A Brand New Day
Parts 4-6
Written by: Magan
Author's Website
Summary: The aftermath of Chosen.
Disclaimer: The show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all of it's characters belong to Joss,
Mutant Enemy, & Fox Prod.
Notes: Thanks to Shane who beta read my fan fic
Feedback: This is my very first Buffy fan fic, please let me know what you think.
Charmedfan26@earthlink.net
Chapter 4
In the days since Buffy left California, Angel had resurrected the old Hyperion Hotel and offered Spike a job to look after it, which also gave him a place to live.
The former vampire had it restored to its former glory, and had become very popular in the six months that it was opened to the public. Movie stars that were in town for premieres stayed in the hotel and Spike had even rented out
the penthouse suites, making the mucho dinero.
Making their home at the old hotel along with Spike was Fred
and Gunn. Which made Spike feel like he belonged.
As he sat in his office, looking over the monthly budget, he heard his computer tell him he had mail. Spike stopped what he was doing, and quickly checked it out.
Clicking it opened, the blonde waited for the emailed to open up and to his delight, it was from the little bit. It was while in between when he last heard from her. Spike was beginning to think she’d forgotten about him, but he quickly dismissed that thought.
Dawn told him that she was excited about school and working at the watchers council part time. Everything in her life seemed to be going good, which made him very happy for her. Until he reached the end of the email, his smiled quickly faded.
‘Buffy isn’t happy unless she’s with you, Spike. I just wish you were here…with us…with Buffy. She needs you Spike. I can’t tell you what it is. It’s not my secret to tell. She should have been honest with you right from the beginning. I don’t know why she hasn’t.’
Spike abruptly shut the computer off and sat back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap and wondered what the hell she was talking about. He sat there for the longest time before he picked up the phone, dialing her cell.
“Dawn Summers,” Dawn picked up her phone a few moments later.
“Bit, just got the email. Wanna tell me what the hell you were talking about?”
He heard her sigh, and said, “Oh Spike, you…ah…caught me at a bad time. I’m really sorry. Xander and I tracking a rogue slayer, so call me later. Bye!” She hung up.
“Bloody hell,” he slammed the phone down on the cradle and pushed his chair away from the desk, stalking out.
“Mr. Spike,” the girl behind the counter called.
“I’m going out,” He gritted his teeth as he grabbed his keys and his cell. “Take messages. Don’t know how long I’ll be.”
“Ok, sir,” she said, as she watched him leave.
Spike walked up to his shiny black Desoto that was parked in the front of the hotel and got into it, starting the engine. He so missed his old Desoto. It had been with him through hell and back.
He was lucky that he’d actually gotten one such in good condition, thanks to Wesley. Wesley had pulled a few strings to get the car for Spikeand downed it and poured himself another.
Spike used to be able to hold his liquor well, but since becoming human it affected him differently. After awhile, he became so drunk; the bar tender cut him off. Before Spike could take his last drink, Wes stopped him.
“Don’t!” Wes said, holding Spike’s arm back.
“What do you want, mate?” Spike said, slurring his words.
Taking a seat next to Spike, Wes ordered them both coffee, and then spoke. “Heard about Buffy, did ya?”
“Through the bit, no less.” Spike turned to look at Wes. “Why did she not call me or email me, mail me, in these last 6 months?” He paused for a few moments. “She told me she loved me. Why did she leave me?”
“I don’t have an answer for that, that won’t hurt you Spike,” Wesley said what was on his mind. He looked down at the file he held in his hand. “Spike, I…have something here for you that might help ebb the pain.”
“What is it?” Spike asked, taking a drink of black coffee.
Wesley set the file in front of Spike and watched a myriad of emotions flash a crossed his friends face. He knew Spike was thinking the worst and felt the need to dismiss that thought quickly.
“It’s…not what you think, Spike.”
