B/S Fan Fiction

A Tale of Two Hearts

By A.Price

Dawn sat smiling at Spike for several moments, "You need to go stay in Buffy's room. Anya will leave early tomorrow for the Magic Box. And Xander is at his place tongiht, he is going to pick Buffy up in the morning, but she's insisted that he go to work after he drops her off. I'll be at school and you and Buffy can talk uninterrupted." Dawn grinned at her plan, "It's perfect."

"I'm just so glad she's okay, I need to talk to her. I have so much to tell her." Spike stood up groaning, every muscle hurt, "I guess I'll go on up to Buffy's room."

"Oh, Spike! I forgot! Buffy thinks your dead. They told her you were." Dawn followed him up to Buffy's room, "But don't worry, I'll take care of it. I'm so glad you're back." She gave him a small hug and went back to her bedroom.

Spike walked into Buffy's dark room and didn't even bother to turn on the light. He dropped the duster to the floor and then lay gently on the bed. It smelled like her, he buried his nose in the pillow and was soon asleep.

She entered the room quietly. He opened one eye to see her smiling at him.

"Buffy." He said her name soflty, she was there in front of him.

"It's me." She moved closer to him.

"I've got to talk to you, something important." He sat up and reached for her hand.

Suddenly Quentin Traver's appeared in the corner of the room. "It doesn't matter, your news, your soul, in the end it doesn't matter. Why should she ever love someone like you?"

"No, she loves me." Spike pulled the note from his pocket, "She wrote it! She loves me."

"A note written by a sick delirious girl? You are going to take that as her declaration of love. My boy, she didn't have a clue what she was writing. When she comes to her senses....she'll leave you... alone.... again." Quentin laughed long and hard.

"Tell him Buffy, tell him." Spike turned to see Buffy pulling away from him, fading away from him.

"No!" Spike sat up in Buffy's bed. He looked around, he was still in her room. It had been a dream, a very bad dream. He stood and pulled the note from his pocket, he turned on the lamp and read it through once more. She loved him it was right there in black and white, she knew what she wrote, didn't she?

***

Dawn peeked in the door of Buffy's room and saw Spike sleeping curled up on her sister's bed, he had a piece of paper balled in his hand. She wondered what it was as she taped the note with Buffy's name on it to her bedroom door. The note read simply, Buffy - big surprise in your room. Hope you are as happy about it as I am. love, Dawn.

That should do it. Dawn told herself as Anya called for her, she was going to drop Dawn off at school on her way to the Magic Box.

**

"Okay, here we are." Xander helped Buffy into the living room, 'You sure you don't want me to stay?"

Buffy shook her head at him, "No, you've missed enough work because of me. I'll see you later."

"Alright, if you need me you have my work number, don't forget your medicine." He handed her a pill bottle and hugged her as he left, "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too." Buffy said aloud as she started up the stairs, she stopped and grinned at the note taped to her door. What in the world had Dawn done now? She opened her bedroom door and her mouth dropped wide open - Spike - an undusty Spike was asleep on her bed. His face and chest were covered with bruises and cuts in various stages of healing. In his hand was a piece of paper crumpled from many readings, it was her note.

She watched him for several minutes, closing her eyes then opening them again just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Then she felt her forehead, no fever there. Her stomach twisted in delicious nervous knot - he was really here!

Slowly she walked towards her bed, gently she reached out her hand and stroked his forehead. He moved a little and opened his eyes slightly, a smile crossed his lips and he opened his eyes fully. "Buffy?" He asked happily.

"It's me." She replied in a sing song voice, smiling broadly at him.

"I thought you might not make it, I was so scared for you." He sat up ignoring the aches and pains.

"I thought you didn't." She whispered her voice thick with emotion.

He put his hand out to her and she sat down beside him, he pulled her close to his chest, her soft hair tickling him despite the bruises. "Dawn told me, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. Quentin Travers is a dead man if I ever find him."

"Quentin Travers? That's who was behind all of this?" Buffy pulled away to look up at Spike.

"That's who he said he was, he wanted me to tell him all about the key, he knew more happened then what Gile's told the Council." Spike stroked Buffy's hair, "I didn't tell him anything though."

"I knew you didn't." Buffy said softly, "You would never let anyone hurt Dawn, you're good at keeping your promises."

