Chapter 8
Everyone was stunned and at a loss as to how to proceed. Anya, was downstairs trying to calm the terrified potential. Xander was also downstairs trying to persuade the rest of the girls in the house not to flee in fear of their lives. The rest of the group had tried several times to get into the bathroom to Buffy, but anytime they crossed into the room she became hysterical and did even more damage to her already bleeding limbs and feet. Willow couldn’t get anywhere close enough to put her to sleep. Their one attempt to rush her and magically sedate her had been met with a feral fighter and they had retreated, sported several new injuries. Some would require stitching, and Giles thought his hand was possibly broken. She refused to answer to any of their pleas to come out. She was simply catatonic until one of them tried to enter the room.
Giles had suggested that they wait her out. Eventually she would fall asleep and then they could move her. He was also beginning to think that Spike’s argument for keeping her sedated might be correct. This brought out Willow’s anger again, and now she was taking a firm stance that they would have to find some other way to deal with her, because she wasn’t sedating her any more.
Suddenly a large ruckus sounded from downstairs as Spike returned with his group of potentials from patrol. There was a great deal of shouting as the newly arrived group was apprised of the situation upstairs and what had transpired. The sound of boots loudly and rapidly thumping up the stairs announced Spike’s arrival a second before he turned the corner. He paused only a second before striding up to the group gathered outside the bathroom door, anger apparent on his face.
“What the hell happened?!” Spike demanded. He didn’t seem to notice the entire house had followed him up the stairs and was quietly observing the group.
“We’re not sure exactly,” Giles began. “But, according to Cindy, who was watching her, Buffy awoke and overcame her. She proceeded to bring her to the restroom where she then threatened her with a broken glass. This attracted Willow and Dawn, at which point Buffy released the girl and began smashing everything in sight. None of us have been able to get in there since then for fear of furthering Buffy’s injuries.”
Spike contemplated the summary for a moment.
“No,” Spike frowned. “Doesn’t make sense,” Spike stated, looking at the floor as if he could find the answers there. He turned around and faced the group of girls behind him.
“Cindy.....you want to tell me what really happened?” Spike asked with suspicion.
The girl looked down at her feet and quietly answered, “I...I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“What I’m talking about is this,” Spike started, “Buffy’s hasn’t hurt anyone besides herself so far. I know she’s scared the lot of you, but she hasn’t let any of you girls touch her when she’s awake, so I’m thinking the whole overpowering and dragging you to the loo isn’t entirely true. If it were, the rest of you would have heard something before glass.”
All eyes trained on the unfortunate teenager in question as everyone digested what Spike said. Under the intense scrutiny, the girl finally spoke.
“I...I, feel asleep,” She mumbled.
Spike let out a roar as the group erupted in disbelief.
“I’m sorry!” The girl finally sobbed out. “But she is crazy! I followed her to the bathroom and that’s when she grabbed me. You saw it!” She said, pointing to Willow and Dawn.
“She’s right Spike,” Dawn admitted. “Buffy was holding her and the glass when we found them.”
“And then what happened?” Spike questioned.
“It was just like Giles said. She let go of Cindy and then smashed everything. She won’t let anyone near her,” Dawn confirmed.
“So, Willow knocks her out. End of story,” Spike ordered.
“No, it’s not ‘end of story’, Spike!” Willow argued. “We already tried rushing her. Or didn’t you notice that everyone here is bleeding? She’s like a cornered animal. We take one step near her and she gets all screams and thrashing, and waves the glass around, hurting herself even more. I can’t even tell how badly she’s hurt. We will wait until she falls asleep, on her own, and then find a way to get her out,” Willow firmly stated.
“And what if she decides to cut her arm off before then?” Spike raged. “I would think that this would make you all see that she needs to be kept sedated.”
“I’m not sedating her anymore!” Willow shouted.
Before Spike could respond, a low giggle reached his ears. He knew that laugh. Hadn’t heard it a lot, but he had it memorized. When Willow started to protest again, Spike held up a hand to silence her. He slowly pushed his way through the crowded hall to stand at the door. Buffy was sitting against the wall, little giggles escaping her. She finally looked up from her hand, her eyes sparkling.
“I think this is the first good dream that was accurate,” Buffy laughed. “This is the way I remember you all.”
“Slayer?” Spike started, “What say you come on out here and we’ll fix up your cuts. Spilling quite a bit of blood in there.”
Buffy’s giggles silenced. “It’s all so real. I...I don’t want to leave it. This is the way it was,” Buffy said as she looked around the room.
Spike too glanced around the room at all the disarray, as images and pleas came flooding back to him.
“Yeah, it is,” He quietly agreed.
There was a long pause, as everyone seemed to ponder the next move. It was Giles who spoke next.
“Buffy, how about you let Spike come in and tend your wounds? He won’t hurt you, and remember… you said he keeps the demons away?” Giles asked.
Buffy contemplated his request for several moments and Spike stared at Giles.
“Are you out of you mind?” Spike asked. “It’s my fault she can’t go in there without dredging up what’s happened. If I go in there, she’s going to lose what little is left of her mind.”
“Listen to me very carefully, Spike,” Giles ordered. “She trusts you more than any of us at the moment. You are probably our only chance at getting in there to help her. Now, I don’t care if you turned your bloody sister in that room, if Buffy agrees to let you in, then you will damn well go in there!” Giles finished. There was a very definite gleam in Giles eyes that broached no argument.
“OK,” a voice answered. Not Spike agreeing to Giles directions, the voice came from the bathroom, redirecting everyone’s attention back to the small woman sitting against the wall.
“Buffy, are you sure?” Giles inquired. “I don’t want to mistake your acceptance.”
Buffy simply nodded.