Spike hadn’t even realized he’d held his breath until he let it go and sighed. He was thinking that Buffy was dead, and he couldn’t go through that again. He sighed once more and opened the folder. To his surprise there were pictures of her and Dawn. Something was different with these pictures that he couldn’t quite figure out. Then he spotted what was different a few moments later.
“Bloody hell,” he looked up surprised. “Why the hell didn’t she tell me?” He had quickly sobered up upon seeing the pictures.
“Don’t know. Just found out about them.”
“Why are there pictures to begin with?”
“Angel got antsy and hired someone to take them.”
Spike had a perfectly good jab all set for his grandsire, but decided against saying it. It wasn’t important and it was a shock to him. He inwardly chucked at that.
“The jet is all set to go,” Wes said, breaking through Spike’s train of thought. “If you want to go now.”
“I bloody well do want to go,” Spike jumped off the stool and headed towards the door.
“Spike, wait, I’ll drive you to the airport.” Wes said, rising to his feet and heading towards Spike.
“Thanks mate, but there’s a few things I’d like to do before I leave for England.”
Chapter 5-
Before leaving for England, Spike headed back to the Hyperion in his Desoto, to pack. When he was finished, he went downstairs. The hotel was pretty busy this time of day and he spotted his friend through the throng of people.
As Spike stepped down off the last step, he waved at his friend. “Hey Wes.” He set his bag down, waiting for Wes.
Wes walked around a group of people to get to Spike.
“Spike,” nodded Wes. “I arranged it with Angel for you to get time off.” He paused for a moment. “In case you don’t happen to return.”
Could that really happen? Could Spike and Buffy really stay together in London? Would she still want him? Those were the questions going through his mind. As he pushed away
those thoughts, he said, “Thanks mate.” Spike extended his hand to shake Wes’. “’Preciate this. I was gonna make the call before I left.”
“Not a problem,” Wes shook Spike’s hand. “It’s worth the risk, isn’t it?”
“Hell yeah!” Spike smirked.
Smiling back, Wes said, “You’re limo is waiting!”
“You didn’t have to…Coulda taken a cab,” Said a shocked Spike.
“It’s Angel’s idea.” Angel’s unpredictability really annoyed Wes, but wasn’t going to question Angel about this. He was doing the right thing for a change.
“So th and he was grateful for it and they’d become good friends after that.
He drove away like a bat out of hell, driving to his favorite bar.
*****
Harmony walked into Angel’s office with a large manila envelope and dropped it on his desk. He hadn’t even noticed she walked in, until she spoke.
“Boss, your package is here.”
Angel looked up and smiled. She of course smiled back, thinking he was appreciating her.
“You can go now!”
“Oh,” she said blushing, turning to leave as Wesley walked in.
“Hey Angel, you wanted to see me?”
“Yeah, sit down, please,” Angel had gestured with his hand as Wesley took a seat.
Wesley watched Angel open up the large envelope and pull out its contents. As the former watcher waited, he noticed that the contents were pictures. Wondering what they were, Wesley leaned forward, trying to get a peak.
“Angel what is it?” Wes finally asked.
Angel passed the picture along to Wesley and he took them from Angel. As he looked through the pictures, Wesley was shocked to say the least and looked up at Angel.
“Why the pictures?”
Leaning back in his chair, Angel began to explain, “I hadn’t heard from Buffy since she left and…and I was worried. I thought that something…Well, I hired someone from the London law office and I had hired someone to track her for a few months, just to she was ok.”
“Are you going to show these to Spike?”
“I wasn’t planning on it, but I suppose you’re going to,” said Angel, leaning forward. “I guess it would come better from you.”
“Yeah,” was all Wesley could say.
Wesley wasn’t happy with his friend for invading Buffy’s privacy, when he very well have could have gassed the jet up and fly over there to England. Ever since Angel had taken over Wolfram and Hart, he’d changed. He took more risks then before and sometimes the innocents didn’t see so important to him. It was all about the money and the high life.
