Chapter 13
“What?” asked Spike.
“Take me to bed,”
“Yeah I got that part, why?” Maybe he was off his gourd to be questioning her at a time like this, but he needed to be sure it was what she really wanted and not out of some kind of gratitude or other.
“Do you need me to draw diagrams?” she asked.
Spike shook his head, “No, but it’s what you want?”
Buffy leaned up on tiptoe to kiss him on the lips. She placed his hand on her breast; she pulled away from him to look him in the eyes. “I want you, and only you,”
“Buffy, I want you too, but before we go to bed, I need to know...is this your first time?” he asked.
Buffy’s heart leapt at the words before we go to bed. She had been afraid that he was about to reject her.
“What makes you think that? Is it some kinda of sin to be a virgin at my advanced age?” she asked sarcastically, as angry colour flooded her cheeks.
“No, I think it’s beautiful. I just want you to be sure that you want me as your first lover, and that there is no room for regrets on your part,”
Buffy sucked in a breath, realising that she wanted this more than anything she had ever wanted in her adult life, apart from Dawn’s health. She bit her lip as was her habit to do so when in conflict. She looked at Spike, seeing the fear of her answer in his eyes.
“Spike take me up those stairs and make me yours before I pick you up and carry you up there myself, ” she said breathily.
“I’d like to see you try,” he chuckled, “But I might be able to oblige the lady,”
Spike scooped her up in his arms and took the stairs at a run.
“Eager much?” Buffy giggled shyly, arching an eyebrow at him, before crushing her lips to his.
He kicked open the door and lowered Buffy gently onto the bed.
“God, you look so beautiful,” he replied fiercely, as he walked over to the bed and switched on the lamp.
“I thought you would want to be in the dark,” she said nervously.
“I want to be able to look at every inch of that luscious body and see every emotion in your eyes as I make love to you. Do you know that having you so near me night after night has driven me to near insanity?” he asked.
“Me too,” she admitted, “I just wasn’t sure you felt the same way,”
Spike took her hand and placed it on his body. “Does this feel like I’m not interested?”
Buffy swallowed at the feel of him under her hand, a little frightened at his size, that she had only glimpsed at before.
“You feel...g-good,” she replied.
Spike smiled at her before lowering his head to kiss her lips. He moved on to her neck, kissing and nibbling at the soft white skin and tasting the perfume that was uniquely her. Buffy thrust her hands into his hair as he trailed kisses along her collar bone to the lacy edging of her bra. He lifted up his head to look at her. Buffy sat up a little to shed her blouse, she pulled Spike’s shirt off him with such force that a couple of buttons went flying. Both of them laughed.
“Who’s the eager one now pet?” he asked as he unclasped her bra, both of them impatient to feel skin against skin.
He was right, she was eager, eager to start living...and she realised with a jolt... maybe even loving.
Buffy arched up on the bed as his kisses travelled lower until he was at the waistband of her skirt. He reached behind her and unzipped it, taking the remainder of her clothing with it until she was naked to his gaze.
“Every bit as lovely as the first night you lay in my arms,” he said in awe.
Spike removed the rest of his clothing, and covered her body with his own. They lay there together like that for a few moments, he didn’t want to rush her or frighten her in anyway, wanting her to get used to the weight of his body on hers. Buffy had other ideas as she wriggled her hips and made him groan. She smiled at him with a satisfied gleam to her eyes, self satisfied in the knowledge that she had caused him to cry out.
“You’re a tease Buffy Sutton,” he said slowly worked his way down her body.
“Nope, but I am learning to be,” she gasped as he touched her intimately.
“Two can play at that game,” he replied, looking up at her, his tongue touching his lower lip, before lowering his head again.
The room was filled with their mutual whispers and sighs, Buffy writhed beneath his touch wanting release from the heat that Spike had ignited within her. She parted her legs instinctively, pleading with him to take that final step. Spike looked at her, an unspoken question in his eyes. She nodded, her eyes glazed with passion as Spike thrust forward. She cried out in pain, he begun to pull away, but she wrapped her legs around him urging him on. The hurt soon begun to fade to be replaced by pleasure she had only dreamt of...
Buffy looked at the clock, it read one am. Spike was sleeping softly by her side, a little smile lifting the corners of his mouth. He looked relaxed and almost boyish in the soft moonlight. She wondered what he dreamt of while he slept. Her stomach rumbled distracting her from her thoughts. She slipped her arm out from under him, and sat up, wincing a little at the soreness of her limbs and other places. She smiled in remembrance of their passion as she eyed the scattered clothing on the bedroom floor.
For once she felt really blessed to have had her first time with someone as tender as Spike. A few of her friends had told her horror stories of their first times with guys who had cared nothing except for their own pleasure, but he had been there with her, every step of the way. She placed a kiss on his lips before shrugging on her dressing gown to set off on a mission to find something fattening and preferably covered with chocolate.
She crept out of the room not wanting to wake Spike, and not really sure what she would say to him when they did get around to having “The Talk” which she knew was surely coming. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk; she just needed to sort out the jumble of emotions that rattled around inside her. Buffy knew it was clichéd, but she finally understood what some of the fuss was about...
Spike opened his eyes and reached over for Buffy, encountering only a pillow, he sat up in bed and looked around the empty room.
“Buffy luv?”
He lifted back the covers and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Where was she? Maybe he’d been too rough and had unwittingly hurt her. He needed to find her and make sure she was okay. Spike looked around the room, spying his pyjama bottoms on the floor; he picked them up and hastily pulled them on. He marched out of the room, checking the bathroom first before running downstairs. The house was silent. His head whipped round as he heard the muffled Klink of glass.
“Buffy?”
Spike walked towards the kitchen, and flung the door open. Buffy’s head was in the freezer side of the fridge, she shot up guiltily and quickly shut the door as she heard him enter. She was licking her lips; Spike’s eyes followed the movements of her tongue.
“The bed got cold,” he said, inwardly relieved that his bride hadn’t decided to do a runner.
