Buffy hadn’t heard from Angel for a while. Ever since she took the escaped loony bin slayer Dana from under his nose, they hadn’t been in contact with each other. She figured he was pretty pissed and frankly she was pretty pissed too. Did he not remember that she had been in L.A. first? In this lifetime anyway. Did he not understand that she had, had her own run ins with the evil law firm and she had good reason to not trust that place and not trust that he’ll be okay in it?
After that drama and painful mayhem, one could understand how surprised Buffy was to hear from him. He had called her out of the blue and told her he had fought against Wolfram & Hart and survived. He didn’t exactly win, but he didn’t die either which he thought (and Buffy for that matter) was kind of the point.
Despite all this important, big time stuff; Buffy had to admit to herself, as she punched her punching bag for the billionth time, that the real surprise, the thing currently making her crazy, was when she had heard Spike in the background.
***********************************************************
“Hello?”
“Buffy?”
“Angel?” Buffy asked quite surprised.
“Yeah it’s me.” He sounded traditionally Angel. Very dire, very cryptic.
“So…what’s up?”
“What’s up? Are you serious?” Angel was actually making fun of her a bit.
“Well I don’t know what else to say.”
“Yeah I guess I wouldn’t either.”
“So are you going to answer the question or are you going to make me think of a new one?” Buffy asked half joking half serious.
“Well I’m thinking you just did.” He joked.
“Are you making a joke Angel? I’m impressed. You sound dire, yet you’re joking about it. You finally stopped taking yourself so seriously.”
“Haha…I don’t think so. I’m stalling.” Angel sounded nervous.
“Why are you stalling?” Buffy was worried now.
“I just have to tell you a long story…there’s some death.”
Buffy’s heart sank a bit. She was afraid of what she was about to hear. Angel hit her hard and fast with the official news of Cordelia’s death and Wesley’s death. And the fact that he lost his friend Gunn too. Buffy was indescribably sad for him, yet he continued to sound worried about her.
“Why is it me you’re worrying about? You’re the one who just went through an…ordeal. Wow that definitely sounds wrong. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to belittle your ex-“.
Angel cut her off quickly, “You’re not offending me at all Buffy. There is a very important reason why I’m worried about you. First let’s start with the easy one. After this whole thing with Wolfram & Hart I’ve been using a seer on occasion to well…see what’s going on around me. To see if there are any left over Wolfram & Hart demons wanting to take me down. I want to be prepared.”
“That’s smart I guess.” Buffy told him a little confused as to the point.
“Well the last time I talked to him, two days ago, he told me that you were in danger. That something was going to be after you and that we should be there with you. We’re ‘supposed’ to be there with you is actually what he said. He didn’t know what the danger was or why we should be there, he just got a strong…vibe. Again his word choice not mine. I probably would’ve picked something cooler.” Angel was desperately trying to lighten the mood now.
“We?”
“What?”
“You keep saying ‘we’. Who is ‘we’? You and you’re brand spanking new alternate personality? Or is it that old one that we’ve come to know and love? Or…what exactly?”
“We as in…me and someone else.” Angel was very hesitant now.
That was when Spike’s impatience got the better of him. He was terrified for Buffy to hear he was back after all this time, but he couldn’t stand waiting anymore. If it had to be done then he wanted it to be done. They’d be on the phone for a half hour now and Angel kept avoiding the subject.
“Could you just tell her already? You’re the one who thought you should do it. If you’re not going to-.”
Spike was cut off by the sound of Buffy’s voice on the phone saying his name. He froze solid. He hadn’t realized she’d be able to hear him. That was the problem with vampire hearing; sometimes it made you underestimate the abilities of a human’s hearing.
“Angel was that Spike? I know it sounds crazy for me to say that but I swear it wa-.”
“Yes it’s Spike.” Angel cut her off, “You’re not crazy, you’re hearing Spike. The one I conveniently left out of all my stories. Buffy…he came back 19 days after he died…first he was non corporeal and then he wasn’t non corporeal anymore but he was still around and things were complicated and…yes it’s Spike you’re hearing.”
Buffy was silent. She had absolutely no idea what to say or do or think. She just sat there, next to catatonic having no idea what step to take first.
Buffy was interrupted by her thoughts with Angel’s slightly worried, slightly clear jealousy of “Are you okay?”
“I…” Buffy started before she heard Spike tell Angel to give him the phone. That was when she came to her senses. “No!”
“Buffy?” Came Angel’s voice. He was fending Spike off while he continued to swear. “So you guys are supposed to come and help with whatever is after me then?” Buffy asked all business.
“Uh, yeah, that’s what my seer who can’t see past his own shoes apparently said.”
“Okay, well then come. You know where I am and how to contact me if there are any problems. Do you know when you’ll be here?”
“Uh…probably in a day or two.”
“See you then.”
***********************************************************
Buffy had hung up before Angel could say another word. She didn’t know exactly what she felt; she just knew she couldn’t talk to him. Not like that…not after all this time. It had taken her so long to get used to the fact that he was gone and she still wasn’t completely over him and now she finds out that he’s alive? She just couldn’t process it. Especially since part of the time…well most of the time she had been getting used to the fact that he was dead, apparently he wasn’t. Apparently he was in L.A. Working with Angel. Spike was alive, in L.A., working with Angel.
It was the next day that she was taking her emotions out on her innocent punching bag. She had gone through the shock most of the day before, including when she had told her friends and explained to the new slayers why they couldn’t kill these particular vampires. It was Dawn’s indignation that woke her up. Dawn was angry, and clearly hurt underneath it that Spike had just let them believe he was dead.
************************************************************
“I mean I know things were weird with us before for awhile but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t care about him anymore! Of course I did he just…and it was just…whatever, I’m over it.”
And then she left the room. Buffy really wanted to go talk to her right away, but she didn’t have a clue as to what she was going to say. Though it hit her. Why hadn’t he told them? Did he not think that Buffy would want to know that sort of thing? Of course she would! She knew he hadn’t believed her when she told him she loved him, but that didn’t mean he was right. How could he think it was okay to not tell her? And did he think she was never going to find out? He must have figured she would have at some point, especially if he was choosing to work for Angel for Hell only knows what reason. And did he not think the more time not telling her the harder it would be to hear?
She had no idea what was going on in his head and she was just scratching the surface as to what was going on in hers. All she knew was that punching sounded like a great idea, hence the punching bag.
She stepped back and started stretching preparing for more violent training when she remembered the two ensouled vampire ex’s of hers could be there at any moment then or the next day.
Just as she had that thought there was a loud screeching like a smoke detector. It stopped fast right before Willow ran in.
“Sorry Buffy, they got here before I could deactivate the vampire alarm for them specifically. Apparently the spell takes more time than I thought. Anyway I’m done now and they’re…here. Are you okay?” Willow asked her best friend who hadn’t said anything non-business on the subject.
“Fine” Buffy assured her unconvincingly but determinedly. “Let’s go greet our guests.” She told Willow through slightly gritted teeth.
TO BE CONTINUED (of course, that would be a crappy whole story, lol)
(P.S. Reviews are much appreciated in either direction!)
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!