Yeah, they averted the weekly apocalypses, but the mission was lost. Even Gunn, Fred, and Lorne were succumbing to the whiles of the law firm. As Wesley is feeling the pull, he fights it every day.
Rising from the chair, Wesley walked out of the office, disgusted with Angel, and over to Harmony’s desk.
“Hey Wes, what can I do?” Harmony asked, turning in her chair to face him.
“Find out where Spike is and let me know.”
“Sure thing.”
The bookish bookwork walked back to his office ignoring the people that said ‘hello’ to him, and when he walked into the office, he closed the door behind him.
Crossing the room to his desk, he sat down, sliding the chair up to the desk, and carefully looked through the pictures once again, shaking his head, unsure of how to tell his friend.
Guess the best way is to show him, Wesley thought to himself as he sat back in his chair, staring at the top of photo of Dawn and Buffy shopping at the local mall.
A few moments later, Harmony buzzed him.
“Wesley…”
Pushing the intercom, he said, “Yes.”
“Sarah at Hyperion said he left about twenty minutes ago. She thinks he may have headed for bar he usually goes to.”
“Ok thanks,” Wes said, cutting her off, knowing exactly the bar, and then grabbed an empty folder from his desk, placing the photos in it. He rose from the chair and headed out to find Spike.
*****
Spike walked in ignoring the surroundings and headed to the bar, taking a seat in a huff.
“Whatdaya have?” The bar tender asked, leaning against the bar.
“Whisky and leave the bottle,” Spike said, looking down.
The bar tender placed a glass in front of Spike and poured him a generous amount, then setting the bottle next to him. He picked up the bottle e grand poof did this for me?” Chuckled Spike. “Who would have thought it?”
A moment of silence passed between the two friends. Spike was about to make a snarky gesture about his grand sire, but Wes told Spike, “You should really get going.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Picking up his bang Spike looked around once last time, hoping that this would be the last time he’d see the old hotel. He extended his hand to Wes once again, shaking his friend’s hand.
“Thanks again, Mate,” Spike said before leaving. He then walked out of the old hotel, beginning a new chapter in his life.
As he opened the door to the limo, he slid inside, making himself comfortable. He realized how excited he was and hoped that everything would work out. It was hard enough being away from her; it would be even harder for her to shut him out. He pushed that thought of his head and told the driver to drive to the airport.
****
When Spike arrived at the airport, he was detained, because of an engine malfunction on the plane. He waited in the first class lounge until another plane could be made available.
After an hour of waiting, Spike was getting antsy and decided to walk around. He found a gift shop, and headed inside. As he perused the items, he found a charm bracelet for Dawn and for Buffy he found a stuffed animal, resembling her stuff animal she lost in Sunnydale.
The former vampire stood there for a moment, imagining the moment that the couple would see each other.
Spike knocked on the door to Buffy’s place; she’d open the door and squeal in delight at seeing her lover.
“Spike! Oh my god, Spike. You’re here.” She said, jumping into his arms. “It’s really you!” She peppered his face with kisses. “It’s really you!”
He set her back down, and said, “Glad to see you to, pet.” He held out the stuff pig, and her face lit up.
“Mr. Gordo!” She brought her hands to her face in surprise. “Where ever did you find him?”
“Found him in an airport gift shop.”
Shaking his head, breaking that train of thought, he said, “Who the hell am I kidding. That ain’t gonna happen.”
Spike proceeded to the cashiers to pay for the items, but he stopped when something caught his eye. He picked it up, looking it over for several minutes and again he made his way to the cashiers, paying for the items. He headed back to the first class lounge with his purchases, and waited for the plane.
A half an hour later, he was on board, heading for London. He was definitely ready to see Buffy and the bit.
****
The plane pulled in a little after eight in the morning. Spike was so excited that he couldn’t sleep. There would be time to sleep later. He had to see Buffy first, even though he was nervous. He thought positively the way there. If he thought about the bad stuff, sooner or later, he start to believe it and he’d just be to scare to see Buffy now.
