words, Dru has taken it to swaying in her seat, her eyes shut, looking like the picture of serenity. Spike traces his hand down her arm.

As Lilith fumbles for a new cigarette, she asks, "And what do you need?"

"To begin with, a place to stay."

Lilith shakes her head and breathes a laugh. "You can stay with us. Henry will love the company." She sneaks a glance at him and feels her mouth go sour. "Oh, and he too is allergic to the sun."

By the beginning of next week, her husband was dead.

☀︎

// present time

       Her business had been growing increasingly fast over the last few weeks.

       After ransacking the crypt where the gem of Amara was buried, Lilith embarked on the task of opening an online market. She finds herself in the crypt often these days.

       Lilith jumps down through the hole onto the platform. The sack makes rattling noises with her movement. It's heavy, she's nearly taken out all of the treasure. She stores everything in a warehouse near campus.

       As she's ready to jump down to the ground, someone is waiting for her. Lilith doesn't expect to see Spike but there he is, staring up at her. She masks her surprise. "Bring me anything from L.A.?"

       He doesn't hide his. His brows furrow and he tries to crane his head to look through the hole in the roof. "What are you doing?"

       Lilith jumps from the platform. "Not much these days. You?"

       He meets her eyes, they're nearly the same height. "Oh, you know, the usual. Becoming a lab rat, getting experimented on."

       She shoulders past him. "God, you're strange."

       He eyes the sack over her shoulder. "Have you been stealing?"

       "Oh no. The cops are here," Lilith says, monotonous and sarcastic.

       "Those are mine."

       "I don't see 'Property of Spike' labels anywhere."

       "I dug for the place, I found it; ergo mine."

       "You left it behind to be a lab rat; ergo mine now."

       Spike reaches for her sack. "Give it."

       Lilith tugs it back. "No, you give it."

       They tug it back and forth, each progressively becoming more annoyed with the other. When Lilith won't budge it free, Spike tries a different approach: he throws a punch to her nose. Stunned, Lilith lets go of her sack to clutch her nose.

       "Asshole," she wheezes out.

       He looks through her sack, furrows his brows, and says, "It's all rubbish."

       Lilith is nearly insulted, this rubbish has been giving her good money so far. "My clients beg to differ. Of course, I tell them it's enchanted and market it as treasure once lost."