Cherish The Day
Chapter Seven
Spike laid his injured body down in his crypt. If every bone in his body wasn’t broken it certainly felt like they were. battling Glory and The Knights was not a fun event. He didn’t even bother taking off his blood soaked clothes.
He heard a heavy knock on the door and it slowly opened.
"What do you want, Wicca?"
"I just came to tell you that Kiora and Faith are out of the hospital. And Dawn’s been asking about you."
"So?"
"Spike, you did a real amazing thing out there. You helped save the world."
"It ain’t nothing new."
"Yes it is. You did it with out any ulterior motives."
"I DO have an ulterior motive. I couldn’t fail her twice. I couldn’t let that Hell-bitch get Dawn. And after what she did to you."
Tara smiled slightly, "I’ve never been happier than when you opened that portal and booted her in there."
"Thanks, T. But I need to sleep."
"Ok." Tara began, "Any more memories?"
"A couple."
"Well it’s been two months since..." Tara stopped as she looked at the pained statement on his face. "I’ll leave you to sleep."
Tara walked toward the crypt door.
"T...thanks for the checkup and update on the Slayers, and Nibblet." Spike groaned before his eyes shut quickly.
Tara could tell that he was asleep. She knew that he wanted to dream.
---
Spike was on automatic pilot as he walked through the cobblestone streets following the Darcys’ servant who had awoken from bed. When he entered the Darcys’ lavish house, there was an eerie silence but he could hear hushed whispers in the living room. As soon as he stepped into the room, they all stopped talking. Mrs. Darcy walked into the room; he had only gone to her once before to deliver a book, but this time was different. He didn’t exactly know what he was saying but he was quickly ushered up the mahogany stairs, by Elizabeth.
"She’s very sick, William." Elizabeth began, "We don’t know much about the demon that attacked her but...we aren’t sure that she’ll make it through the night."
Spike could feel his eyes begin to tear up when the look on Elizabeth’s face confirmed the seriousness of the situation. He walked into the room, which was dimly lit.
---
Buffy opened her eyes weakly to see William standing next to her bed.
"Hey you." Buffy said in a tired voice.
"Buffy?" William’s voice conveyed the panic that he felt in his heart. He quickly sat down next to her. There was a bandage that covered her shoulder soaked with blood. "Oh my God."
"William?" Something seemed off about him, but Buffy shook it off.
"Yes, Buffy?" He brushed the hair away from her eyes, he could tell that she had a fever and that it was high.
"If I die..."
"No... no...It’s not going to happen." His voice commanded.
Buffy looked at him strangely again, wondering if...but she quickly erased the thought from her mind.
"You’ll be just fine. I promise, Buffy." William’s voice softened. "I love you too much to let you go."
Buffy smiled slightly, before her body started to convulse. William’s utter panic stricken face made Buffy want to cry, not for her, but for him. Before the blackness engulfed her.
---
Spike looked down at the slayer’s sleeping form and then wiped the tears from his eyes. He looked up in the mirror on the dresser to see himself, well, actually William looking back at him.
"It’s not going to work out is it?" He sighed looking into the mirror at a long forgotten face.
"Pardon?" The mirror asked slightly confused at the figure reflecting back at it.
"You and me and her."
"No. I think not. So what is going to happen?"
"It depends, I guess...on her." He passed his hands through his short blond hair.
"And you? Will you leave?"
"It’s not my place. I can’t stay."
"You love her too?"
"Yes."
“She never told me about you.”
“I figured as much. Why would she? She can’t love me fully for the demon that I am in our time. She was hurt badly and never wants to go through that again.”
“I think I understand.”
Buffy stirring on the bed halted the discussion briefly.
"She will be happy here." He reassured the man.
"I hope so." He stared at the reflection. "You are a lucky ponce, you know that?"
"I know."
"You have her. You make sure that she’s happy. Seeing her cry is too . . ."
"Heartbreaking." William finished the sentence for Spike who smiled. “This demon. Croec. Have you heard of it in your time?”
“Yes a nasty bugger. They can poison you with a bite and effects last a day or so but other then that they are harmless. Is that what happened? A Croec.”
“Yes. I’ll take care of her, and thank you.”
"And don’t write any of that bloody awful poetry for her." Spike warned.
"She likes it."
"Bloody hell!!! Why didn’t I use that then?"
William smiled slightly at Spike before he disappeared.
"Will?" Buffy gasped feverishly. William dashed to her side and grabbed her hand.
"Yes, Buffy, I am right here." He stroked her hair off of her forehead and could feel the heat from her forehead.
"I never said it to you." Buffy swallowed. "I love you too. And if I d..."
"Don’t talk like that. Just rest. Please."
Buffy began to protest but the look of sadness in his eyes prevented her from continuing as she fell asleep again.
---
Elizabeth slowly crept into the room as she had done many times that night to check on Buffy and William after he had told the information that he found out about the Croec demon.
Buffy was sitting up in the bed and William was sleeping, his head resting in her lap. She watched as Buffy gently stroked his hair and caressed his face. Buffy looked up at the door to see Elizabeth standing there.
Buffy mouthed ‘Good morning’ to her watcher.
Elizabeth smiled and mouthed ‘How are you feeling?’
‘Fine’
Elizabeth could see a happiness that she’d never seen in the Slayer before.
‘Good. I’ll come back later.’ She smiled as she quickly closed the door leaving the couple alone at least for a couple more hours.
---
Spike woke up feeling like he was floating. He could feel her hands strumming through his hair and tracing his cheekbone. He never remembered feeling this happy. Feeling this content. He prayed that it wouldn’t end that he could dream this dream forever. That he could wake up in her arms every morning for eternity.
Slowly his eyes opened and the reality hit him. He was in Sunnydale. There was no Buffy and it was a memory.
But a memory that was new. He thought that Tara was crazy, even though she had explained to him what had happened so many times. But he never truly believed her, he just thought that he was grieving or something.
His eyes adjusted to the slight glow of sunlight that filtered into the crypt and sighed, smiling.
---
William woke up looking up at her bright hazel eyes and smiled when she smiled back at him. Her shoulder was practically healed and the colour had returned to her face.
"How are you feeling?" William asked.
"Great compared to last night." Buffy continued to strum her fingers through his hair.
"Good. And last night...."
"Last night we finally didn’t hold back from each other. Let’s not make it under dire circumstances when we finally admit our feelings to each to other." Buffy said seriously. "I love you, William Kingston."
"I love you, Buffy Anne Summers."