Chapter 11:

Buffy stared at Spike, tensing up as he got off of the desk and began to walk towards her. She took a small step back, flinching when Anya gave her a slight push forward.

“I’ll let you two talk,” she said, closing the office’s door before walking into the main showroom of the gallery.

“What are you doing here?” Buffy asked in a whisper, keeping herself from reaching out to touch him in order to see if he was real or simply a mirage.

It’s just a dream, she told herself, even though she knew better. This isn’t of the good… He shouldn’t be here… not now.

“I needed to see you,” he said, putting his hands in the pockets of his jeans and taking a deep breath, trying to calm down his nerves.

“Well, you’ve seen me,” she replied, moving backwards until she felt the door behind her, putting her hand on the doorknob.

Before she could turn it, Spike moved forward and covered her hand with his, noticing her jolt at his close proximity.

“Can we talk, luv?” he asked quietly. “I mean, I flew halfway around the world to see you- I think you can spare a few minutes of your time to talk to me.”

“I’m not ready to talk,” she answered, removing her hand from under his before walking towards her desk and picking up a pile of mail.

Spike leaned against the door for a moment before asking, “Ready now?”

“I’m sorry,” she said after scouring through the envelopes in her hands, slowly raising her eyes to his. “I don’t know what else to say besides I’m sorry.”

“Why did you leave?” he asked. “Your note did little to explain what was going on in your head, Buffy.”

“I couldn’t stay with you,” she answered, sitting down on the edge of the desk and looking down. “We both know things between us won’t work, Spike.”

“According to whom?” he asked, crossing his arms.

“It’s a fact that most long-distance relationships don’t last,” she replied, sighing. “And I’d rather cut things off before they become even more serious.”

“Weren’t things serious enough in London?” he asked, frowning. “I don’t have casual sex, pet, and I’m fairly sure that you don’t, either. It meant something to me… You felt it, too, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” she said, looking at him and seeing the hopeful look on his face. “But it still won’t work for us.”

“Why the bloody hell not?” he asked, his voice raising a few levels. “When two people care about each other, they do everything in their power to make it work. Distance is something couples can deal with, Buffy- it shouldn’t deter them from staying together.”

“I know that, but-”

“Did you change your mind that day?” he asked, hearing the hurt tone in his own voice. “Was it a goodbye shag?” She raised an eyebrow, confused. “Why did you agree to date me one minute and then do a complete one-eighty not even a day later?”

“I don’t know,” she murmured, averting her eyes quickly and focusing on the ground.

“Yes, I think you do,” he replied sternly. “Tell me why you left, luv.”

“What do you want to hear, Spike?” she asked sharply, standing up and walking towards him. “That I made a bad call? That I regret going to London, sleeping with you?”

“Do you?” he asked, his heart pounding faster as she looked away. “Answer me.”

“No, I don’t regret things,” she answered. “I regret leading you on, yes, and I regret leaving you like I did, but I don’t regret visiting you or leaving in general.” She looked at him. “I was trying to keep us both from getting hurt even more down the road.”

“So Anya was right, then,” he replied, scoffing.

“What’re you talking about?” Buffy asked, studying him. “You talked to Anya about what happened?”

“How else would I have known to come here today?” he asked, smiling a little. “Called her the day you left to find out where you went- she told me you were returning today, so I flew in late last night.” He paused when she took a couple of steps back and leaned against her desk. “She suggested it was a defense mechanism.”

“What was?” Buffy asked. “Me leaving you?” When he nodded, she looked away and sighed. “No one wants to be hurt by someone they care about, Spike. I knew things were becoming serious between us- sleeping together probably didn’t help matters- and I couldn’t stand the thought of us breaking up later if we were in…”

“Love,” he supplied, not surprised when she nodded. “You don’t think you broke my heart when you left?”

“Spike, I-” she began, feeling tears form in her eyes as he opened the office door and looked down.

“I’m leaving in a couple of days,” he said, not willing to look at her. “If you want to see me, you can call my cell phone.”

“Where will you be?” she asked quietly, hearing how shaky her voice was.

“Around,” he answered simply.

“Don’t go yet,” she said when he began to walk away, feeling slightly relieved when he stopped and looked at her. “Please don’t leave right now.”

“You want me to stay, to listen to you break my heart even more?” he asked, noticing a tear roll down her cheek as he spoke. “We need to talk more- I agree completely with that- but I can’t stand here and pretend that things are alright. Not now, at least. You hurt me, Buffy- there isn’t much you can say to fix that. I don’t think I want you to try, even.”

“What are you saying?” she asked, feeling her stomach sink when he turned his back to her.

“Maybe you were right about us needing time to figure things out,” he said sadly. “You had your time, and now I need mine.” He looked over his shoulder at her. “I want to be with you, pet- you should know that by now.”

“I do,” she replied, walking to him again. “And I want to be with you, too, but it can’t work, Spike.”

“I don’t believe that,” he said, shaking his head and turning once again to face her. “It can work- we just need to deal with the distance issue.” He paused. “That’s the only reason, right?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, frowning. “That distance is the only reason we wouldn’t work?”

