David felt useless. He couldn’t do anything. Couldn’t touch anything – he didn’t know enough to offer his help to Wesley or Fred, and the memories were constantly dragging him away from reality. To top it off, it felt like the weight of hell itself was truly pressing in on him. He’d gone to the roof to wait for Fred to come back, the most recent flashback still reverberating in his mind. Memories of Spike’s gouged out chest and Madeline’s echoing laughter haunted him. Maybe he did deserve hell. Maybe he really was good for nothing. He looked down at his hands to find that they were see-through.

  Well, that’s just bloody brilliant, he thought. I look just like I feel. A bloody useless ghost. He sat there on the roof for what felt like ages, his mind finally going blessedly blank as he stared blindly at the clouds, the cars moving below, and the people walking about like tiny ants. He wondered if he could jump off the building – and what might happen if he tried. Then he remembered how he’d landed on Spike the last time he’d tried to jump through the floors and fly. Sighing, he finally leaned backwards and dropped down the floors below him to continue wandering aimlessly through the halls. What good was being here if he couldn’t do anything? What was the last decent thing he did? He hadn’t touched anything, hadn’t been able to speak to anyone before coming to Wolfram and Hart besides Dru and the bloody First in ages. Not unless dreams counted. He’d been there when the Hellmouth had fallen. It had felt like he helped, but did he really? Or did he just imagine he was being useful while Spike really did all the work? As he sat on the stairs, he realized that he was practically invisible now. Someone actually walked through him. Bugger, he thought. Finally returning to what I was. Guess it was bound to happen eventually. Maybe it’s what I was always meant to be. Nothing less than I deserve. Dru certainly seemed to think I wasn’t meant to be anything else.

  “Silly Puck,” Dru’s voice echoed in his head, and he closed his eyes. “You’re just a silly little sprite.”

  “But I still have feelings you ninny,” David spat back. “You lot are monsters, taking whatever you please. Destroying lives. Defiling every scrap of innocence you find.”

  “But of course we are. We’re demons. And you’re nothing more than a fairy. You don’t even walk in this world!” He had to give it to her on that point. He really didn’t. Not anymore anyway. He looked up at the stars and she sat down next to him.

  “I’ve decided that this set of stars looks more like a train today. A great big steam engine. See, right there?” He pointed to a set of stars aligned near the horizon that looked vaguely like a steam engine, trying to change the subject. “Which makes the Milky Way look just like the steam coming out and stretching all along the night sky.” Dru smiled and clapped.

  “Oh, I do love it when you rename the stars. What’s it called?”

  “Hmmm. Lobo the Locomotive.”

  “Lobo like the wolf?”

  “Mmhmmm. Great big wolf. It’s been transformed. See? The full moon? Maybe it’s a werewolf train. It’s only visible by the light of the full moon, and it carried all the fairies back and forth between this land and the Otherworld.”

  “Won’t you miss your train?”

  “Alas, I can’t seem to find a station to catch it. I’m stuck.”

  “That’s sad.”

  “It is indeed. But in the meantime, I’m here to keep you company. The great Lobo Locomotive will have to float out across the great ocean. Maybe to the Americas?”

  “Across the Great Pacific?”

  “Mmm. Indeed. It’s really quite beautiful.” David mused, trying to ignore the screams he heard down the road. He could hear what sounded like canons being fired.

  Dru smiled as though it was the sweetest sound. “So is this war.”

  “And that, luv, is where our tastes diverge. I’d really rather sit and rename the stars and the constellations than watch you lot slaughter the innocents.”

  “You’re missing out. My Dark Prince caught himself a Slayer,” she said with glee. “One day, he’ll catch the very sun!”

  “And it’ll burn him up!” David retorted. Dru frowned and then pouted.

  “Not so long as he has me. Grrrrr. I’ll protect him. My Dark Prince shall slay another Slayer, like he slayed you,” she growled playfully at him.

  “He didn’t slay me luv. I’ve told you that before.”