“I got hungry,” she replied awkwardly, unable to meet his eyes.
Spike walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.
“So I see, it running down your chin,” Spike flicked his tongue out to lick the chocolate sauce from the corner of her mouth. “You taste good,”
“Oh I er...thanks,” she stuttered, affected by his nearness.
Spike could feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest, and the blush that stained her cheeks as she ventured a quick glance at him. Unable to help herself she looked up at him again, mesmerised by the desire she read in his eyes.
“Come back to bed Buffy,” he urged, lowering his lips to hers.
They broke apart moments later.
“Yes, she replied simply.
Spike reached behind her and opened the freezer, taking out the carton of Ben and Jerry’s that still had a spoon inside it. He grinned at her as he led her from the kitchen and switched off the light.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
“You’ll see pet. There’s more than one way to eat ice-cream,” he replied, arching an eyebrow at her.
Willow checked her watch. “Dawnie it’s almost one thirty in the morning, Buffy would kill me if she knew you were still up,”
“Aww c’mon Will, what Buffy doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” groaned Dawn. “Besides we haven’t watched Mean Girls yet. Don’t wanna waste a good rental,”
“Fine, but I’m getting the quilt, and you can lie on the sofa. I won’t have you over doing it,”
“You’re worse than Buffy,” said Dawn rolling her eyes at Willow.
“We’re just looking out for you,” said Willow, softening her words with a smile.
“Fine,” said Dawn as she stretched out on the sofa. “While you’re at, it how about some more microwave popcorn?”
“You’re pushing your luck,”
Dawn grinned at her cheekily knowing it was a done deal. She settled down on the sofa and turned the film on. Willow shook her head as she walked out the room and got the quilt and dropped it on Dawn’s lap, before heading off to the kitchen. Dawn winced in pain as she felt a familiar ache in her stomach. Maybe just a little too much popcorn, she grimaced
Willow came back in a few moments later, to find Dawn engrossed in the film.
“Did you turn up the heating in here? Cos I’m sweating like a pig, that is of course if pigs sweat,” said Dawn
“Are you okay?” asked Willow in concern.
“Sure just a little belly ache, I think I O.D.’ed on the sugary snacks,”
They sat together, huddled up in the quilt munching on the popcorn watching the story unfold on screen. The movie finished and Willow walked over to the TV to switch it off. Dawn had fallen asleep some time ago, but Willow had wanted to see how it ended. She yawned and sleepily made her way back to Dawn, not wanting to leave the teen on the sofa all night. She herself had fallen asleep on there till morning before, and lived to regret it.
“Dawnie, c’mon lets get you up to bed,” sad Willow, as she gently shook her. Dawn didn’t respond. “Dawn? Dawn!” Dawn’s head lolled to the side, and Willow felt the panic rise inside her. She frantically knelt down and put her head to Dawn’s chest, some of her fear abated as she heard the beat of her heart, albeit a little too fast. She quickly scrambled to her feet and ran to the phone and dialled 911.
Secure in the knowledge that an ambulance was on its way, she called Buffy. The phone rang and rang, but no one answered.
Willow started to cry. “Buffy where are you?” She replaced the receiver and paced the room. “Oh God what do I do?” Faith, she’ll know what to do, and Angel is Spike’s friend. Willow went back over to the phone and called Angel’s number.
“Hello?” Faith’s husky voice replied on the other end. “Whoever you are, this had better be a good one, I was catching some shut eye,”
“Faith, its Willow,”
“Willow, what’s up?” asked Faith, hearing the distress in her friend’s voice.
“It’s Dawn, she came here for a sleepover, we were watching a movie and afterwards I couldn’t wake her. I can’t get a hold of Buffy. I don’t know what to do Faith,” cried Willow.
“You called an ambulance right?” asked Faith.
“It’s on its way,”
“Angel and I, will take care of Buffy, we’ll get her there. We’ll break the door down if we have to. Catch you at the hospital,” said Faith as she hung up.
Willow sagged against the wall for a moment, until she heard the wail of the ambulance sirens in the distance. She flung the door open and waited for them, seconds later they ran in through the front door as she directed them to the lounge. She watched helplessly as they worked on Dawn.
“She is gonna be okay right?” asked Willow.
“We have to get her to the hospital ma’am, are you next of kin?” asked the medic.
“I am her sister’s best friend; we’re trying to get a hold of her. Is it okay if I ride with her in the ambulance?”
“Sure,”
The third medic came in with a trolley and they placed Dawn on it. Willow grabbed her bag and ran out after them and got in with Dawn. The sirens wailed again and they were off.
“Please let her be okay,” said Willow under her breath.
Buffy awoke with a start, it sounded like someone was hammering on the front door. She turned to Spike and woke him.
“I think someone is trying to break in,” said Buffy fearfully.
Spike got up off the bed and quickly dressed, throwing on some sweatpants and a t-shirt. “Stay here, I’ll take care of it,”
“Be careful,” said Buffy. As soon as Spike was gone from the room, she pulled a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from closet, and poked her head around the edge of the bedroom door.
She frowned, there were voices, it sounded like Faith and Angel, but what would they be doing here this time of night? Buffy ran down stairs to investigate.
“Faith what is it?” asked Buffy, scared by the look on her friend’s face.
“Buffy we tried to call, but no one was picking up...there is no easy way to say this, you gotta come with us, it’s Dawn,”
“What about Dawn? She is sleeping over at Willows tonight,”
“Yeah I know, Willow called us, they are at the hospital now,”
Spike walked over to Buffy and put his arms around her, but she was so numb that it almost didn’t register.
“C’mon luv, let’s get you to your sister,” he said soothingly.
Buffy looked up at Spike, her eyes blank. She pulled away from him and walked over to the hall cupboard as if in a trance to get her coat.
“I’m sorry Buffy,” offered Angel as he led her out to the car. She nodded at him vaguely.
The ride to the hospital was taken in heavy silence. Spike saw the tears shimmering in Buffy’s eyes and spill down her cheeks. He put up a hand to wipe them away and she flinched in surprise and looked at him with such agony in her face.