“Yes,” he answered, watching as she began to wring her hands. “Is it?”

“Probably,” she said quietly.

“Probably?” he hissed, not bothering to hide his anger. “What else is the matter?”

“I don’t know if I’m ready to be in a serious relationship again,” she murmured. “I didn’t think it would ever become as intense as it did.”

“You wanted it, too, though!” he shouted.

“Yes, but I…” she trailed off with a sigh. “I thought I was ready, but I’m not. I care about you, Spike, and-”

“If you really did, you wouldn’t have walked out on me,” he replied, beginning to walk out the door.

“Spike, don’t,” she said pleadingly, feeling tears begin to escape the corners of her eyes.

“I’ll be around if you change your mind,” he said, not looking back at her. “But I won’t wait forever, Buffy, and don’t expect me to. Just because I might have started to fall in love with you doesn’t mean I’ll patiently wait for you to change your mind for the rest of my life.”

Before she could respond, he stormed off, leaving the gallery. She watched him go, realizing what he had said as Anya walked towards her, frowning.

“What just happened?” she asked, flinching when Buffy slammed the door of her office.

She could hear the sound of Buffy crying from the other side of the door and slowly ran her hand over the wooden surface, sighing.

I never imagined she’d be the one to hurt him, she thought. They both deserve to be happy, and if she thinks that I’m going to support her choice to not be with Spike, then she’s got another thing coming.

“Buffy?” she asked, knocking on the door.

“I don’t want to talk, Anya,” she heard Buffy reply in a choked voice.

“Let me ask you one question,” Anya said as she opened the door a crack, peeking in to see Buffy sitting at her desk, her eyes red and puffy. “Do you honestly and sincerely care about Spike?”

“Yes,” Buffy answered, quickly wiping off her cheeks, even as more tears streamed down them.

“Do you think someday you might love him?” Anya asked.

“Yes,” Buffy said as she covered her face with her hands.

“Then get off your ass and go after him,” Anya said sternly, ignoring Buffy’s surprised expression as she looked at her. “He flew all the way from London to see you! How many men do you think would do something like that for a girl?”

“But-”

“Buffy, he’s the best thing you’ve ever had in your life,” Anya cut in. “I’ve seen how happy you are when he’s around, and-”

“He’s doesn’t live here anymore,” Buffy interrupted.

“He’s here right now!” Anya yelled, becoming upset. “Don’t be stupid and give up on what you two have… and might have in the future. I know how rough things were between you and Xander, but I think you need to get over it once and for all and give this a shot. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“He breaks my heart,” Buffy mumbled.

“Well, you broke his, so it would only be fair,” Anya said sternly. “If you don’t see him before he leaves and try working things out more, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life.”

“What makes you so sure?” Buffy asked, a part of her knowing Anya was right.

“Because I know you better than you know yourself,” Anya said, studying her for a moment before walking out.

Buffy looked at her desk and took several deep breaths to calm down before closing her eyes.

She’s right, she thought. I need to see him again and figure things out. We had something great going… and I messed it up. She opened her eyes and stood up. It could be even better than before if you’d give it a try, Summers. He deserves it, doesn’t he?

“Yeah, he really does,” she whispered to herself.
 

Chapter 12:

As Buffy exited her office a moment later, she was surprised to see her mother standing beside Anya, the two women talking quietly.

Well, this will make my day complete, Buffy thought, sighing.

“Hello, honey,” Joyce Summers said, walking over to her daughter and hugging her. “How was the trip?”

“Interesting,” Buffy answered. “And possibly life-altering.” At her mother’s confused expression, Buffy dismissively waved her hand. “It’s not something I want to talk about right now. What brings you in today?”

“Can’t a mom visit her daughter who just returned from a European adventure?” Joyce asked, smiling when Buffy crossed her arms and gave her an expectant look. “We have some things to discuss, dear. I believe Anya filled you in on a couple of things I discovered while you were away.”

“Can’t we save this conversation for a later day?” Buffy asked, beginning to walk towards the front door of the gallery. “I have some other issues I want to attend to first before I focus on the gallery.”

“Buffy, this is a serious situation,” Joyce said firmly. “The quicker we come up with a way to save this place, the faster you can deal with other things.”

“I don’t want to do this right now,” Buffy replied sternly.

“Her hot British boy-toy made a surprise appearance this morning,” Anya said, looking at Joyce. “You should probably let her go after him.”

“What?” Joyce asked, caught off-guard. “Who?”

“Long story, Mom,” Buffy said, narrowing her eyes at Anya.

“Well, you can tell me all about this man, then,” Joyce said, walking towards the office and motioning for Buffy to follow her.

Buffy took a deep breath before going to the office, muttering, “This must be my karmic punishment for being such a bitch to Spike.”

* * * * *

An hour later, Buffy stormed out of the office and ignored her mother as she called after her. Anya watched as Buffy left the gallery, raising an eyebrow when she saw her speed off minutes later. Joyce walked out of the office, sighing as she approached Anya.

“What was that all about?” Anya asked, frowning.