  “Oh, but he did. He just doesn’t remember.” David sighed, too tired to bother arguing. He didn’t want to think about that night, didn’t want to risk getting pulled into those memories, and talking to her some days made his head hurt. It was like speaking in dreams in real life. Sure, he could navigate dreams easily enough, but to speak them aloud, even after all this time gave him a headache.

  “Daddy left.” Dru pouted. “Left us all alone and grandmother is upset.”

  “I don’t think you’re going to miss out without him. In fact, I suspect that things might actually improve a great deal without him in our lives,” David tried to sound cheery.

  “It’s ok, love. You know I’ll never leave you,” David spun to see Spike had been standing there, listening to Dru talk to herself. “Are you talking to the ghost of Slayers past?” He sauntered over and wrapped his arm around Dru, then bent his head in to give her a kiss. David groaned and rolled out of the way. Dru giggled at both Spike’s affections and David’s annoyance. She seemed to delight most especially when they coincided.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  “Puck is sad,” Dru said as she nibbled on his ear.

  “Oh, is he now? Well, you can tell that fairy that he’s got no reason to be sad. More Slayers will rise, and I shall kill a hundred!” he boasted to Dru. David rolled his eyes.

  “He can hear you, you know,” she giggled. “He’s just right there,” she gestured towards David.

  “I adore your imagination, love,” Spike said as he kissed her. David huffed and walked farther away, already tired of the two love birds.

  “He doesn’t like it when you think I’m making him up,” she pouted to Spike on David’s behalf.

  David rolled his eyes again. “Oh, he can go on thinking I’m some imaginary entity all he wants. Won’t make a lick of difference!”

  “Oh, I’m sorry love. You hear that Puck? I’m sorry I called you imaginary!” Spike called out in the opposite direction. David chuckled despite himself and sighed.

  “You know, if he really wants to make it up to me, we could leave town tonight? Leave this bloody war behind. Go somewhere more pleasant.” He doubted Dru would listen, but it was worth a shot.

  “What’s more pleasant than this rebellion?“ Dru asked. “The four horsemen are already alive and well!”

  “Hmmm? What’s that, pet? You see the Four Horsemen? Where are they, show me,” Spike said trying to get into her head with her.

  “Just that I’m growing weary of war. We can find somewhere else to go, right?” Please let her listen thought David, crossing his fingers behind his back for good measure.

  “But I love it here,” Dru answered David. “It’s such beautiful destruction.”

  “Ah, but there’s no good art here. The playhouses are shut down. The music is dull. The artists are dying. You tell him! We ought to go see a play. Maybe Shakespeare? Ask him. Please? For me?” David was begging now, desperate to get away from the endless death and destruction.

  “Silly Puck. We ate the artists,” Dru said. Spike stared at her, transfixed as he wondered what she was seeing inside her head.

  “Oh, come on. Ask him. I’ll let you dress me up,” David groaned. He’d finally decided he was desperate and bored enough to acquiesce to her request. She’d seen him change his clothing at will, and had asked if he would dress up like one of her dolls. He’d outright refused. It had been bad enough that he’d found himself playing with her dolls to pass the time, giving them voices and entertaining her. He’d drawn the line at playing dress up for her, despite how much she’d pouted and Spike had begged her imaginary friend on her behalf.

  Dru clapped her hands like a small child. “Puck wants to see a play. He requests Shakespeare.”

  “Oh, he does, does he? Would he like to see A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream? Some comedy after all the destruction of the day? Did he not find our play entertaining?” Spike asked jovially.

  “He doesn’t like monsters, but he still plays with me. Says he’ll dress up if you take me. Please?” Dru pouted and David groaned. At least no one else would see his costumes.

  “Oh, I do love a good play. Alright. We’ll have to talk to Darla,” Spike consented as he bent to kiss her neck.

  “I’ll not be dressing up until we go!” David called to Dru.