When the plane came to a stop, Spike exited it a few moments later. He headed to the luggage claim to claim his bag. When he found his bag, Spike went in search of a cab. He only had to wait a few moments and one pulled up. He slide inside and pulled out a piece of paper with her address on it.
“Twenty One Brighton Place, please,” Spike said, placing
the paper back in his pocket, and making himself comfortable.
The cab driver pulled away from the curb and headed towards the destination. He looked at Spike in the mirror and said, “Going to see your girl?”
“Yeah,” said Spike, vaguely. “Somethin’ like that.”
The rest of the drive was in silence and Spike watched scenery fly by him as he watched through the window. It had been a long time since he was last in England and it all brought back a lot of memories from his past, some good, some bad, but it was the past and that’s where it was going to stay. He couldn’t change the past, but decided that he was going to make new memories here with Buffy.
The cab pulled up in front of Twenty One Brighton Place and Spike hadn’t even realized it until the driver said, “We’re here, mate!”
“Oh right,” Spike said, grabbing his bag, and opening up the door, but stopped as he hesitated.
The driver made some kind of crude joke and Spike was about to make a snarky comment, when he saw Dawn walking by. She went through the gate to her property and disappeared into the house. She hadn’t even noticed Spike there and that scared him. He thought she’d forgotten all about him.
It had been awhile since he’d last seen her, but he thought her hair was longer and a light lighter, although he thought she looked better a brunette.
Despite the pictures, Dawn changed a lot since then and he wondered just how much Buffy had changed.
“Well, ya going?” The cabbie asked, breaking through Spike’s thoughts.
“Bloody hell, get off my back, you wanker.” He quickly exited the car, and threw the fair at the driver and slammed his door.
The driver sped off into the distance. Spike looked around the neighborhood. The houses were all lined up next to each other and all white with trees lined up along the side walk. He knew exactly where he was, the same type of neighborhood he lived in with his family. It made things just a little better for him.
Taking a deep breath, Spike made his way up to the gate, opened it, and stepped inside the fenced in area, closing the gate behind him. He made his way up to the door, ringing the door bell. A few minutes later, someone asked from behind the door, “Who is it?”
Buffy is that you? Oh god!
“It’s William,” he said, using his given name.
Buffy was shocked and wondered how he knew where she lived. She didn’t know what to say. She stood quietly, hugging herself. Dawn came in front the parlor and wondered why her sister was acting strange.
“Buffy, you ok?”
She walked closer to her sister and she noticed that her sister had turned white.
“Buffy are you ok? Is the…”Buffy cut Dawn off.
“I’m fine. Spike’s outside,” Buffy said, a few moments later, after take a few deep breaths.
Surprised, Dawn quickly opened the door, and Spike wasn’t there. Turning around, Dawn said, “I thought he was there?”
“He was, Dawn.”
Dawn stepped outside, looking around. She saw Spike headed towards the park nearby. She called out to him. He stopped and turned around.
“Bit?” He called.
She came running after him and leaped at him.
“It’s good to see you to, bit.” He held on to her.
A few moments later, he set her down.
“How’s big sis?”
“Well, um…”
“I know.”
“You do?” Dawn asked surprised.
“Yes, Angel sent someone to spy on you two and I saw the pictures yesterday, thanks to Wes.” Spike said and a few moments later. “He was the only one that had the decency to tell me.”
“I’m sorry Spike. We didn’t want to burden you with this.”
Spike stepped back, appalled that they would even think such a thing.
“Bloody hell, burden me? Why would you think that? You damn well know I’d want to be here for that! ‘Specially that!”
“I’m so sorry Spike! It’s what Buffy wanted.” Suddenly Dawn felt bad for Spike. She thought that they were doing the best thing. “I’m really sorry! I didn’t know that you’d want to be apart of it.”