Spike’s mouth moved several times as if to say something, then closed again. He fixed a questioning glance to Buffy, though she didn’t return his gaze.
Of all the demons Spike had faced, he was certain this was the hardest. Buffy’s entire ordeal had forced him to face his actions like nothing else had. He couldn’t escape this. He wasn’t sure he should even try. He thought he had faced it, but the images before him brought it freshly to the forefront of his mind. A broken and alone Buffy, surrounded by the destruction of the room, covered in cuts, scrapes, and still healing bruises. Then what Giles said came back to him. Buffy trusted him now to take care of her. Had told him before all this that she had forgiven him. Believed in him even. Said that he could be a good man.
He looked back to Buffy again and found that she was looking at him. Her green eyes seemed to be asking him if he would come take care of her. Spike searched himself for that answer, and heard a resounding “yes” in his head. He fixed a little smile on his face and stepped across the threshold into the room.
He was rewarded with a small smile from Buffy. He slowly reached over to the shelf and took down the first aid box, then equally as slow he made his way over to Buffy. He sat down next to her, leaning against the wall as well. Her eyes followed his every move.
“So, come here often, pet?” Spike grinned as he opened the box and began taking out the necessary items to clean her wounds. Buffy didn’t answer, but turned to look around the room again. She didn’t seem to notice as Spike set about applying antiseptic and bandages. Her feet seemed to have taken the brunt of the damage and it took a long time for Spike to get them properly cleaned, removing all the glass and wrapping them firmly.
“Well, that should do it. Lets get you back to bed shall we?” Spike questioned, but made no move.
“Why didn’t you leave?” Buffy asked.
“Beg pardon?”
“Why didn’t you leave? Like the others? You never left me. Not like the others. Why?” She elaborated on her question.
“Made a promise to a lady,” Spike answered with his usual smirk.
“Will you always take care of me?” Buffy questioned.
“Till the end of my unlife,” Spike replied.
Buffy went back to looking around the room. She glanced at her bandages. Then back at the glass on the floor.
“Quite a mess. Should have one of the girls clean up in here every now and then,” Spike smiled.
“We’ll need a new shower curtain,” Buffy said absently. Then began staring intently at the shower.
“Yeah, but I can’t say I’m gonna miss the little penguin one that Red bought after The First took you,” Spike answered off-handedly. “Amanda was pretty smart using your old one to strangle one of those Bringer fellows.”
When he didn’t get any comment he looked back to Buffy, who was still staring intently at the shower curtain that lay crumpled on the floor.
“Buffy? Luv? What is it?” Spike called.
Suddenly Buffy’s head whipped around and she stared at Spike, then back to the shower curtain. She repeated the action a few more times settling finally on the shower curtain. “You came,” Buffy finally uttered as her face crumpled and tears began flowing down her face.
“Buffy?” Spike asked confusedly.
“It’s not a dream is it?” She asked as she turned, looking to Spike.
“No, luv, it’s not a dream,” Spike answered softly.
Buffy suddenly launched herself into Spike’s embrace as she began crying in earnest. Her small cries of “you came,” and “you saved me,” sending all the onlookers into their own silent tears as everyone realized that Buffy was back in reality. Spike simply rocked her as she cried out her relief of the realization that she was no longer trapped in that unspeakable horror. He couldn’t even begin to voice his own joy that she was with them. He had never dared to hope she would recover any. He should have never doubted his Slayer. She was a remarkable woman.
Spike contemplated what lie ahead. It would be a long road for Buffy. There would be lots of confusion. Somewhere along the way he would have to explain that Willow and Xander had been the one’s to actually get her out of the cave. They still had the approaching battle with The First. She still had a lot of healing to do, both mind and body. The difficulties were far from over. But if she could find her way when she had been so lost, he knew she would be emerge victorious. She always had. She always would.
Epilogue
“So, then they defeated the big ugly First despite his evil plans. The two souled vampires stopped the apocalypses, plural, saving the entire world and they got to become human again. Which was a big surprise to yours truly, let me tell you!”
Buffy smiled as she listened to Spike telling his story to his somewhat captive audience. The infant was staring at him and cooing around a tiny little fist in its mouth. She decided she should probably intervene before he decided to begin one of his more colorful tales, and pushed through the door out onto the porch.
“You know, Angel is going to have your head if he discovers you’ve kidnapped his daughter,” Buffy scolded.
Spike startled at being caught, but quickly recovered.
“Didn’t kidnap. The little bit was fussin’ up a storm and no one else in the house seemed to hear her, so I rescued her and decided to entertain her a bit,” Spike countered.
“The Big Bad rescued a baby from crying?” Buffy repeated.
“I’ll have you know I’m great with the kiddies,” Spike replied indignantly.
“Yeah, you are,” Buffy admitted with a smile. After a moment of watching Spike play with the child, she quietly asked, “Do you think about children? Now that you can I mean.”
Spike didn’t even pause before he answered. “Sometimes. Never thought I’d have a chance to ‘till I became human again. But, then there’s the whole thing with all the Slayers we have to train. Plus Angel’s got this one now, so I’ll probably just spoil her a bit. Make the grand poof as angry as possible.”
Buffy laughed before looking a Spike earnestly. “You’ll make a great father, Spike.”
Spike looked at Buffy with confusion, searching her face for meaning.
“Something you want to tell me, pet?” Spike asked.
Buffy smiled very deviously before answering. “Maybe. Maybe not. Why don’t you come back upstairs and find out.” She finished as she stood up and walked back in the house.
Spike looked down at the infant he still held. “You know, I always said I was gonna be the death of that Slayer, but I’m fairly certain it’ll be the other way around,” He confided as he stood up and walked back into the house.
“Oi! Angel! Wakey, wakey!” Spike belted out as he walked up the stairs.
~fin~
|
