TITLE: To Stay Or Not To Stay...
AUTHOR: Ragna (writinggoddess@aol.com)
RATING: FRT
CLASSIFICATION: Spike letterfic, Lindsey/Buffy friendship.
SUMMARY: Now Spike has the hard decision to make.
SPOILERS: AU after "Crush," but mentions events in "Dead End."
DISTRIBUTION: Any sites with my fic up; you all have unspoken permission. I write it, you can post it. Everyone else just keep my name on it and let me know.
DISCLAIMER: If you don't recognize it, chances are it's my own creation. If you do, I don't own it. Joss Whedon, Kazui Sandollar, The WB, UPN, et. al. most likely do.
FEEDBACK: Please send it offlist and let me know it's feedback; I do rapid delete on my account due to a lot of spam.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Used Challenge In A Can and got "Lindsey," "content" and "letter."

***

To Lindsey.

True to my word, I've left you alone since we got into Sunnydale. I watched, though. Saw you open your new firm and become friends with the Slayer. Saw the way you changed. Saw the way I got pushed out.

I suppose, when I agreed to leave you alone, I doubted I'd be leaving everyone alone as well. Didn't realize how they'd take to you. But maybe it's for the best; I mean, after all, you're now firmly good, and me...well, I'm just a vamp with a chip in my head.

Anyway, think of this as a farewell letter. Got places to go, things to do. Gonna swing up by Los Angeles, mess with Angel for a bit. I'd have asked you if there was anything you wanted me to say or do, but now, that's not really a possibility.

Didn't mean to goad you about Darla the way I did up here, you know. But I wanted you to know how far I thought she'd pulled the wool over your eyes. And who knows? Maybe I was wrong, and you were right. Maybe she had changed.

Right about now, I think, you and the Slayer are spending a content night together, talking and hunting the demons that go bump in the night. She really enjoys your company; don't dwell on Darla anymore, not when you've got a pretty young things who likes you. She's better than Darla. The reason I know is because I loved Buffy too, for a bit. Tried to tell her once. Bad idea for me.

Look, you may not like me. You may burn this letter or shred it up without reading a word. Suits me fine. Just wanted to get it out, you know? You'd think I watched too much Dr. Phil or something...

Anyways, later. I'm sure I'll be back. There's some sort of magnetic force that draws us all to Sunnyhell at least once.

Till I run over the sign again,

Spike

***

Lindsey turned the letter over in his hands, glancing at it again. Then he opened the envelope again, looking for more to the letter. Sighing, he shoved it into his jacket pocket as he headed back to his apartment. Tomorrow, he'd show it to Buffy as they took their daily walk around the demon hot spots.

She'd understand what the sign bit was about, of that, Lindsey was sure.