A few moments passed in silence and Spike said, “S’ok bit, let’s just go up the house and see big sis.”
They walked hand and hand up to the house and inside. Buffy had been sitting on the steps, waiting anxiously to see Spike. She wondered what it would be like seeing him again. She was scare to tell him. Scratch that, she was just scared period. All that fear had disappeared when Spike walked through the door.
“Spike!” Buffy jumped up from the steps.
It all seemed like slow motion for the couple as they headed towards one another.
“Buffy!”
Finally, they were each others arms and they never wanted to let go. He held on to her for a long moment and then stepped back to see her, all of her.
“I missed you, ” Buffy said kissing him once again.
“I missed you too, love,” smiled Spike.
Spike pulled her back into another embrace, and Dawn shut the door behind her, and left the two along, heading upstairs. Buffy pulled away, and Spike looked at her again. He’d always thought she was beautiful, but this moment, she was even more beautiful. Effulgent was the word running through his mind. He could write poetry about this very moment, he thought, running his hand along her stomach.
Buffy smiled back at him brilliantly, and then said, come here, I want to show you something.” She pulled him upstairs and he dropped his bag on the floor, forgetting the gifts that he’d placed in it. He’d go anywhere on earth for her, just as long as he was with her.
Chapter 6-
As Spike was being pulled along up stairs, he noticed the pictures lining the walls. They were of Buffy, Dawn, Willow, Xander and Giles. All looking very happy, he thought.
When they rounded the stairs and began to go up a whole other set up stairs, Spike stopped, looking at portrait of Joyce. He smiled fondly, remembering how good she was to him and how mean she was to Angel.
Buffy turned to see what was holding up Spike, and realized he was looking at the portrait.
“Giles had it done as a gift for me and Dawn, when we moved into this house,” said Buffy, walking down the steps, and stood next to Spike, intertwining her fingers with his.
"It’s beautiful,” he turned towards Buffy. “Like mother like daughter!”
He smiled, lovingly. “How did you manage to get this house?” He asked a few moments later.
“Believe it or not, it’s one of my father’s houses,” began Buffy, softly. “When he found out we lost our house and I was pregnant, he gave us this house. We don’t have to pay a thing, either.”
“How did you manage that?” He asked as they continued on their way.
A few moments later, they turned right and into a bedroom. “This!” She stepped a side to show Spike.
When he asked the question, it never really occurred to Spike the reason why they got the house, until now.
All Spike said was, “Oh!”
It will probably the one and only time anyone would ever see Spike speechless, Buffy thought, smiling up at him, suppressing a giggle.
The wall had been painted with murals of different story book characters and on the left was a round crib with a pink lace canopy and the bedding was of the same story book characters on the wall. Straight a head from the doorway was a large bay window, with a window seat. The pillows were large and comfy and very inviting to sit. To the right of that a rocker and next to that an antique dresser with changing table and next to that was a large walk in closet full of baby clothing.
Spike walked over to the closet, and opened it, revealing all the baby clothes. He turned to look at Buffy.
“This is his way of making up for him not being there for us,” stated Buffy, walking over to Spike, and wrapping her arms around his waste.
”There’s not a thing here the baby doesn’t have,” Spike said, turning to face her.
“The baby doesn’t have its dad,” whispered Buffy, leaning up for a kiss.
“He or she has me!”
She stepped back, “Ooh, Feel.” She guided his hand to her stomach. “The baby kicked.”
Spike felt the baby kick and he smiled, kneeling to the floor.
Instantly he knew the baby was going to be a girl. He didn’t know how or why, but he knew. And it didn’t really matter, as long as he had this moment.
“Gonna be just like her mommy!”
“How do you know it’s gonna be a girl? I haven’t even decided if I want to find out.”
“Just like I like said,” he stood up, holding her hands. “Like mother like daughter.”
As they giggled, Dawn entered the nursery, “What’s so funny?”