“I’m afraid I gave her some news she wasn’t ready to face yet,” Joyce answered. “If there isn’t a drastic improvement in the amount of profits the gallery is taking in, it will need to close earlier than I expected. I thought Internet sales were helping around here, which was an excellent suggestion on your part, by the way, to set up a website so that the gallery can sell to a wider range of customers.”

“Thank you,” Anya replied. “Here to help- I like my job.”

“But it seems that the financial situation is a bit worse than I thought it was.”

“Things got worse over the course of the last week?” Anya asked, surprised.

“Buffy told me she’s been paying off things around here with her own money,” Joyce said sadly. “Money that she inherited from her father when he passed away.”

“I thought she wasn’t supposed to touch that until after she got married and had kids or something,” Anya replied.

“She wasn’t,” Joyce agreed, walking into the office to grab her purse before heading to the front of the gallery. “Try to talk some sense into her, Anya. She knows she’d be better off closing this place, but she’s stubborn. I’m afraid she gets that from me.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Anya said, managing a weak smile as Joyce left.

Meanwhile, Buffy drove to her apartment, dialing a number on her cell phone as she made her way home. When she heard a familiar voice answer, she sighed with relief.

“I need to talk to you,” she said. “Can I see you tonight?”

“Sure, luv.”

* * * * *

A few hours later, Buffy got dressed up and drove to the restaurant she and Spike had met in months before, having arranged to see him there on the phone that afternoon. She wasn’t surprised to see him waiting inside for her and reflected on their first meeting, remembering how wonderful things had been that night.

I hope it can be that amazing again for us, she thought, giving him a small smile when he saw her enter the building.

“Hi,” she said quietly, raising an eyebrow when he hugged her. “What’s that all about?”

“You deserve it after having such a bad talk with your mum,” he answered. “Or should I not have done that?”

“No, it’s… appreciated,” she replied. “Ready to eat?”

“Yes,” he said, going to the host’s stand before they were led to a booth and sat down. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon- I figured you’d want a day or two to think about things.”

“I wasn’t about to sit at home alone tonight and wallow over the demise of the gallery,” she said, opening her menu. At his crestfallen expression, she continued, “And you and I need to talk more.”

“Glad to know you want me around more than just to keep you company,” he murmured, looking at his menu.

After they ordered drinks and entrees, Spike cleared his throat and looked at Buffy.

“So, what did you come up with in regards to our situation?” he asked, hoping he didn’t sound as nervous as he felt.

“Actually, I haven’t really… come to a conclusion yet,” she answered, looking down when he frowned, tilting his head. “I mean, I care about you, Spike, and I’m sure you don’t really believe that… which is understandable because I haven’t given you much of a reason to trust what I say, but-”

“You’re starting to babble,” he mumbled.

“Like I told you before, I’m not ready for something serious, and I don’t know when I will be,” she replied. “I don’t expect you to wait for me, either- that would be selfish, and I’ve already been selfish enough.”

Their waitress came to the table and set down their drinks, feeling the tension between the couple before she walked away.

“Yes, you have been selfish,” Spike said, looking at the beer bottle in front of him. “It’s not like I can force you to be with me, Buffy, even though it chokes me to think of not having you in my life. If you don’t want to do the whole long-distance dating thing, then we won’t. I can grow to accept that. It won’t come easily or quickly, but it’ll happen… eventually.”

“Then can we maybe… be friends?” she asked. “Until I’m ready for more? I know I want to be with you, Spike- I just need time to learn how to trust men again… and how to love someone.”

“Do you think maybe you’ll let me teach you?” he asked, his tone hopeful.

“I think I’d like that,” she replied, smiling softly before taking a sip of her drink. “I’m sorry you flew all the way to California to deal with this. I’m sure this isn’t what you expected.”

“I don’t really know what I was hoping for,” Spike said, scratching his forehead.

“Maybe for me to apologize profusely, tell you I messed up, and throw myself at you,” Buffy suggested in a light tone, happy when he smirked. “We can be friends, can’t we? I mean, I know it’s backwards to sleep with someone and then be friends… but it’d be nice if that could happen.”

“If that’s what you want, to be friends, then I guess that’s what will happen,” he replied. “Not like I’m going to turn the offer down.”

“Thank you,” she said sincerely, smiling when he put his hand on top of hers and squeezed it.

“You’re welcome, Goldilocks.”

* * * * *

After they finished eating, Spike escorted Buffy to the parking lot and was surprised when she kissed his cheek before she got into her car. He walked to his rental car and took his cell phone out of his pocket when it began to ring. He smirked when he saw his boss’ name appear on the screen before he answered it.

“Hello, Andrew,” Spike said. “Did you do that favor I requested this afternoon?”

“Yes, I did,” Andrew replied. “You’re lucky I like you so much- it wasn’t easy to do, and it definitely isn’t cheap. You owe me when you get back.”

“Told you I’d pay you in full for it,” Spike said.

“This girl must mean a lot to you,” Andrew said.

“She really does,” Spike replied, getting into the car and starting it.

“When are you going to tell her about this secret plan of yours?” his boss asked.

“Who says I’m going to tell her?” Spike asked. “She’ll find out if and when she needs to.”
 