“The nibblet will be okay. You’ll see Buffy,” he tried to reassure her. She just looked away and stared out of the window. Spike sighed and did the same.
The car pulled up at the hospital, it had barely come to a halt, when Buffy wrenched open the door and ran across the parking lot.
“Buffy!” Spike called after her.
Faith put an arm on Spike’s hand. “Let her go, I get the feeling she is suffering a huge side order of guilt right now. You two did the deed tonight, didn’t you?” asked Faith.
Spike looked at her, “How do you know?”
“Let’s just say I read it in her eyes,” she replied as they walked across the lot. Angel linked his arm through Faith’s.
“Sorry Buddy, but you couldn’t expect me to lie to Faith about your marriage could you?” asked Angel.
Spike sighed. “I guess not, but Dawn and Buffy are all I care about now,”
“See I told ya he loves her Angel,” said Faith.
The three of them walked into the brightly lit hospital reception. “Dawn Summers?” asked Spike.
“Are you family? Because only family are allowed to see her at the moment,” said the Nurse suspiciously.
“I’m her brother-in-law,” Spike stated.
“Okay, but the rest of you will have to sit in the waiting room,” the nurse informed them.
Spike took off in search of his missing wife. He found her in a private room with Dawn and Willow. She was sitting next to Dawn’s bed and holding her sister’s hand.
Spike looked at Willow “How is she?” he asked.
“They are running tests now, but they think its pancreatitis, probably brought on by a reaction to her chemo meds,” said Willow.
Buffy’s face crumpled at her friend’s words, Spike went over to her and took her in his arms.
“God, it’s my entire fault,” Buffy sobbed. “I should have been there, I should have known...”
“Buffy, you couldn’t have...it’s nobody’s fault...” Spike trailed off at a loss for words.
They had been sitting there in silence for what seemed like an eternity. The only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock, time had lost all meaning. All the occupants of the room could think of was Dawn.
Dawn stirred in the bed and opened her eyes, focusing on Spike. He smiled at her reassuringly.
“How did I end up here?” asked Dawn “One minute I was watching a movie then bam, nothing,”
“Dawnie,” Buffy smiled at her teary eyed.
All heads turned as the door opened and the doctor entered the room.
TBC
Chapter 14
“I need to speak to you outside for a moment if you please?” asked the doctor.
Buffy paled, these private doctor/relative chats never went well. Spike got up from his seat, “I’ll come with you,” he offered.
“No you stay here with Dawn, thanks anyway. Willow?” asked Buffy.
She looked away, her heart ached at the stricken expression in his eyes, but she couldn’t think about that now.
“Uh, ok, if you’re sure,” she replied uncertainly.
Spike slumped down in his chair in defeated resignation. Buffy had put her barriers up again. There may as well have been a twelve foot brick wall between them.
Dawn looked at Spike, and she smiled weakly at him and held out her hand. Spike got up and walked over to her bedside and took it.
“Why do you look so sad Spike? You look like a guy who won the lottery just to discover he’s lost the ticket,” joked Dawn.
“I’m okay Dawn really, you should be worrying about getting well, not about my troubles,” Spike chided her gently.
“But I do worry, I love you Spike…er like a brother of course, but I do,” grinned Dawn shyly.
“I love you too nibblet, that’s why I want you to get better above all else,”
They were interrupted as Buffy and Willow came back in. Buffy avoided both her sister and her husband’s eyes as she sat on the edge of the bed.
“So what did the doc say?” asked Dawn.
Buffy remained silent, as she studied the toe of one of her boots.
“Dawn has the right to know pet, she’s not five,” said Spike quietly.
Buffy’s head snapped up and she sucked in a breath before she began.
“The tests were right, it is pancreatitis. They are going to try some new meds, but they say the only real option now is a bone marrow transplant…I’m sorry, if I had been there I might have been able…” she trailed off.
“To what Buffy? Stop her getting sick? Why do you keep blaming yourself? You’re not infallible,”
“Thank you Spike, I couldn’t have said it better myself,” said Dawn, as she looked at her sister, the anger flashing in her eyes.
“Instead of going on about what you could have done, how about doing something in the now,” said Spike.
“Like what? Crawl in that bed and take Dawn’s place, because if I could, I would, in a heartbeat,” sobbed Buffy.
“I was thinking of doing something a little more positive like being tested for donor compatibility actually,” snapped Spike. He ran his hands tiredly through his hair, to try and dampen down his rising temper.
Dawn’s face crumpled as her sister’s words sank in, and she held out her arms to her. Buffy ran to her sister and hugged her tightly to her chest. She stroked her hair as she rocked Dawn almost like a baby.
“I can’t lose you Dawn, you’re all I have,” Buffy whispered against her hair.
Willow looked at Spike, gauging his reaction to his wife’s softly spoken words. She saw the pain that flashed in their depths before he turned on his heel and walked out of the room.
Dawn looked up at Buffy “You have Spike too Buffy. He loves you so much,” said Dawn.
Buffy stiffened in her sister’s arms as it hit her, she did love him, so very much, but every time she looked at him, she imagined herself in his arms making love while her sister had been in pain and needing her. The disgust and self loathing she felt raged through her like a wild river, bent on a course of destruction. She had been on the verge of admitting her feelings to Spike too, until their new found happiness had come crashing down around her ears.
“I love him too,” said Buffy, somehow saying it aloud made it seem more real, she said it again. “I love Spike,”
“Yeah I gathered that, why else would you have married him?” asked Dawn.
“Why else indeed…er…I’m gonna go check on Spike,” said Willow, wanting to let the sisters have some alone time. “Want a soda?”