  “You’ll dress as Puck to go to the theater, little Pixie, in celebration!” Dru declared. Well, that actually wouldn’t be terrible. But if she asks me to dress up as Miss Edith, like she initially requested, I’m going to revolt. David sighed. At least it was something.

  This time when David came out of his flashback, he was still sitting on the steps of Wolfram and Hart, and to his dismay, still mostly invisible. He looked around to realize the office was dark. Where had everyone gone? He sighed and walked back up to the roof, staring at the stars. Pity the light pollution in LA was so bad he couldn’t see much, let alone the Milky Way. He sat on the edge of the building, kicking his feet over the edge. He thought again about jumping. He sighed and leaned backwards, trying to let himself fall through the floors but found himself in hell. Time seemed to stretch out. People screaming filled his head. It felt like the screams of all the innocent people he’d watched die were crying in his ears. Dying all over again. He thought about how helpless he was. How useless he’d turned out to be. He was nothing more than an observer. A bloody stalker. Even now that he was visible, he couldn’t do anything. Even when it mattered. Maybe he did deserve to be here, in hell. He felt like he was fading away into nothingness. Past the point of no return. Lost to the torment. The voices pressed in on him, insisting he deserved to suffer. Deserved to die. Just like Spike. That he was no better than his ghostly companion.

  When he finally came to, he was laying on the floor in Fred’s office. Spike was barely visible across the room, where he stood staring at the wall. David wondered if they’d helped the wolf girl. It was so dark. Everyone must have gone home. They were still in the world after all. Not that it mattered, David thought. Hell continued to echo in his head. Suddenly, he heard Fred come in. He slowly rolled out of the way. It didn’t really matter, but he just found it awkward being stepped on.

  Fred turned on the light on her desk and jumped. “Spike,” she said, sounding relieved and a little sad. David tilted his head to look up and noticed that Spike was about as see through as he was. He nodded to himself, as though it made perfect sense. Spike turned around, a little surprised to be seen finally. “I’ve been looking for you.” She paused. “And David.”

  “Mmmm,” David muttered and Fred jumped again, then sighed in relief to see David laying on the ground. She smiled gently at him.

  “You were there again. Where you go when you’re not…here,” she said as she looked between the two of them. David rolled over and slowly sat up, nodding.

  “There,” Spike said hauntingly. The horror of the place still fresh in his mind. “Nowhere.” Spike forced a soft chuckle. “I didn’t think I was coming back.”

  “Thought our time was up,” David added softly. Spike looked at David. Had he realized David was in hell with him? David hadn’t gotten to ask him yet.

  “But you did … mostly,” Fred said trying to smile at them both. David raised his eyebrows at her, wondering if mostly see through counted for much. She stepped towards Spike. “And you led me to Dr. Royce’s office, which was …” David looked up at Spike surprised, who stared back at Fred confused. “Completely not on purpose, was it? But, still, you’re here.”

  “Last gasp before eternal fire and brimstone. Let’s party.” Spike said quietly.

  “Woohoo,” David offered feeling lame, just as quietly. He couldn’t shake the feeling he’d just left. The screams. The reminders of how much he’d failed. How bloody useless he was. Still.

  “We have to tell Angel,” Fred insisted.

  “No,” both Spike and David spoke at the same time.

  “But he could do something. Talk to the senior partners,” Fred continued.

  “I said no,” Spike said firmly. Fred turned to look at David who was still sitting on the floor, shaking his head adamantly.

  “Ok, then I’m going to help you,” Fred declared. “Well, I don’t know exactly, but I am going to find a way to bring you back. Really bring you back. Both of you. I promise!” David gave her a half smile when she glanced over at him, then back at Spike.

  “Well, alright then,” Spike said more confidently as he caught her enthusiasm. “No need to get dramatic.” David chuckled softly as he watched Spike fully form again. He looked at his own hands to realize he was no longer see through as well. Bloody brilliant. Quite the pair we are now, aren’t we, he thought. Fred looked over at David, relieved to see he was looking better too.