Willow found the first one. A rose, its dark red petals still tightly closed, and a single folded sheet of paper rested on the front porch. She glanced curiously up and down the street before picking it up and couldn’t help but bring the bloom to her nose. She inhaled with a smile before turning her attention to the note. Folded, it gave no indication of who the intended recipient was. Willow shrugged and opened it. Still, there was no name. Instead the mysterious presenter had written, in what she noted was lovely script, three lines.
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Willow frowned. She recognized the poem, but didn’t understand why someone would leave it on their doorstep. She smiled suddenly and nodded. With one last glance up and down the street, Willow carried her findings inside.
“Buffy?”
“Hmm…” She responded distractedly from the kitchen, before pulling out the milk and taking a tentative sniff at its contents.
“Buff, I think Dawnie has a secret admirer.”
“Huh? How’s that again?” Buffy frowned at her friend’s almost giddy expression. Boys and Dawn were not things she wanted to see mixed.
“I found this on the porch.” Willow held up the rose. “Ooh, and there’s a bit from that poem by Byron we studied junior year.” She held up the note before reciting. “She walks in beauty, like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies; and all that’s best of dark and bright…”
Buffy was about to explain her no boys and Dawn policy to Willow when something occurred to her. “Wait, why did you read Dawn’s letter?”
The redhead looked defensive. “Well there’s no name. I didn’t know who it was for.”
“If there’s no name, than there’s no reason to say its Dawn’s.” Her eyes widened and she grinned. “I’ll bet it’s for you. Maybe Tara…”
Willow shook her head quickly, not wanting her thoughts to rest on Tara for too long. “No way! Tara wouldn’t have picked this. She’s…it’s too…generic. Like if someone went online and searched for romantic poems, they’d find this.”
“Sooo…” Buffy shrugged.
“So, I’m thinking a week before Valentine’s Day…high school boy trying to make a good impression. You know, lame but sort of sweet.”
Buffy nodded. “And that means…”
“It’s for Dawn.”
Dawn chose that perfectly inopportune moment to scramble into the kitchen for breakfast. “What’s for me?” She asked, pulling a box of cereal out of the cupboard.
Willow looked at Buffy before responding. “Well, we’re not sure. It’s just…there’s no name.”
Dawn rolled her eyes. “No name on what?” She tried to take the milk carton from her sister’s hand but Buffy tugged it back and scrunched her nose to warn her away from the dubious liquid. “Fine, I’ll eat it dry.” She was about to reach her hand into the cereal box when she saw the rose lying on the counter. Her eyes widened and she gave a small squeal. “For me?”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
After that, Buffy was on the lookout. She found the next three. Each time, like before, the “secret admirer” left a single blood-red rose and a few stanzas of poetry on the front porch early in the morning. Each time, Buffy seriously considered throwing them out before Willow or Dawn saw them. Instead, she simply read them and then left them on the counter. Willow would then rescue the flower from wilting and bring it to join the others in a glass vase on the coffee table. The notes, when they weren’t being scoured by Willow or Dawn for clues, remained stacked carefully on the counter.
The Byron piece had been joined by bits of Keats:
Asleep! O sleep a little while, white pearl!
And let me kneel, and let me pray to thee,
And let me call Heaven’s blessing on thine eyes,
And let me breathe into the happy air,
That doth enfold and touch thee all about,
Vows of my slavery, my giving up,
My sudden adoration, my great love!
And
And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,
That I shall never look upon thee more,
Never have relish in the faery power
Of unreflecting love;--then on the shore
Of the wide world I stand alone, and think
Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.
And by Bronte
And this shall be my dream to-night;
I'll think the heaven of glorious spheres
Is rolling on its course of light
In endless bliss, through endless years;
I'll think, there's not one world above,
Far as these straining eyes can see,
Where Wisdom ever laughed at Love,
Or Virtue crouched to Infamy;
Dawn, though she found the idea quite romantic, thought that most of the poems just seemed sad. She was careful to keep her eyes open at school in case a cute boy should be giving her clues that he was leaving the notes, but at home she had decided to play it cool in case they weren’t for her.
Willow and Buffy both saw through her act.
__________________________________________________________________________________
It was the fifth note that caused the fuss. If Buffy had been alone when she found it she might have hidden it, but Willow was right at her side when she spotted it there on the step. She had scooped it up with a giggle and a grin. “Who do you think it’ll be today? More Bronte perhaps?”
Buffy read the poem over Willow’s shoulder.
Never seek to tell thy love,
Love that never told can be;
For the gentle wind doth move
Silently, invisibly.
I told my love, I told my love,
I told her all my heart,
Trembling, cold, in ghastly fears.
Ah! she did depart!
Soon after she was gone from me,
A traveler came by,
Silently, invisibly:
He took her with a sigh.
Willow frowned. “Ah…Buffy?”
Buffy frowned. “What, you don’t know who wrote that one?”
“Well, actually no it’s Blake, but don’t you think it seems a bit dark for a kid who wants to take Dawnie to the dance?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean maybe he is just copying them out of some old book. You know, like he doesn’t even read them.” She pointed at the paper. “It says love.”