Buffy nodded and smiled at Willow, as she made to leave the room.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Spike stood outside the entrance to the hospital, a cigarette in his hand. He had been trying to quit and was on the patch, but desperate times called for stress relief that only the nicotine could give him. He was angry at himself for what he considered his selfish thoughts, but hearing Buffy say that Dawn was the only person she had, had struck him to the core. Okay, they had made love, he didn’t expect her declaration of undying love afterwards, but he was sure it had meant something to her. Maybe she had just grown tired of being a virgin and he was the most convenient and attractive male at hand? He thought bleakly to himself as the old self-doubts began to pour in.
He flicked the cigarette butt to the sidewalk and ground it out with his boot.
“Could have sworn you were quitting Spike, or should I say are you a quitter?” asked Willow.
Spike cocked his head and looked at her. “I won’t even begin to pretend that I know what you are talking about red,”
“Well, if you had hung around a little longer, you might have heard something pretty interesting,” replied Willow.
“Like what? Buffy telling Dawn that she is the only thing that gives her life meaning? Already been there and done that,” Spike replied.
“Never mind, if you can’t see it, then I am certainly not gonna spell it out for you,” Willow sighed, and she marched off back inside the hospital.
Spike growled “Bloody bints, they all talk in another language! Why the hell was there never a dictionary invented to give us poor men a heads up?” He looked up into the night sky as if it held all the answers.
“Spike? Talking to yourself, not a good sign old friend,” said Angel.
Spike rolled his eyes and lit up another cigarette.
“Yeah why don’t you light up captain peroxide, maybe if you share them around and we can all slowly die of cancer, rather than face our problems,” said Faith, mockingly.
“How’s Buffy’s little sister?” asked Angel.
Spike took a drag on the cigarette and exhaled before answering his friend’s question.
“It’s not good; she needs a bone marrow transplant mate,”
“I know there is a registry for that, but I’ll sign up for testing,” said Faith.
“Count me in too,” said Angel.
Spike smiled at his friends. “Thanks,”
As he walked back into the hospital, Angel patted him on the back. “Anytime Spike,” he replied.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When they went back in, Spike found Dawn’s doctor and the three of them offered to be tested. It was the matter of a little blood sample being taken from each of them. Faith had already called Xander and Mr Giles. They were on their way to the hospital for testing, even Anya. Spike made his way back to Dawn’s room, he knocked before entering.
Dawn had fallen asleep again; and Buffy was staring at the floor.
“You can go and get your blood tests now, I‘ll sit with Dawn. Faith and Angel have already had one and Giles and your friend Xander are on their way,” Spike informed them.
“Angel? Why would he help me? He hardly knows me,” said Buffy.
“Because, he is a friend and he knows how much Dawn means to you and me,” said Spike.
Buffy nodded a little shamefaced. “I will have to remember to thank him next time I see him,”
Willow linked arms with Buffy and led her from the room. Spike sighed almost with relief at his wife’s departure. It had taken nearly all his self restraint to not grab her and kiss her senseless and try and instil some sanity into her, but he had a strong sense of self preservation, guessing that kissing her would only serve to make things worse while she was in her current frame of mind.
He sat there, watching Dawn as she slept. When had his life become so complicated? He mused. The moment you laid eyes on Buffy Summers you ponce. He shook his head in self derision. One thing he did know, even though so much had happened, he couldn’t imagine wanting to be any other place, but with Buffy and Dawn. Even his writing had taken a backseat to helping his new family. He wasn’t hard up for a few quid, but he still had a manuscript that needed pimping. Right now, that could go to hell for all he cared. Spike looked up as Buffy and Willow re-entered the room. She still wouldn’t look him in the eye. Okay if she wanted to play it that way for now, he wasn’t gonna kick up a fuss.
“Well we just did our impressions of a human pincushion, the doctors are hoping that Buffy will be a match, being family and all,” smiled Willow weakly.
“Hope is in short supply right now,” said Buffy quietly.
“I know the feeling,” Spike mumbled under his breath.
“What was that?” asked Buffy, turning her head to finally really look at him.
“Nothing pet, let’s keep our fingers crossed that the test results will be good news,” he replied smoothly.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Angel and Faith dropped Spike and Buffy back home just as the sun was coming up. They walked in awkward silence up the path to the house. Spike used his key and opened the door, waiting for Buffy to go first, before closing it behind them.
“I think you need to go to bed Buffy. You look about ready to drop,” said Spike in concern.
Buffy nodded at him before heading in the direction of the stairs. Spike walked around the living room, switching off all the lights that had been left on during their hasty departure for the hospital. He put his coat away and followed Buffy. Spike turned the handle to their bedroom door, it wouldn’t budge. He tried it again, but it was locked firmly. He knocked on the door, only to be met with silence.
“Buffy?”
Still no answer, he sighed.
“Fine we’ll play it your way for now,” he told her through the door.
Spike strode off down the hallway and entered the spare room that had been his for about all of half an hour, the first day he’d arrived here. He sat on the bed, noticing something poking out from under it. He bent down and picked it up. It was one of their wedding photos; he must have missed it, when they had spilled all over the carpet that time. It was one of the ones that Ethan had taken just after they had kissed. He smiled at the look of wonder on her face, not unlike the expression she had worn as he had made love to her only last night. God had it only been a few hours ago? The way he felt at the moment, it seemed like another lifetime ago. Spike propped the picture up on the bedside table and lay down on the bed, not really expecting to fall asleep, he closed his eyes anyway.
When he awoke, the sun was high in the sky. A quick glance at the clock on the bedside table told him he had been asleep for some time. He got up out of bed; his head was still fuzzy from sleeping out of time. He took a towel and decided to freshen up with a shower. The bathroom had a damp, steamy, used feel about it. Buffy must have already been here and not all that long ago.
With a towel firmly secured around his hips and feeling a whole lot better, he tried the bedroom door again, this time it opened. He walked in, but Buffy was nowhere inside, the bed had been stripped too. Spike walked over to the chest of drawers and took out some fresh clothing. He went downstairs to investigate, but he already had the feeling that Buffy was no longer there.
There was a post it note stuck on the hall mirror. “Gone to see Dawn, didn’t want to wake you, Buffy” he read aloud. “Yeah I bet you didn’t want to wake me. Never had you pegged for a coward Buffy,” said Spike as he screwed up the piece of paper and threw it in the trash.