Chapter 13:

As the next couple of days passed, Buffy and Spike spent a lot of time together, trying to rebuild their friendship and ignore what had happened between them in London. Even though it was hard to wipe the slate clean, they did their best to move on and enjoy their time together until he had to return home.

Buffy drove Spike to the airport and remembered when she had done the same thing months before, feeling the same sense of anxiety that she had felt back then as they waited for his flight to be announced, sitting in the same spot that they had been in when he left the first time.

“So, any progress on the gallery situation?” Spike asked casually, looking at her.

“Not really,” Buffy answered. “Mom’s still pretty upset that I tapped into some of my inheritance money. But, in my defense, I don’t think Dad would be too angry about it if he was still alive. He knows how much the gallery means to both Mom and I.”

“I’m sure things will work out,” he replied. “Have some faith, luv.”

“I have plenty of it,” she said, sighing. “It’s Mom that lacks it. That place used to be her life- I don’t understand why she seems so okay with shutting it down.”

“I’m sure the thought saddens her, too,” he said, taking her hand in his and lacing their fingers together.

“Do you really have to go?” Buffy asked, looking at him and pouting. “It’s nice to have you here, keeping me sane.”

“It’s nice to be here, keeping you sane,” he replied, smirking. “But all good things must come to an end.”

His flight number was called overhead, which prompted them both to stand from the hard plastic seats and slowly head towards the terminal. When they got close to it, Spike turned to Buffy and studied her sad expression before hugging her to him.

“I’ll be seeing you soon, Goldilocks,” he said. “You can count on that.”

“I hope so,” she replied. “Have a safe trip… and take care of yourself.”

“You, too, Buffy,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “This isn’t forever, you know- one day we’ll be together again.”

“I know,” she replied, giving him a small smile. “Bye, Spike.”

“Bye, kitten,” he said, their eyes locking for a long moment before he turned and walked away, handing a flight attendant his ticket before going through the terminal and disappearing from view.

It’s not forever, she reminded herself. I know I’ll see him again… I need to.

* * * * *

The day after Spike flew home, he went to the magazine’s main headquarters and took an elevator up to his boss’ office. He wasn’t surprised to see Andrew sitting behind his desk, playing with Star Wars action figures and talking to them. When he saw Spike standing in his doorway, he cleared his throat and tried to indiscreetly shove the plastic figurines into one of his desk drawers.

“So, I see you’re back,” Andrew said, feeling his face flush from embarrassment.

“I see you’re keeping yourself amused during your downtime,” Spike said, smirking.

“Did you bring the money you owe me?” Andrew asked, holding out a hand expectantly.

“Every pound you asked for,” Spike said, giving him a stack of dollar bills. “Do you have a preview of what I’m paying for? I’d like to see the finished product before it goes public.”

“Of course,” Andrew replied, opening one of his drawers and extracting a folder, pulling out a piece of paper and handing it to Spike.

He perused it for a moment before smiling and giving it back to Andrew.

“It’s perfect, mate,” Spike said. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome,” Andrew said. “Anything to help you get your girl back.”

“This isn’t about getting her back,” Spike replied. “It’s about making her happy.”

* * * * *

As the following days and weeks passed by, Buffy and Joyce continued to argue about the future of the gallery. It was around a month later when they began to notice an upsurge in the amount of online purchases.

“I don’t know where it’s coming from,” Buffy said as she walked in one morning with Anya at her side. “Not that I’m complaining- it’s wonderful- but it’s very odd. I mean, we’ve had the website up for a while now with a fairly good amount of people buying art, but it seems like there are ten times as many purchases this week than usual.”

“Maybe one of your guardian angels is looking over you,” Anya suggested, smiling. “Or maybe you’re finally getting a break.”

“That’d be nice,” Buffy replied, stopping in front of her office when she saw her mother seated at her desk. “Fancy seeing you here so early. I didn’t think you’d come in until this weekend.”

“The weather isn’t conducive to going outside and being productive,” Joyce said. “If we have one more day of clouds and rain, I might need to take a trip. I hear Europe is a nice place to visit.”

“It can be,” Buffy said, confused when she saw pages of paper going through the printer. “What are those for?”

“They’re all purchases,” Joyce answered, waiting until the printer stopped to grab the stack of papers. “Have you looked at the locations of the buyers, dear?”

“No,” Buffy said, looking at Anya for a moment. “I let Anya do all of the packaging and shipping.”

“I’m sure you’ve noticed a trend, haven’t you?” Joyce asked, looking at the other young woman.

“I might’ve,” Anya said, averting her eyes when Buffy looked at her, crossing her arms. “I was told to keep my mouth shut.”

“About what?” Buffy asked, becoming angry. “What ‘trend’? Who told you to keep something quiet?”

“The British hottie,” Anya said sheepishly, taking the papers from Joyce and holding them out to Buffy. “I’m sure you can figure things out for yourself.”

“What have you been hiding?” Buffy asked as she stared at the print-outs Anya had handed her.

“I’ve only been doing what Spike asked me to,” Anya said. “Just look at where the buyers generally are from- I’m sure you can figure it out on your own.”