Willow gave her a skeptical glance. “I don’t know Buffy. I’m getting a bad feeling about this.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When the sixth note came, Willow called Xander.
I shall but love thee better after death.
He read the notes with a growing scowl. “I don’t think we should just brush these aside, Buff. This one is definitely a threat.”
“Xander, we don’t know that.” Buffy started, “Willow said that that’s actually the last line in that ‘Let me count the ways’ poem.”
“Right, the creepy last line.”
“I’m sure that whoever is leaving them is harmless. It’s just some socially awkward geek-type.”
Xander shook his head. “I don’t know. This just doesn’t feel right. This might not be about Dawn. What if this has something to do with Warren and his merry trio? Or, maybe you have a new stalker? I think I’d better crash here tonight…just in case.”
Buffy raised her eyebrows. “In case what Xander? In case us helpless girls need protection?”
He had the good manners to blush. “I didn’t mean…I mean obviously you girls…women, you strong, powerful, and eminently capable women would not need my help. I’m just saying that maybe a man in the house will scare this guy off and save you the trouble, not that you wouldn’t be able to handle any trouble, since, of course, you could.”
Buffy’s lips twitched slightly as Xander ended his rant. She gave in to the almost foreign desire and chuckled. “Thanks Xander. I’m really sure we’ll be alright.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
After that, Buffy decided that ignoring them wasn’t going to work. She was going to have to put an end to the “secret admirer”.
She let herself into Spike’s crypt shortly after sunset. “You have to stop.”
“You got a problem with me watching a bit of telly now?”
Buffy exhaled loudly. “The notes, Spike. You have to stop pretending that this….no more flowers, no more weird old poems, no more…”
Spike shrugged. “No idea what you’re talking about.” He kept his eyes on the television.
She stomped over to stand in front of him, her hands were fisted at her hips and her jaw was clenched. “Dawn thinks she has a secret admirer. Willow thinks someone is threatening us and Xander thinks I’ve got a stalker…another stalker.”
Spike tried to maintain an innocent look, but failed. He couldn’t help it. He laughed.
“It’s not funny.”
He laughed harder.
Buffy frowned. “It’s…it’s kind of funny.” Suddenly she was laughing, fully and out loud. Buffy laughed until her stomach hurt and she doubled over.
Spike took advantage of the opportunity and yanked her into his lap. He held her until her sob-like laughter ceased and she wiped the errant tears from her eyes.
Buffy relaxed slightly in his hold and took a deep, calming breath. She was still smiling when she spoke. “You have to stop.”
“I didn’t steal them.” He said quietly.
“That’s not…everyone’s all worked up.”
“So tell them about us.”
She sprung up from his lap. “There is no us, Spike. There’s just…just sex, poorly chosen sex, that’s all there is…was. That’s all this was.”
Spike held back a sigh. He forced his eyes back to the television. “Fine,” he said dismissively. “Why don’t you just head out then? I have a poem to copy.”
“Spike.”
“Goodnight, love.”
Buffy turned to head towards the door. She stopped. “What do you want?”
“Tell. Your. Friends.”
“What else?”
Spike looked up at her curiously. This wasn’t the plan, it really had been a simple Valentine’s Day gesture, but he believed in taking opportunities as they presented themselves. If she wanted to make a deal, he’d go with it. “A date.”
“No.”
“Fine. I have plenty of old poetry books around. What do you think of
I died for beauty, but was scarce
Adjusted in the tomb,
When one who died for truth was lain
In an adjoining room.
I’ve always thought Dickinson was a bit melodramatic but…”
Buffy didn’t really want to think about where Spike was pulling the poetry from. It unnerved her, made her question what else she didn’t know about him. She didn’t want to question herself. “Okay. We can go to Willie’s. If anyone asks we’re there for information.”
“That’s not a date.”
“Says the guy who planned the great fake stakeout date.”
Spike wasn’t going to let himself get discouraged. “A real date.”
“What does that mean? I’m not going to The Bronze with you.”
It made him sad to realize that The Bronze was Buffy’s idea of a big date. The girl, his girl, deserved more. “Here.”
Buffy raised her eyebrow. “Here? In your crypt?”
Spike held back all his snarky remarks about how she’d liked his crypt just fine plenty of times now. “Here. I’ll get take-out. You’ll come over and you won’t break my nose.”
Buffy looked skeptical. “I come here for dinner and you stop with the flowers and pretty words?”
“Thought they were pretty, did ya?”
Buffy snorted.
“That’s the deal, pet. One date and no more morning surprises, although I think you’ll miss them. I had some great stuff picked out.” He brought his eyes up to look at her straight on.
She fought back the gasp that would have come naturally upon seeing his bright blue eyes focused so fully on hers. “One date.” She turned and headed towards the door.
Spike smirked. “Oh, and pet…wear something pretty.”
Rolling her eyes, she pulled open the door.
“How did you know they were from me?”
“Just something Willow said.”
“And what’s that?”
“Lame…but…sweet.” She closed the door quietly behind her before smiling.
squawks
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!