Session 34

"Quinn, I don't know exactly what Vicious has told you, but I know for a fact he's been feeding you lies just as he has been to Sophie and I. For example, he told us he had killed you," Spike stated, and Quinn's blood began to boil. 

She had a feeling Vicious had lied to her about his supposed negotiations with Spike and Sophie. Of course he had told them she was dead, but neither of them were stupid enough to believe him. Quinn on the other hand, had been tricked. Vicious was sneaky with his lies. The things he had said about Spike were certainly plausible, no wonder he hadn't mentioned Sophie's presence. He didn't know her at all, and since she was working alongside Spike, Vicious knew there was a chance that she knew Quinn, therefor, his lies would most likely not have stuck. He was a snake, but Quinn had to hand it to him, he was smart and knew how to trick people. 

"Vicious," Quinn choked through grit teeth.

"Is-, is this true?" Quinn began, and her question was soon answered by the sound of his laughter. It started off low, and almost silent, but as the tenseness of the situation began to grow, so did the volume of his laughter.

"Well isn't this just a fucking comedy act," Vicious cackled as he pushed the blade deeper into Quinn's stomach. Had it not been for the clothing she was wearing, the blade would have already cut through her skin.

"Regardless of what is true and what is perceived to be a lie, you know you'll kill her, Spike, just as you did with Julia," Vicious sneered causing Spike to thrust his gun forwards. In the same moment that Spike planted the barrel against Vicious' forehead, the blade left Quinn's stomach and shot forwards towards Spike's torso. The tip of the blade, that was tainted with Quinn's blood, was now pressed against Spike's stomach. For a second, Quinn could have sworn she saw Spike flinch.

Quinn tumbled backwards. Without the pressure of the blade on her stomach, she was free to step away from the violence.

"Don't bring a dead woman into this. Let her soul rest," Spike grunted angrily. Quinn observed the two men from behind Vicious while Sophie and her exchanged nervous glances.

"Let her soul rest? Was that your intention when you let her take that bullet?" Vicious taunted, causing Spike to push the tip of his gun harder into his forehead. Vicious retort by pushing the blade further into Spikes stomach. If either of them were to move even so much as an inch forward, the blade was sure to pierce Spike's stomach,

"That bullet never would have hit her had you not sent your men to kill her," Spike stated shakily, trying his best not to extend his stomach any further than it already was. 

Another hole was poked in Vicious' story. Spike had always said that Vicious had sent his men to kill her, yet Vicious claimed otherwise. From what she knew, both men were in love with Julia, but Julia was only in love with one of them. Clearly, she had chosen Spike, but why would Vicious want to kill her? Wouldn't he have just wanted to kill Spike?

"Why would he kill her if he loved her?" Quinn suddenly chimed in. This time, for a split second, Spike shifted his eyes towards her. But in the same moment, his gaze returned to Vicious.

"You told her you loved her?" Spike scoffed. Quinn watched as his finger shook against the trigger of his gun. Quinn braced herself for the sound of a bullet being fired, but somehow, Spike managed to hold off.

"I told her the truth," Vicious replied shakily, but by the tone of his voice, Quinn could tell he wasn't confident in his response. Spike didn't speak for a moment. Behind his eyes Quinn could see that he was calculating his next words. Despite the coldness he was wearing upon his face, it was quite clear that he was enraged.

"Well, Vicious, did you tell her you threatened to kill her once I left the syndicate?" Spike began. The story he was telling now was the same story he had told Quinn the other night. She was careful to pay attention to his next words. If his story lined up with the one he had already told her, there was a very good chance he was telling the truth.

"And did you also tell her if Julia came to look for me you'd kill the both of us?" Spike ranted, and despite the slight fluctuation in his tone, he remained perfectly straight faced and composed.

"Are you calling me a liar? Spike?" Vicious replied. Spike didn't answer.

"No, but I think you are," Quinn suddenly called out. Neither men moved. Quinn had heard enough. Spike had Sophie for back up, and enough of Vicious' story had been defiled for Quinn to figure he was playing her.

"Whether it was through the syndicate or by your own hands, you are the reason Julia is dead, Vicious, and you did it because you couldn't bear the thought of her loving someone who wasn't you," Spike hissed. Quinn could hear the malice in his tone. His tongue was razor and his voice was drenched with animosity. 

"You treated her like an object, just a toy for you to play with, and when she decided to make her own decisions, you got mad, and you killed her," Spike added, and before Vicious could reply, Quinn butted in.

"But why, Vicious? Why would you lie to me about this? What was your plan?" Quinn asked hesitantly as she began inching her way towards the front door. She didn't feel safe inside the house anymore, and she sure as hell didn't feel safe standing behind Vicious.