“Nuthin,” said the former vampire. “Let’s say we go downstairs, I’ve got presents…for all three of you.”
*****
On the other side of London, Giles was reading up on the latest apocalypse when he come a crossed something very interesting. He walked over to his desk and sat down in his chair, as he continued to read the passage. When he was finished, he called Xander into his office.
A knock came at the door a few moments later, and then Xander entered.
“What’d you need, G-man?”
“Oh for heaven’s sake, Xander, call me Giles.” He huffed and then sighed as he then continued. “Xander read this passage here for me.” He pointed out to Xander as Xander took the book and began to read.
Looking up at Giles questioningly, Xander asked, “What are we going to do?”
Giles removed his already polished glasses and produced a hanky as he began to polish his already polished glasses. “I don’t know, Xander. It’s gonna be bad. We’re gonna need Faith and Willow as soon as possible. The sits aren’t nearly ready, but they’ll have to be. Go to Buffy and tell her. Calling her would just take to much time to explain.”
Xander hurried out of Giles office and out to the parking lot to his car, speeding to Buffy’s house.
****
Buffy, Dawn and Spike headed into the family room located off the kitchen. Before the girls moved into the house, Hank had it remolded mostly for the baby, which he added a family room off the kitchen. Prior to coming into the family room, Dawn had given him a quick tour.
Upstairs there was Buffy’s and Dawn’s room, each having a bathroom of their own. The other three bedrooms had been guest rooms, which they all shared a bathroom.
Downstairs and off to the right of the foyer a dinning room and off to the left a formal living room with an adjacent office. Down the hall before the kitchen was a hallway to the left, leading to the servant’s quarters.
As they made themselves comfortable on the large white sofa, he handed them their gifts and kept Buffy’s and the baby’s in the bag.
Opening up the box, Dawn squealed and hugged Spike.
“Oh Spike, thank you! It’s beautiful.”
“Glad you like it.” He said helping her put it on.
“Thank you again, Spike,” Dawn hugged him again. “I love the charm braclet.”
‘Welcome,” Spike told her as he reciprocated the hug.
Buffy opened hers a few moments later and was shocked to see the contents. “Oh my god, Spike…you found Mr. Gordo! How?” She leaned in and kissed him. “How did you find him?”
“That’s Mrs. Gordo,” Spike said, lightheartedly. “I wish I could have found Gordo for you, but I hope this will do.” He tilted his head, and smiled as he waited for her to answer.
The slayer watched Spike closely for a moment, savoring the way he looked in his black shirt and jeans. She missed being with him and didn’t know why she waited so long.
“I love it,” she said, a moment later, looking him directly in his blue eyes. If she looked long enough, she would could get lost within them. “Thank you!”
As Spike smiled, he picked up the bag, “There’s something else…”
Placing her hand within the bag, she pulled out a baby book and looked it over. It had little animals over it and said big letters, ‘Baby’s Book.’
“How did you know we needed that?” Buffy said, inquisitively. “It was the last thing we were planning on getting.”
“I just saw it and knew,” answered Spike, still smiling. “Is it ok?” He asked hesitantly.
“Oh yes, it’s perfect.”
Spike pulled out another little box and handed it to Buffy. Scratching her head in wonderment, Buffy looked up at Spike curiously.
“What is this?” She asked before opening the tiny box.
Before he could answer, the door bell rang and Buffy excused herself to answer it. When she returned Xander was with her.
“Spike!” Xander exclaimed, walking into the family room, and shaking Spike’s hand. “Good to see you.”
“Good to see you too, Xander,” Spike said, standing up, and returned the handshake.
“So…what brings you over here?” Buffy wondered, as she took a seat next to Spike who’d already sat back down.
“Um, well, Giles has some bad news and we wanted to tell you in person,” began Xander as he sat down in front of the couple.
“What is it?” Dawn asked, curiously, looking directly at Xander.
Everyone waited anxiously until Xander spoke again.
TBC...
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