Buffy began to skim through the words on the pages in front of her, flipping through the stack for a moment before raising an eyebrow and handing the sheets back to Anya.

“Will you two excuse me for a moment?” Buffy asked, moving to sit down on the edge of her desk.

“He just wanted to help you without you ever finding out,” Anya said as she walked out of the office, Joyce following her.

Buffy took a deep breath and collected herself before grabbing the phone and dialing a number, impatiently tapping her fingers along the wooden surface next to her as she waited for Spike to answer.

When he did a moment later, she cleared her throat and tried to keep her emotions from surfacing as she asked, “What did you do?”
 

Chapter 14:

“Hello to you, too, luv,” Spike said cheerfully. “I’m doing well. How are you?”

“Answer the question,” Buffy replied sharply before repeating, “What did you do?”

“What are you talking about?” he asked casually, sitting down on his couch.

“Did you think I wouldn’t figure something out?” she asked. “I mean, it’s pretty suspicious when I suddenly have a deluge of orders from overseas, don’t you think?”

“What makes you think I had anything to do with that?” Spike asked, smirking.

“I’m not dumb, William,” she said, surprising him at the use of his real name. “What did you do?”

“I bought space for a half-page ad in the magazine to advertise your gallery,” he answered, sighing. “I figured every little bit helps, right? The last time we spoke, you said that you were making a lot of profits, yes? The ad was a help, not a hindrance.”

“You shouldn’t have done it,” she said quietly.

“Why not?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow. “I would’ve thought you’d be happy about it. Besides, I’m not about to watch the gallery go down in flames- I figured advertising it in the magazine would be beneficial.”

“Yes, it was, but…” she trailed off as she felt tears forming in her eyes. “I’m sorry if I sound upset- I’m not. Well, I was for a couple of minutes, but… Thank you. It means a lot to me.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied, pleased with the change in her tone. “I’m glad I could help.”

“You did an excellent job, Mr. Stealthy,” she said jokingly. “How long did you think you’d get away with it?”

“Lasted longer than I had anticipated,” he answered, chuckling. “I thought I’d play your secret benefactor, in a manner of speaking. Anya suggested spreading the word about the gallery when I flew in last month, and I-”

“Anya?” Buffy asked, stunned.

“Well, she gave me the idea,” Spike said. “I already knew things weren’t on the up-and-up when it came to the gallery, although I had no idea how bad it was getting. I called Andrew, my boss, the day you returned to L.A. and asked that he do me a favor.”

“Which was getting space for the ad?” she asked.

“Exactly,” Spike said. “And making sure it would run in the latest issue of the magazine. Who knew my little plan would blossom so well?”

“Such a clever man you are,” she replied, smiling. “How much do I owe you?”

“Not a cent,” he said. “Well, kisses and lap-dances are always accepted, but you don’t have to feel obligated to provide me with them.”

“Good, I don’t,” she said, giggling. “But your generosity will be paid back in full sometime, I promise.”

“I can’t wait,” he said. “Now, you should get back to work. You’ve got loads of orders to send out, right?”

“As far as I know,” she answered. “Thank you, Spike. I can’t say that enough.”

“You deserve it, Buffy,” he said. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Bye,” she replied before hanging up the phone and taking a deep breath.

He really is one in a million.

* * * * *

“Forgive me?” Anya asked as Buffy emerged from her office minutes later.

“I wasn’t mad at you,” Buffy said. “I mean, you kept a secret from me, which isn’t something I particularly like, but there was a good reason for it. I’ll let it slide… this time.”

“I think I’d like to meet this man of yours,” Joyce said, coming out from the back storage room. “Maybe I should go to London and deliver a couple of pieces myself.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Buffy replied, crossing her arms.

“What makes you so sure?” Joyce asked, smiling warmly. “I think I owe him a thank you, too.”

“He and I are just friends,” Buffy said, surprised by her mother’s disbelieving expression. “What?”

“For some reason, I doubt that,” Joyce said before looking at Anya. “How about you?”

“I know better than to believe that,” Anya answered, winking at Buffy. “Now, who wants to help me pack up some artwork? I want to send a few things out tomorrow.”

“Go ahead,” Joyce said. “We’ll help after we talk for a moment.”

This can’t be good, Buffy thought, looking down as Anya walked into the back room.

“If this is about Spike-”

“It’s not,” Joyce cut in. “But we’ll get to him later.” Buffy raised her eyes to her mother’s. “I know you took it upon yourself to pay off things around here, but you should’ve known that I’d be willing to chip in, too. I’m still angry that you used some of the money your father left you, but I’m more upset that you didn’t tell me about things around here. This place means a lot to both of us, and I would’ve been happy to help out more. I don’t like being shut out of your life.”

“I didn’t want to let you down,” Buffy murmured. “I thought that if things looked good on the outside, you wouldn’t notice how poor it was doing on the inside. I wanted to run the gallery as well as you used to… I didn’t have the heart to tell you that I was running it into the ground instead, slowly but surely.”