Well she could run, but she couldn’t hide, well not forever at least, he thought sarcastically. He picked up the phone and dialled the number of a local cab firm.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy entered her sister’s hospital room. The teen was up and watching TV. Her face lit up when she saw her sister. Buffy pasted on her best everything is right with the world smile on her face. She had spoken to the doctors about the test results, no one out of her group had even slightly come up as a suitable donor, not even herself to her dismay. There had only been two other matches on the donor registry, one had died a few weeks ago and the other was on a rock climbing expedition in Nepal. Luck was really being a stranger to them right now.
“Where’s Spike?” asked Dawn.
“Uh, he’s back at home. He was really tired so I left him to sleep,” said Buffy.
Dawn frowned, “Has something happened between you two?”
Buffy flushed at the memories of last night’s lovemaking. “No, why would you ask that? Everything is great or in Faith’s words, five by five,” said Buffy awkwardly.
“Uh huh,” said Dawn sceptically. “So give me the heads up, what have the lab rats said about my getting a transplant?” asked Dawn.
Spike chose that moment in walk in through the door. Although, she was loathe to admit, it, she was actually glad that she didn’t have to give Dawn the bad news alone.
“Well hey, if it isn’t sleeping beauty himself,” grinned Dawn. “What kept ya?”
“Bit of a long night all in all,” said Spike deliberately.
Buffy looked away, her cheeks aflame, her actions were not unnoticed by Dawn or Spike. Dawn noticed the wry little smile that lifted the corners of Spike’s mouth.
“So, Buffy you were saying about those test results…”
“Dawnie, it’s not good. No one at the diner was a match, not even me,” Buffy relied.
“Yeah, but there is that registry thingy that the nurse was telling me about?” asked Dawn.
“There is, but…”
“It’s another dead end right?” asked Dawn.
Buffy nodded, swallowing back the lump that had formed in her throat.
“Spike,”
“Yeah Dawn,”
“I need to talk to you about something, alone,” she replied.
Buffy frowned, “Surely anything you need to say to Spike, you can say to me too,” she said.
“I really can’t, could you give us a moment?” asked Dawn.
Buffy grabbed her bag and got up from her seat, she glared at Spike before she left the room. Spike walked over to Dawn and sat down in the seat that his wife had just vacated.
“So what’s with all the secrecy nibblet?” asked Spike.
“It’s about Hank,”
“Your Dad from hell?” asked Spike, his dislike of the unknown man rising inside of him.
“Yeah, I can’t talk about this in front off Buffy. She gets so mad if the subject is even brought up,” said Dawn.
Spike had to agree with that. “What about him? He is somewhere in Spain and his whereabouts unknown,” said Spike.
“Well that’s what Buffy thinks. I got a letter from him just after mom died. He isn’t in Spain, he’s living in LA,” Dawn admitted. “I even have an address and all. Not that I have made any effort to contact him, I’m still mad at him for not showing up at mom’s funeral, but he might be a possible donor,”
“It’s a long shot Dawn,” said Spike bluntly.
“I know, but if I don’t try…Spike I am sixteen years old…I don’t wanna die,” Dawn’s voice broke.
“You are not going to die Dawn,” Spike said, taking his sister-in-law in his arms.
“Try saying that, when it’s you in the bed,” said Dawn.
Spike sighed, she was right; none of them had any real comprehension of what Dawn was going through. They could only sympathise and be there for her.
“What do you need me to do?” asked Spike.
Dawn pulled out of his arms and picked up the notebook from the bedside table and quickly wrote her father’s address on it.
“Find him, but please don’t tell Buffy,” pleaded Dawn.
“I really should,” said Spike doubtfully.
“I don’t want Buffy to know…I mean what if he refuses to help out?” asked Dawn.
“Don’t worry, I will find him and he will come and test, even if I have to drag him kicking and screaming,” said Spike firmly.
TBC
Chapter 15
Spike closed the door to Dawn’s room and begun to stride down the corridor. He was going to need Angel’s help on this one. He took out his cell phone, about to dial up his friend’s number, when a nurse walked by him and pointed out a sign No cell phones to be used inside the hospital. Spike cursed under his breath and put it back inside his jacket.
“Spike!”
He turned around to see Buffy running towards him. By the time she’d caught up, her face was flushed and she was out of breath.
“Buffy,” he replied coolly.
“So what did Dawn say?”
“Sorry, I kind of think that’s between Dawn and I,” he replied as he made to turn away.
Buffy reached out and caught his sleeve, this time she stood in front of him, barring his way. Her hands were planted firmly on her hips. Spike had to admit, that even portraying a picture of perfect stubbornness, she still managed to look adorable at the same time. He couldn’t help the big grin that spread across his face.
“Look love, if the nibblet doesn’t want to tell you then it’s not my place to,”
“Anything to do with my sister is my business,” she replied angrily.
Spike picked her up and moved her out of the way. “It really isn’t pet,” he grinned, still holding on to her as he lowered his lips and kissed her hard. He moved away and Buffy looked up at him speechless. “Well if all I had to do to shut you up was to kiss you, I would have done if before now and more often,” he smirked at her, kissing her once more before walking away.
Buffy touched her fingers to her mouth. She was so stunned, that she stood there in a daydream for several minutes before she realised she still hadn’t gotten any answers. She walked to the entrance and looked over the lot, but Spike was long gone. Arrogant man she fumed, but then smiled at the memory of his kisses, Damn it, why did he have to be such a good kisser? She sighed, why was she even complaining? Buffy headed back to her sister’s room hoping that Dawn would be forthcoming with some information. She turned the handle and went in, Dawn was a little too conveniently curled up in bed as if asleep.
“Dawn Summers, you ain’t foolin’ anyone,” said Buffy sternly.
“It’s isn’t not ain’t,” Dawn corrected her, as she sat up in bed, giving up her pretence of being asleep.
“Nice try at the subject change,” said Buffy.