"So tell me exactly what happened after they took you away from me? I could hear you through the wall, pacing and talking to Maralee and then coughing all the time. I was so afraid for you." Spike kissed the top of her head.

"I was afraid I was going to die in that cell, thats when I wrote the note." Buffy nodded at the folded paper lying on the bed. "I see you got it." She smiled shyly at him.

"James gave it to me after he and Maralee helped you out." Spike sighed as he remembered his earlier dream, "That note helped me stand up to Travers. But I realize that you were very sick when you wrote it, desperate even and if you really didn't mean it, I won't hold you to it."

Buffy frowned at him as she pulled away and sat up next to him on the bed, "You think I didn't mean it?"

"I'm not sure, I just don't want to force you.......those are definitely the wrong words," Spike slid off of the bed and stood up, "I don't want you to feel like you have to honor those words now, if you don't really want to."

She stood and her frown softened now, "I meant what I said in that note. Don't you ever think that I didn't." She leaned towards him and brushed the softest of kisses against his swollen lips, "I love you, Spike." She whispered the words against his lips as she deepened the kiss.

It was Spike's turn to be speechless, he returned her kisses for several moments before she pulled away laughing softly, 'I've only started breathing good again, I need some air."

He smiled at her twisting a lock of hair between his thumb and forefinger, "I love you too."

"Now that we have that settled, what was the important news you had for me? What happened in Africa?" She led him back to sit on the bed again.

Spike laughed, "It doesn't seem quite as important now, " He nuzzled the side of her face with his cheek, "I hope it will make you happy though, I went to Africa to earn my soul...for you."

Buffy's eye's widened, "You have a soul? How?" Her smile was so warming he was unsure of how he had ever survived without it.

After another hour of being curled up together in Buffy's bed, he had explained the whole Africa trip.

"So you went through all of that torture for me?" She asked as she raised his hand to her lips and kissed it softly.

"For you and for me, to make me the kind of man you deserve." Spike leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Buffy!" Xander called as he walked down the hallway to her bedroom, '"You in here? I came to check on you on my lunch hour" He stood in the doorway, his mood turned sour, "I thought he was dead!"

"So did I, but he wasn't! It's a very long story. Have a seat and we'll explain." Buffy motioned towards Xander to sit at the foot of the bed.

The first thing Xander noticed was that she was holding Spike's hand and she wasn't letting go go it. "Okay, start explaining."

After Buffy finished the story, Xander seemed more angry then before, "So you're telling me that he comes back in to town and because the Quentin Travers wants Spike, you end up kidnapped and almost dying? If ever there is a better reason to stay away from him, I don't what it is." Xander stood up from the bed, "What kind of hold do you have over women, Spike? I'd really like to know."

Before Spike could answer, Buffy stood up too, "Xander, Spike is the reason I'm alive now. And he's took care of me on patrol countless times, he's helped us all. It's time to accept him." Buffy pleaded with her friend.

"Buffy, I'll give him credit for having been helpful at times, but like I told you before, you can never forget what he is! He's a evil, souless monster who just happens to want you." Xander turned to walk from the bedroom.

"You're wrong, Xander. He's not a monster and more importantly, he has a soul now." Buffy reached over and took hold of Spike's hand once more.

Xander stopped dead in his tracks, "What did you say?"

"He has his soul back." Buffy repeated.

"And you believe that?" Xander rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I do. And you better start believing it too. Do you love me Xander? Do you want me happy?" Buffy's voice rose slightly.

"Yes, you know I want you happy." Xander replied sullenly.

"Then you better get used to Spike, because he is what makes me happy. Can you do that for me, please?" Her voice softened and she gave Xander her famous half smile.

Xander looked between the battered vampire on the bed and back to Buffy, he realized she was serious, and she was indeed happy, he walked towards her and hugged her to him, "I'll try. I can't promise anything though."

She smiled at him, "I can't ask for more then that."

"I've got to get back to work, you going to be okay?" Xander cut his eyes towards Spike.

"I'll be fine. I'll talk to you later?" Buffy rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, you'll talk to me later." Xander called back over his shoulder as he left the room, "And take your medicine!"

"This isn't gonna be easy is it?" Spike asked as she settled back next to him on the bed.

"Nothing worth having is ever easy." She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep, Spike's strong arms around her.