“I wouldn’t have been disappointed,” Joyce said. “I understand how trying this business can be- art doesn’t exactly sell itself, and sometimes people aren’t willing to waste their money on things they don’t need. You’ve done an excellent job, Buffy, and I value your determination to make things better, but you can’t have the weight of the world resting on your shoulders all of the time. You need to let people in and allow them to help with burdens.”

“Yes, Mom,” Buffy replied, looking down. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I was scared that you’d be mad at me.”

“I’m not mad about the financial state here,” Joyce said. “Business is starting to pick up now, especially in England. I’m irritated that you took it upon yourself to keep paying off things that you shouldn’t have been with money you weren’t supposed to touch, but I’ll live with it.”

“Thank you,” Buffy said, smiling.

“But I do expect you to take some of the profits you earn and replenish your bank account,” Joyce said, walking towards her daughter and hugging her. “The last thing I need is to have a bankrupt gallery and a homeless daughter.”

“I know,” Buffy replied. “I’ll see what I can do to prevent that.”

“And you’ll keep me informed of everything around here from now on?”

“Of course,” Buffy answered petulantly. “I’d rather not be lectured again on the subject.”

“Good,” Joyce replied, pleased. “Now, update me on the situation with your savior in London.”

* * * * *

A couple of days later, Spike arrived at work and headed to his desk, surprised to see a Post-It note stuck to the monitor of his computer. He grabbed it and raised an eyebrow after reading that Andrew wanted to see him in his office in a few minutes.

What did I do wrong now? he asked himself as he turned on his computer before going to see Andrew.

Once he got to the office’s door, he knocked once and heard Andrew say, “Come in.”

“Heard you wanted to see me,” Spike said as he opened the door and walked in, stopping mid-step when he saw who was sitting across from Andrew, smirking at him.

“We both wanted to,” Andrew replied, grinning. “I was just getting acquainted with-”

“Buffy?”
 

Chapter 15:

“Hello, Spike,” Buffy replied, standing up.

“You’re late,” Andrew said, tapping the face of his watch.

“Sorry,” Spike apologized quietly, still staring at the woman he had grown to love, even despite all of the upsets and setbacks in their relationship. “What’re you doing here?”

“I wanted to thank your boss,” Buffy answered, smiling at Andrew. “Along with seeing the ad you had made for the gallery.” She picked up a magazine from the top of Andrew’s desk and paged through it. “I must say, it’s quite a nice publication.”

“Thank you,” Andrew replied, beaming. “You’re a peach.”

“And the ad is perfect,” she added. “I owe you both a debt of gratitude.”

“I’m happy it worked out,” Andrew said. “I’m sure Spike considers it a worthwhile investment.”

“Of course,” he murmured, the shock still evident in his tone. “You flew all the way to London to thank Andrew?”

“What’s so wrong with that?” Andrew asked, crossing his arms and frowning.

“Could’ve called him instead,” Spike said. “Would’ve saved you a bushel of cash.”

“He’s not the only reason I came here,” Buffy replied, hesitantly taking a few steps towards Spike. “I wanted to see you, too.”

“I’ll let you two catch up,” Andrew said, moving out from behind his desk and grabbing a stack of comic books that were resting atop a file cabinet. “I’ll be at your desk, Spike.” He walked to the door and paused as he opened it. “And no funny business- this office better be in tip-top shape when I return.”

“Thanks, Andrew,” Buffy said, smiling as he exited his office and shut the door behind him. She took a deep breath before focusing on Spike. “So, not happy to see me?”

“What gave you that idea?” he asked, tilting his head.

“The barrage of questions,” she answered, moving back a couple of feet and sitting on the edge of Andrew’s desk. “I can fly home now, if you want.”

“You really think I want you to?” he asked, taking a few steps towards her. “Not bloody likely.”

“So you’re happy I’m here?” she asked, smirking.

“You have no idea, pet,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head. “Quite an expensive way to say thank you, though. Flying halfway across the globe isn’t a cheap adventure.”

“I think it’s worth the money, don’t you?” she asked, looking up at him. “It’s the least I can do to pay you back. I figured a surprise visit might brighten up your day.”

“You were right,” he said, running his hand over her hair. “How long are you here?”

“Couple of days,” she answered, shrugging. “Enough time to get over jet-lag before flying home and dealing with it again.”

“Is it really a good time for you to be away from the gallery, now that business is booming?”

“Anya can handle herself,” Buffy said, shrugging. “And Mom is there, too, to help with orders and packing things up to send out.”

“Did you bring anything to deliver while you’re here?” he asked curiously.

“Would’ve been a smart idea, but no, this trip is all about pleasure, not business,” she answered, grinning.

“Is that right?” he asked, not bothering to hide the intrigue in his voice.

“So to speak, at least,” she replied warningly, gently poking his chest. “I’m not jumping you in your boss’ office. Sounds good in theory, but that wasn’t the point of me coming here today.” She paused and looked down for a moment. “I have some things I want to say to you.”

“I’m all ears,” he said, becoming nervous as he thought about all of the possible topics she could bring up.