“I learnt from the master, or is that mistress?” mused Dawn.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Buffy.
“I have eyes Buffy; I can see things are not as they should be between you and Spike. Both of you are a pair of dumb asses, who need some sense knocking into them. Spike is crazy about you, you are crazy about him. Even I can do the math, you guys belong together. It doesn’t matter how you both started out which I don’t 100 swallow by the way, but the main thing is that you are together. I may be young, but it doesn’t mean I don’t understand,” said Dawn.
“It’s complicated…” Buffy began.
“No it’s not sis,” snapped Dawn. “When you next see Spike, you either tell him that you love him or else…or else I will never speak to you again,” said Dawn, as she folded her arms across her chest. “Conversation over,” she added as she lay down and put the covers over her head.
“And that told me,” said Buffy as she exited the room.
“Damn straight,” said Dawn, as she settled down for a nap with a smile on her face.
Buffy walked to the bus stop, she stood there for several minutes, it seemed like all the buses in Sunnydale had evaporated. She got tired of waiting and began to walk up the road, deciding the exercise might do her good and clear her head a little. She was deep in thought, most of it stirred up by Dawn’s lecture. She didn’t hear the car pull up in front of her at first. She looked up as she finally noticed it, cruising next to her as she walked. Angel was sitting behind the wheel with a big dorky grin on his face.
He lowered the window “In need of a ride anywhere?” he asked.
“Sure, thanks, is my house okay?” said Buffy, as she got in the passenger side.
“No problem, I was on the way over to yours anyway,” he informed her.
The powerful car pulled away and sped off, soon eating up the distance to her house.
“Oh yeah? Why was that?” asked Buffy.
“Against my better judgement I have loaned Spike my car on the understanding that it’s returned to me within twenty-four hours,”
“What does he need it for?” asked Buffy, hoping that Angel might have some answers.
“Uh, uh you don’t get past me that easily Buff,”
“Which translates as you haven’t a clue,” said Buffy sarcastically.
Angel laughed at her words. He turned the car up her driveway and switched off the engine. “Home sweet home,”
“Yeah isn’t it just,” she sighed.
They both exited the car and Buffy fumbled around in her purse for the house key, before she could put the key in the lock, Spike had flung the door open wide.
“You took your time mate,” said Spike as he took the keys that Angel held out to him.
“I found something that belonged to you on the way home. I thought I’d return it to its rightful owner,” said Angel, glancing at Buffy.
“Hi Spike,” said Buffy, feeling suddenly very shy. It had taken her sister to make her see what an idiot she had been in her behaviour towards Spike, and now faced with him. and her feelings for him she felt very self-conscious.
Spike took Buffy by the arm and led her to one side.
“Look pet, I might have been a bit short with you at the hospital, but I made a promise to Dawn that I intend to keep. If I push it, I might be back by late tonight. If not, no later than tomorrow morning some time, and just in case have the guest room ready,”
“Okay, I understand you can’t tell me, it was wrong of me to ask you to break that confidence…you want to use the guest room again?” she asked as his words sank in.
One of Spike’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “It’s not for me and that’s all I’m saying. Till later then luv? Don’t forget to keep the home fires burning or what ever that means,” he replied.
She smiled up at him. “Yeah keep the fires burning, drive carefully,” she added.
Spike leaned in and kissed her lingeringly on the lips, inwardly elated at her responses to him. “Gotta move,” he sighed, reluctantly releasing his hold on her, before walking away with Angel.
“I love you,” she whispered to his retreating form. Now was not the time for declarations, they could wait until he returned, she decided. Besides she didn’t really want his best friend present when she poured out her heart to him.
Buffy went in the house and closed the door, a little smile lifting the corners of her mouth.
“So did my little wife give you the third degree?” asked Spike.
“Of course, but I couldn’t tell her anything as I knew a big fat zero myself,” said Angel.
“If you must know, I am off to LA to get daddy Summers,” Spike replied.
“Oh you’re playing with fire there pal, Faith told me about Buffy’s father issues,”
“Yeah? Well we need to find out if he is a match for Dawn. I know it sounds hard, but she is going to have to deal with it,”
“I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes bud, when she finds out,” said Angel.
“It’s for Dawn; Buffy will just have to put her own feelings on the matter behind her for now. Besides I’m sure she will understand once she calms down. As it is I get the feeling that Hank Summers might need a little persuading to return. He’s not exactly running for Father of the year award, now is he?” asked Spike dryly.
“Well if he doesn’t come back with you, there is another alternative…” said Angel, holding in his laughter.
“Okay Angel laugh it out and just tell me,” growled Spike.
“You and Buffy could have a baby,”
“Oh very bloody funny, you’re just full of helpful suggestions aren’t you? How would Buffy and I, having a baby solve anything?” asked Spike.
“It’s not unheard of, families’ do it all the time, the baby could be a match,” said Angel.
“And what am I supposed to say, Hey Buffy let’s have a baby for Dawn, if we go at enough I could have you knocked up in time for Christmas,” said Spike sarcastically.
“Have a little more faith in your abilities. Besides I was suggesting something a little more romantic than that. I am sure that Dawn would be the last thing on her mind,”
“Well this is your stop,” said Spike as he brought the car to a halt outside the diner.
Angel got out and leaned down to talk to spike through the window. “Now if there is a scratch on it, I will dismember you. Remember I want it back by tomorrow morning,”
“And what if I don’t? Will it turn into a pumpkin or something?”
“Now who’s the comedian,” shouted out Angel as Spike drove off.
Spike handled Angel’s powerful car like a pro, loving the feel of the open road ahead. He calculated that he could be in downtown LA by the late afternoon. He was missing Buffy already, that kiss they had shared before he left the house assured him that she was beginning to get over her guilt feelings of the previous evening. No one could have known that Dawn would get sick, well sick-er he amended. Buffy had been carrying too much on her narrow shoulders these past few months and needed to learn to let go, either that, or go mad.
