paradisa | 047;

[As usual, Spike had kept his suspicions to himself. It was easy enough to do; the castle seemed hellbent on distracting him from everything that matters, and he was content enough to let it. But he could feel the change as the days passed without hearing from her. Then when he returned from yet another strange dream, slowly but surely, the truth settled in.

For a while he avoided that obvious conclusion. They'd been the same in that respect. As much as he pretended to be hopeful, there was always an unspoken understanding of the inevitable between the two of them. Every botched second chance only drove the point home. A constant reminder of how history is never erased, it only finds new ways of repeating itself.

In reality, Spike knew the room would be empty before he ever reached her door.

Just like that.

In his own selfish mind, he imagined that he deserved this. Reaching back, he could barely remember a time when she seemed happy. Maybe once. The holes in his head dug deeper, and any further reflection only signified how little he'd done to correct his mistakes.

There wasn't much to be done about it now. And he could go along with it, do nothing, which he supposed was what was expected of him. Mourn the woman he never really knew, and wait for the cycle to come around again. If it ever did. Or he could make a last ditch effort...

He smoked a pack of cigarettes and finished off a fifth of whiskey in her name. Then he thought better of it and opened the journal one more time.]

(Gren)

[If Gren hadn't suspected he'd hear from him again after what he saw -- after what was paraded in front of him -- he should have been better prepared.]

Meet me in the center of town. [Then, tersely:] It's about Julia.

---

(Vicious)

[Spike doesn't know what Vicious has been plotting, or if he's just been biding his time. Either way, he doesn't have the patience for it anymore.]

I'm starting to think you've moved on. Can't catch up with an old friend?

ooc: Totally open to action, either in the castle halls or on his way to town, but just a little note that the end of this has been plotted out beforehand. (Brace for some really epic stupidity;;)