In 8.40 Spike tells Buffy that he's "keeping his ear to the ground" and has heard "rumblings" that "somebody's coming for you". He doesn't know who or what.
He tries to be supportive of Buffy, but she pushes him away with sarcasm. ("Wow. Thank God you've got my back." "Why did we ever break up?") Spike responds with a supportive talk about how wonderful she is, which causes Buffy to burst into tears (which she tries to hide) and leave hastily.
Skip ahead to the first issue of Season 9. Buffy invited Spike to her housewarming party by text. She flirts with him, but Spike is detached ("Hmm. Any chance I can make you beg?" "Not this year".). After that, she doesn't interact with him at the party at all that we see. He's shown to be on very friendly terms with Willow, talks to Buffy's male flatmate Tumble, and in one panel is apparently making out with a random girl.
Next night, Buffy and Willow are patrolling together when Spike joins them. He repeats that Buffy is being targeted, but has no new information. Buffy is impatient and dismissive; she doesn't like him "protecting" her. Later on, though, she admits to herself that she's started watching her back because of his warnings.
In 9.02, Buffy is arrested: the police are looking for a serial killer and suspect her. She goes on the run, hoping to find the killer herself. Spike tracks her down ("You'e a hard girl to find"). That's when they have the conversation where Buffy says "I'd probably miss you". She's looking away from him as she says that. Spike replies "Bloody hell you would" and says he's still planning to help her: at this Buffy smiles, turns to look at him and says, "Thanks, Spike".
Next issue, we see Spike at work trying to find who is "targeting" Buffy. He beats up a demon estate agent (!) until he reveals that a new demon came to town looking for Buffy. Spike tracks this demon down. (It's while he's doing this that Buffy texts him inviting him to a Scooby meeting.)
Spike finds the demon (Eldre Koh), but he turns out to be on Buffy's side. He wants to help her against "the Siphon", an entity which can "rip mystical energy from all he touches", and whose prophesied coming is feared. Spike and Koh team up, and engage in some male bonding on the way back to town.
Koh wants to know why a vampire would want to help a Slayer. Spike say that he and Buffy "go way back" and that he would "do pretty much anything to keep her safe". Koh pushes for more information on their relationship: Spike is defensive and avoids answering directly.
"Things are not as you'd like them with the Slayer." "Sorry if you're looking for a supernatural soap, but there's nothing sudsy to tell here. After everything that Buffy's been through, she needs one thing, and that's normal. Which I am decidedly not."
Buffy, meanwhile, is fighting the Siphon. Just to make matters worse, the warehouse they're in is surrounded by the police. Spike and Koh make their way inside where they're confronted by Dowling, a homicide detective. Spike goes into vampface to warn Dowling to back off, then Spike and Koh join the battle.
It doesn't go well. The Siphon knocks Koh out with a single blast of his powers; Spike is conscious but down on the ground. He then grabs both Spike and Buffy and starts draining their energy at the same time - all the power he's draining makes him stronger.
Spike and Buffy are helpless, held at arm's length facing each other; she says, "Spike... don't...". he says Buffy's name, and a tear leaks from the corner of his eye. At this point Dowling comes back and saves the day by shooting the Siphon. (Which doesn't kill him, but disrupts his power enough for Spike and Buffy to escape.)
While Buffy is talking to the police Spike takes the opportuity to slip away. Koh tells him Buffy will want to talk to him, but Spike isn't willing, for the reasons he gave earlier - he thinks Buffy "needs normal".
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Date: 2012-01-17 05:03 am (UTC)In 8.40 Spike tells Buffy that he's "keeping his ear to the ground" and has heard "rumblings" that "somebody's coming for you". He doesn't know who or what.
He tries to be supportive of Buffy, but she pushes him away with sarcasm. ("Wow. Thank God you've got my back." "Why did we ever break up?") Spike responds with a supportive talk about how wonderful she is, which causes Buffy to burst into tears (which she tries to hide) and leave hastily.
Skip ahead to the first issue of Season 9. Buffy invited Spike to her housewarming party by text. She flirts with him, but Spike is detached ("Hmm. Any chance I can make you beg?" "Not this year".). After that, she doesn't interact with him at the party at all that we see. He's shown to be on very friendly terms with Willow, talks to Buffy's male flatmate Tumble, and in one panel is apparently making out with a random girl.
Next night, Buffy and Willow are patrolling together when Spike joins them. He repeats that Buffy is being targeted, but has no new information. Buffy is impatient and dismissive; she doesn't like him "protecting" her. Later on, though, she admits to herself that she's started watching her back because of his warnings.
In 9.02, Buffy is arrested: the police are looking for a serial killer and suspect her. She goes on the run, hoping to find the killer herself. Spike tracks her down ("You'e a hard girl to find"). That's when they have the conversation where Buffy says "I'd probably miss you". She's looking away from him as she says that. Spike replies "Bloody hell you would" and says he's still planning to help her: at this Buffy smiles, turns to look at him and says, "Thanks, Spike".
Next issue, we see Spike at work trying to find who is "targeting" Buffy. He beats up a demon estate agent (!) until he reveals that a new demon came to town looking for Buffy. Spike tracks this demon down. (It's while he's doing this that Buffy texts him inviting him to a Scooby meeting.)
Spike finds the demon (Eldre Koh), but he turns out to be on Buffy's side. He wants to help her against "the Siphon", an entity which can "rip mystical energy from all he touches", and whose prophesied coming is feared. Spike and Koh team up, and engage in some male bonding on the way back to town.
Koh wants to know why a vampire would want to help a Slayer. Spike say that he and Buffy "go way back" and that he would "do pretty much anything to keep her safe". Koh pushes for more information on their relationship: Spike is defensive and avoids answering directly.
"Things are not as you'd like them with the Slayer."
"Sorry if you're looking for a supernatural soap, but there's nothing sudsy to tell here. After everything that Buffy's been through, she needs one thing, and that's normal. Which I am decidedly not."
Buffy, meanwhile, is fighting the Siphon. Just to make matters worse, the warehouse they're in is surrounded by the police. Spike and Koh make their way inside where they're confronted by Dowling, a homicide detective. Spike goes into vampface to warn Dowling to back off, then Spike and Koh join the battle.
It doesn't go well. The Siphon knocks Koh out with a single blast of his powers; Spike is conscious but down on the ground. He then grabs both Spike and Buffy and starts draining their energy at the same time - all the power he's draining makes him stronger.
Spike and Buffy are helpless, held at arm's length facing each other; she says, "Spike... don't...". he says Buffy's name, and a tear leaks from the corner of his eye. At this point Dowling comes back and saves the day by shooting the Siphon. (Which doesn't kill him, but disrupts his power enough for Spike and Buffy to escape.)
While Buffy is talking to the police Spike takes the opportuity to slip away. Koh tells him Buffy will want to talk to him, but Spike isn't willing, for the reasons he gave earlier - he thinks Buffy "needs normal".
And that's where we left it with Spike.