He wondered what Hank Summers would be like. He had to be a pretty spineless variety of the male species to walk out on two wonderful daughters like he’d had. He intended to keep that promise of dragging their father back to Sunnydale kicking and screaming if he had to. Spike’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, the tension knotting in his shoulders at the thought of the task ahead.
Buffy felt like she was rattling around the empty house all by herself. She started on the chores as she absentmindedly walked round giving everything a token dusting. Spike and Dawn were the only things that filled her head at that moment. She had to admit, that looking back, marrying him seemed like fate now, almost from the moment she had seen him she’d been a lost cause. In being too scared to admit to her feelings she had also discovered that it hurt more to try and deny her growing love for her husband.
She couldn’t wait until Spike got home, which would hopefully be tonight. She couldn’t think what sort of quest Dawn had sent him on. At least it wouldn’t be her father; after all he was far away on another continent…
Buffy started dusting the family photos, there were already several of her and Spike, Spike and Dawn, or all three of them together. Most of the pictures had been taken during a barbeque that Spike had arranged in the yard last week. She traced the outline of his mouth on the picture, he had such a warm smile, and ways of making her feel that she was the only person in the world when he looked at her.
Buffy replaced the photo and went down to the basement to collect the clothes from the drier and went back upstairs. Her first stop was her bedroom. Buffy opened the drawer to put a couple of Spike’s t-shirts away. As she put them in the draw she felt something smooth and flat in the base. She picked it up and, to her surprise it was a photo, one she hadn’t seen before. A beautiful dark haired woman stared back at her, Buffy turned it over, and it had been signed “To my darling William, love Dru,”
Buffy felt the green eyed monster, jealousy take over her. She knew she hadn’t been Spike’s first, but who was this woman from his past? She wasn’t going to sit here and stew imagining all kinds of bad until Spike returned. Buffy picked up the phone and called Faith at the diner.
Angel was sitting at one of the tables watching Faith as she did the coffee rounds. She stopped at his table and he slapped her rear. “It’s a good job I know ya, or you’d be wearing that coffee by now you big perv,” grinned Faith.
“I aim to please,” he replied by pulling her onto his lap.
Anya breezed by them “Are you going to serve the customers or just serve Angel?” she enquired.
“What’s the matter Anya, Xander not hitting the spot?” asked Faith, mischievously.
“If you mean the g-spot he hits it just fine,” said Anya as she marched off.
“Colour me embarrassed, guess I’ll just go stick my head in one of the ovens,” said Xander as he looked around the almost silent diner.
Faith laughed and glanced out of the window, seeing Buffy.
“Oop, one jealous wife on her way,” said Faith as she slipped off of Angel’s lap. “Buffy Hi, we were just talking about you. Angel she’s all yours in the figurative sense,”
“Buffy, sit down please,” said Angel.
Buffy pulled the photo from her bag and placed it on the table, taking a seat across from Angel.
“Ah, Dru…was wondering when she’d rear her ugly head. Well not ugly…but…anyway I digress, the short version is that eight months ago our boy Spike turned up at a church to say I do, and Drusilla didn’t,”
“She was his fiancée? Why didn’t the marriage go ahead?”
“Let’s just say, someone else took her fancy and she left him at the altar on their wedding day. Apparently he was one in a long line of others. I won’t lie to you Buffy, when he turned up at my apartment all those months ago he was heartbroken. He swore he would never trust another woman again in his life, but then he met you. He fought against it so hard at first. I could see how he felt about you on your wedding day. You felt the same way didn’t you?” asked Angel.
Buffy nodded, her heart ached for the pain he must have suffered at the hands of such a bitch.
“Good, because I don’t think he could stand more heartbreak. Buffy, whatever it was he felt for Dru, it is a pale shadow of his love for you. I don’t often wax lyrical, but I’m taking a chance myself,” said Angel.
“Faith?” asked Buffy.
Angel removed a small velvet box from his jacket and opened it to reveal a diamond solitaire. “Do you think she’ll like it?”
“Angel that girl worships the ground you walk on. Good luck with it,” smiled Buffy as she got up from her chair, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.
Faith walked towards the table and Angel hastily put the ring away.
“You getting up close and personal with my man? I’ll have to kick your ass for that,” teased Faith.
Buffy walked up to Faith and hugged her tightly before leaving the diner.
“Not that I don’t love the girl to death, but what was that all about?” asked Faith.
“I have no idea,” said Angel innocently.
Spike checked his watch; it was 4:30pm. Things had taken a little longer than he had hoped as there had been an accident on the highway, causing a tailback into the city, of several miles. He checked his map and reread the address that Dawn had given him. Judging by the buildings in the area, it wasn’t the best part of LA, but it certainly wasn’t the worst. Finally he pulled up outside an apartment block and switched off the engine and secured the car. He easily entered the building, there had been some sort of security system at one time, but by the looks of it, it had fallen into disrepair. He opened the doors and took the elevator to Hank’s floor. The doors slid open with a ping. He noted that the hallways up here were much cleaner than the lower ones. Spike walked up to the front door, he took a deep breath, his hand poised for a moment before he rang the bell.
“Okay, I’m coming, but if you’re selling something, just so you know, I’m not buying,” said the voice within.
A moment later the door swung open. Spike was surprised by the appearance of a middle aged man with sandy hair and about his height. Hank looked Spike up and down in equal surprise.
“Hank? Hank Summers? Father to Buffy and Dawn?” asked Spike.
“Yeah that’s me, what do you want?”
Spike felt his temper rise at the man’s nonchalant attitude. “To give you this,” he said, his fist rose to connect with Hank’s face.
TBC
Chapter 16
“I think you broke my nose,” groaned Hank as he struggled to get up from the floor.
Spike stood there watching him, not at all inclined to lend a helping hand as the older man got to his feet. He flexed his knuckles, they would be bruised tomorrow, but it had been worth it.
“You deserve that and worse mate,” said Spike haughtily.
“I’ll call the cops and have you arrested,” said Hank attempting to shut the door.