“I’m not good when it comes to romance,” she began, keeping her eyes averted from his. “My past relationships haven’t been stellar- you know most of the details already. I’ve never been lucky when it comes to finding a good man who’s worthy of entering into a relationship with.” She exhaled the breath she didn’t realize she was holding as she raised her eyes to his. “Not until I met you.”

Spike’s eyes widened at her words, slightly caught off-guard by the emotions in her voice. Before he could say anything, she continued speaking.

“I know I messed up things for us before, and that is definitely something I’m going to regret for the rest of my life,” she said, cautiously choosing her words as she tried to express how she felt. “But the things I’d regret the most are not trying to fix things between us even more… and not giving you and I another shot.”

“Buffy-”

“Let me finish,” she cut in, taking one of his hands in hers. “I don’t know if I’m ready to be in a serious relationship yet. For that matter, I don’t know when I will be. I’m scared of getting my heart ripped in two down the road again- I think once is more than enough for one lifetime.”

“I wouldn’t ever hurt you like that,” Spike said, squeezing her hand. “You should know that by now, luv.”

“I do know that,” she replied. “That’s kind of the driving force behind me flying here.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, his anxiety increasing as he began to figure out what she was talking about.

“There are plenty of men out there who I could date,” she said, hearing a quiet, possessive growl coming from him, which caused her to smile. “Plenty of men who I could potentially have feelings for and convince myself that they’re worthy of being with. I could tell myself repeatedly that they’re right for me, that they’ll help me deal with my issues and-”

“What’re you trying to get at, Buffy?” he asked, interrupting her before she could continue to babble.

“My point is that I don’t want any other men,” she said. “I want you.”

Spike stared at her in stunned silence, not being able to tell if she had really said the words or if he had simply imagined them.

“Can you say that again?” he whispered, feeling his heartbeat quicken as she got off of the desk and rested her hands on his chest.

“I want you, Spike,” she said. “I want you to be the one who helps me figure out leftover issues from my past, who teaches me how to trust men again and how to love someone so much that they’re the only thing you ever think about, dream about.”

For the first time since he had known her, he was rendered speechless. She nudged him after a moment, trying to keep a smile on her face even as worry began to course through her.

“Spike?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he managed to get out, nodding slowly. “I don’t know what to say, pet.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” she said, feeling her happy expression fade into one of concern.

“Why would it be bad?” he asked after a moment, a grin forming on his lips before he pulled her flush up against his body and hugged her to him, crushing his lips to hers and delighting in the gasp he heard from her. “Did you really think I’d turn you down, luv? That speech of yours could make a grown man cry.”

“I don’t see any tears in your eyes, mister,” she said jokingly, cupping his cheeks in her hands.

“Then you’re not looking hard enough,” he replied. “Or I’m doing a fine job of keeping myself together.”

“Can’t look like a pansy, eh?” she asked. “Even in front of the woman who just proclaimed her feelings for you.”

“You do realize what you’re asking of me, right?” he asked, his tone becoming serious. “If we start a relationship, you can’t just walk away again when you get scared. You can’t push me away when things get rough or too hard to handle.”

“I know that,” she replied. “Besides, you’d just get on a plane and track me down.”

“Damn right, I would,” he said, smiling.

“So, do you accept my proposition?” she asked. “Of playing teacher and being the only man in my life?”

“We have a lot of things to talk about still,” he said. “Like the location differences, how we’re going to conduct a relationship…” She nodded, nuzzling her face into his chest and familiarizing herself with his scent after being apart for over a month. “But yes, Buffy- I’m in this one hundred percent… as long as you are.”

“One hundred percent,” she agreed before wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his.
 

Chapter 16:

One Year Later


Buffy frantically moved throughout the gallery, making sure that everything was perfect and spotless for the twentieth anniversary gala that was to take place in less than an hour.

“Everything looks great,” Anya said as she adjusted a small ceramic statue. “Stop walking around so much- you’re making me nervous.”

“Sorry,” Buffy mumbled as she moved the statue in front of Anya back to the way it had been a moment before. “I just want everything to be amazing tonight. It’s a big deal, you know? I never thought I’d see this place turn twenty. We barely made it to nineteen.”

“It’s been a whirlwind year, hasn’t it?” Joyce asked, exiting Buffy’s office and closing the door behind her. “I must admit that I had my reservations about keeping this place open, but you’ve done an excellent job with it, dear.”

“Thank you,” Buffy replied, her eyes traveling around the room in an attempt to notice any small flaws.

“Where’s Spike?” Anya asked, sharing a look with Joyce. “He’s supposed to be here, right?”

“He had issues with his flights,” Buffy answered, stopping her perusal of the gallery to look at Anya instead. “The plane he took to New York arrived half an hour later than it was supposed to, which caused him to miss the flight to Los Angeles.” She paused and anxiously wrung her hands. “I don’t know if he’ll be here or not.”

“Who?” a voice asked from behind her.

She whirled around and grinned when she saw Spike standing near the front of the building, already dressed in a black, pinstriped suit. She walked to him and hugged him tightly, grateful that he had arrived and would be there for the party.