"Quinn, understand that I didn't lie," Vicious began as Quinn ever so slowly made her way towards the doorway.

"Understand- and you should be able to- just, see it from a business woman's perspective. Sometimes in order to get your point across, you have to slightly alter the truth to sway the opinion of your audience," Vicious added tentatively. Quinn wanted to slap him across the face. She hated every time he compared himself to her work, no matter how solid the comparison was. 

"Why did you want me so bad?" Quinn questioned. She was now standing directly behind Vicious.

"He wanted to take you from me," Spike suddenly added, his eyes still fixed on Vicious.

"What?" Quinn stopped.

"I've had enough of these false accusations, Spike," Vicious cut in, his voice obstructed by his gritted teeth.

"Make it make sense, Vicious," Spike chuckled sarcastically.

"You're a man who is driven by hatred and jealousy, and as soon as you saw Quinn, you figured she was the perfect woman to seduce, and steal from me, because you're still stuck living in the past," Spike added sternly. Quinn, stationary, saw Sophie's eyes widen in surprise. The atmosphere was tense, and from over Sophie's shoulder Quinn saw Faye in the distance; her gun at her side.

"Living in the past? Spike, you were running from yours for years! If anything, you're the one whos stuck," Vicious retort bitterly through a painfully sarcastic laugh.

"I ran until it caught up to me. The day I thought you died was the day I awoke from the nightmare I had been living within for years. I have moved on, but here we are again in the same position we were a year ago. You can't let go, Vicious, and now you're here, chasing after the only leverage you have against me," Spike ranted. His tone was stiff and his eyes were fixed on Vicious. Suddenly, his gaze shifted to Quinn.

"Quinn, I don't know what he's said to you, but I promise there was no truth behind any of it. He's been looking for someone who invokes the same emotions within me as Julia did all those years ago," Spike assured before returning his gaze back to Vicious.

Quinn was frozen for a moment. She was trying to wrap her head around these concepts, but the pill was just so hard to swallow. She was Julia's equal, an object, and nothing but a pawn in Vicious' game.

"Am I really just a replacement?" Quinn questioned sadly. Spike's eyes suddenly locked with hers.

"Not to me," Spike replied, and just as Quinn was expecting Vicious to retort, a sudden, excruciating pain, caused her to scream, and fall to the ground.

As she fell to her knees, time seemed to slow. She watched as Sophie threw her hands over her mouth. A shot was fired, but this time, the bullet came from Spike's gun.

The moment, although taking place in seconds, felt like it lasted hours. Quinn, now on her knees, fell onto her side as she held her stomach. There was blood, a lot of blood.

Sophie rushed over towards her, screaming. Vicious' body soon hit the floor just inches away from her.

"QUINN!" Sophie cried, picking up Quinn and dragging her body away from Vicious'. There was blood surrounding him. Spike had shot him straight through the head. Quinn, horrified by the site of what she knew was a dead body, felt a strange liquid creep up her throat. Her throat felt metallic. She coughed, and a puddle of blood pooled onto the floor next to her face. Sophie was crying, and Spike, who had taken a knee next to Viscous' body,  was feeling around his neck. He was searching for a pulse, and by the relieved look on his face, it was clear that Vicious was dead.

But just as quick as the relief came, it fled. Spike's face soon morphed into one of pure horror as he ran over towards Quinn who was on the floor, clutching her stomach.

...

She was losing a lot of blood.

So much blood in fact, she began to feel incredibly faint. The pain was unbearable, but so was the coldness of the ocean breeze, and the tightness of her blazer, and the grip of Spike's arms. Everything was unbearable.

"You're ok Quinn, hold on, just hold on," Sophie pleaded, and Quinn believed her.

She was fine, just, tired. Really really tired.

Spike carried her out of the lighthouse while Faye and Sophie followed close behind. Quinn could overhear their conversation. They didn't know what they were going to do with Vicious' body. Quinn wanted them to leave him their to rot. He didn't deserve a proper burial.

Quinn tried her best to stay present with the world around her, but it was becoming increasingly hard to do so. Her body was freezing, but she was grateful for the numbing sensation it brought.

Quinn was being carried by Spike. She could see him, but he was beginning to become blurry. Quinn closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her. 

Sophie and Faye were talking, but Quinn couldn't comprehend a word they were saying. Spike was also speaking, but not to them. He was saying something to Quinn, but she couldn't understand it either.

Quinn was growing terribly tired, more tired than she had ever felt in her life. She closed her eyes tight as the world faded around her.