“I didn’t know if you’d make it,” she murmured into his chest.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” he replied, kissing her forehead. “If necessary, I would’ve run across the country to be here.”

“With those lungs of yours?” Buffy joked, playfully nudging him. “Smokers don’t tend to do well when it comes to running.”

“I haven’t smoked in a long time, thank you,” he said, narrowing his eyes at her. “My lungs are fine.”

“Hello, William,” Joyce said, walking towards the couple and hugging him. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“You, too, Joyce,” he replied, smiling. “How have you been?”

“Not much has changed since I saw you last month,” she answered. “You must be practically broke from all of the traveling you do.”

“It’s worth the money,” he said, winking at Buffy, who slightly blushed and averted her eyes from his.

“How were your flights?” Joyce asked conversationally, linking her arm with his as she escorted him towards the refreshments that covered a nearby table.

“Long,” he said, shrugging. “But I sat next to this wonderful redhead on my way to New York named Willow.” He looked over his shoulder at Buffy. “I thought she seemed familiar- it turns out that I saw her at the airport when you arrived in London that first time.” At Buffy’s confused expression, he continued. “She’s dating that girl you got off of the plane with. I believe her name is Tara.”

“Wow,” Buffy replied, her eyes widening slightly. “That’s quite coincidental.”

“That’s what I thought, too,” he said, grabbing a flute of champagne and handing it to her. “Want some liquid courage before people arrive?”

“That’s probably a good idea,” Buffy said, taking the glass from him. “I have to give a speech, something I loathe doing.”

“I understand completely,” he replied. “You’ll be fine, luv.”

“I hope so,” she said, sipping the champagne. “It means a lot that you’re here.”

“Told you before that I wouldn’t have missed tonight,” he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and kissing her temple.

* * * * *

Nearly two hours later, the gallery was filled with a large crowd of people, many of whom had been customers throughout the years.

“What an amazing turnout,” Joyce whispered to Buffy as they both tapped the sides of their champagne flutes with forks to get everyone’s attention.

As the group quieted down, Buffy cleared her throat and silently prayed that she wouldn’t embarrass herself somehow.

“First, on behalf of my mother, dear friend Anya, and I, I’d like to thank you all for being here tonight,” she began. “This gallery means a lot to us, and we’re happy that you’re here to celebrate this occasion with us.” As many people clapped, she smiled warmly before continuing. “It is because of our wonderful customers that not only are we celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the gallery, but we’re also celebrating the recent purchase of space for a gallery in London.”

Buffy’s eyes locked with Spike’s as more clapping ensued, the look of shock on his face amusing Buffy and causing her to giggle quietly.

“We hope to launch the new gallery overseas within the year, and I will be moving there in a couple of weeks to get things off and running,” Buffy said, sharing a smile with her mother. “I’ll be running the gallery in London, which will leave Anya in charge of everything around here.”

Joyce hugged Anya, who had no idea of Buffy and Joyce’s plan to leave the gallery in her hands.

“Are you serious?” Anya asked, looking at Joyce.

“We know you’ll do a wonderful job,” the older woman replied, smiling.

“We hope that you all will continue to support the gallery, and once again, thank you for your help and patronage over the last twenty years,” Buffy said, raising her champagne flute. “It’s because of you that the gallery is still open today, and we can’t express our gratitude enough for that. Cheers!”

Before Joyce and Buffy could clink their glasses together, Spike embraced Buffy tightly, still stunned by her announcement.

“You’re moving to London?” he asked, cupping her cheeks in his hands.

“Is that alright?” she asked, smirking. “Us sharing the city together?”

“You have no idea,” he answered, pressing his lips to hers. “I’ve dreamt of something like this for so long, Buffy.”

“Me, too,” she replied, grazing his cheek. “Especially since it means I won’t have to keep flying over an ocean to see you.”

“And we won’t have to keep chasing each other across the globe,” he added, smiling.

“Probably,” she joked, laughing when he growled warningly. “So, where can I find an apartment there?”

“Well, I know of one that has ample space for you,” he said. “And you’d have a devilishly handsome roommate, too, who’d protect you… pamper you… and shag you until you can’t walk straight.”

“Andrew needs a roommate?” she asked in faux seriousness.

He crushed his lips to hers, surprising her at the intensity of the kiss.

“Andrew knows better than to try touching my woman,” he replied in a low tone, his eyes darkening with lust.

“Your woman?” she asked. “I like the sound of that. Then again, you usually sound sexy when you’re being possessive.”

“I thought I always sound sexy?” he asked, pouting.

“Yeah, you do,” she agreed. “But you’re almost always possessive.”

“Only because I don’t want to lose you again,” he replied, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“You won’t lose me again,” she said sincerely. “I’m yours, Spike.”

“I love you,” he whispered before kissing her.

“I love you, too,” she said, noticing the sparkle in his eyes. “Thank you for showing me how amazing love can be.”

“Thank you for giving me a shot,” he replied. “And for contacting me through The International Love Agency last year.”

“It was the best decision I’ve ever made,” she said, grinning.

“The Internet is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?” Spike asked, pulling her even closer to him.

“Yes, it really is, William.”



The End