Spike wedged his boot in the doorway making it impossible for him to do so.
“Stop, you are scaring me. Now is that anyway to greet your son-in-law?” asked Spike sarcastically.
Hank looked at Spike, slack jawed, the shock evident in his eyes. “You’re lying! If Buffy were married I would know,”
“Really, like you know that your youngest is hospital, very sick, and maybe even dying,” he replied.
“Dawnie? But she was fine last time I wrote to her,” said Hank, as he paled.
“Well news flash, she isn’t now. Those girls have been to hell and back, and where were you? You were slumming it in LA is what you were doing. I ought to smash your face in…”
“I think you’ve already done that,” said Hank, cradling his nose.
“Well, I didn’t come here for chit chat. Your daughter Dawn has leukaemia and needs a transplant. Thought you might do the fatherly thing and care enough to get tested,” sneered Spike.
Hank went back into his apartment and slumped down in an armchair as Spike’s bluntly spoken news sunk in. Spike followed him, looking around the room; he was surprised to see a framed picture of Buffy and Dawn resting on one of the dusty sideboards.
“Dawn…she is going to be okay right?” asked Hank.
Spike looked down at him, “What part about the being sick and hospitalised didn’t you understand?”
Hank got up and walked over to the sideboard opening one of the doors, he took out a tumbler and poured a generous amount of whiskey into it. He took a deep gulp from the glass and leaned back against the wall. Spike tried to feel pity for the older man; it was obvious that the news about Dawn had come as quite a shock. He just couldn’t muster any feeling for him, as he knew that Hank had abandoned them in their time of need, especially after their mom had died.
“I have been a bad father,” said Hank shakily as he drank more from the glass.
“It takes a drink to realise that?” asked Spike.
“I know it’s no excuse, but after the divorce it just seemed easier to stay away. The spilt between Joyce and I was a very bitter one. I made a new life here and they moved on without me. I guess I felt like a third wheel,”
“More like a self pitying bastard you mean. You may have divorced the mother, but you didn’t divorce the kids you know. If only you could know what you did to them,” said Spike, he clenched his fists tightly at his side to stop himself from punching him again, as much as the idea appealed he really didn’t want to return Hank to his daughters, black and blue. “Enough of this, you know why I am here, you have five minutes to pack or I’ll do it for you,” growled Spike.
Hank sighed and put the glass down and left the room. Spike walked around the room disinterestedly, he looked at the photo he had noticed earlier. It had to be at least several years old. Buffy looked so young, she still was, but she had had to carry so much since then. It was about time the git in the other room changed that and took some responsibility for Dawn thought Spike angrily. He checked his watch; Hank had been gone for all of four minutes. Spike readied himself to charge in there when the five minutes were up; he was in no mood to wait. Also eager to get back to Sunnydale and Buffy and find out if Hank was actually going to be of any use to Dawn. Spike was also feeling a little edgy thinking about Buffy’s reaction to her father’s return. Surely she couldn’t blame him for doing the right thing? Being Dawn’s welfare.
Spike glanced at his watch again, it had been five minutes and still no Hank. Spike strode into the man’s bedroom just as he was coming out with a holdall. “You were serious about the five minutes weren’t you?” asked Hank.
“Getting back to Buffy and Dawn is all I care about, and if it requires you tagging along then so be it,” said Spike as the older man followed him out of the apartment.
As they took the elevator down to the ground floor, Hank looked at Spike. “You know Buffy is going to be as mad as hell don’t you?” he asked him.
“That I can handle,” said Spike as he opened the car door and waited for Hank to join him.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy looked at the clock in the lounge, Spike had been gone all day. Okay it had only been a few hours, but it was the longest she had been without him since he had moved in. She was eager for him to return home. Now that she knew how much she loved him, she wanted to tell him. She felt a seething anger for the unknown woman, Drusilla. Was the girl touched in the head to throw away someone as caring and wonderful as Spike? Buffy felt tears spring to her eyes on his behalf at the pain he must have suffered. Also she was glad of it, because without Drusilla’s duplicity she would have never met him. He had changed her life so much in such a short time and had restored her faith in many things that she had thought were forever lost to her. Most of all she believed in love, and that there could be such a thing as a happy ending and that it was finally within her reach.
The guest room was ready and waiting for their mystery guest. Buffy had gone to the hospital after she had been to the diner, to check on her scheming sister. Dawn had remained stubborn and tight-lipped, and had seemed a little brighter than earlier. Buffy was sure it was fuelled by the knowledge of Spike’s secret little quest on her behalf.
The phone rang and made her start. Buffy walked over to it and picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Spike!” She was unable to keep the happiness out of her voice.
“Miss me baby?” he asked.
“Always,” she replied, breathily.
“Things went better than expected. I’ll be back in a couple of hours luv,”
“Are you hungry? Because I can make something…” she offered.
“Spoken like a true wife. That would be great pet, but do you know what I am really hungry for at the moment?” he purred.
Buffy felt her face suffuse with colour, she licked her suddenly dry lips. “No…what?”
“You,” he replied as he hung up.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Spike grinned to himself as he put away his phone. He glanced over at Hank. The man had fallen asleep not long after they had gotten out of LA. He would never have dreamed of speaking like that to Buffy if Hank had been awake. His body hardened in anticipation of their reunion as he thought of her beautiful body and how it had responded to him the night they had made love. Spike shook himself mentally and focused on the road ahead, all he needed now to add to her troubles was go get himself in a car crash or worse. He just hoped she would feel the same way when daddy dearest returned to the old homestead.
He didn’t want to dwell on that now; he just hoped in helping one sister, he hadn’t lost the other. Spike fingers tightened on the steering wheel. God he loved her so much. Dru had meant nothing in comparison, as he realised the truth of his thoughts, he also realised he no longer wished his ex fiancée a plague of boils. He let out a whoop which woke Hank out of his alcohol induced slumber.
“Are we there yet?” mumbled Hank.
“Nope, but not long now,” said Spike.
Hank turned over in his seat and went back to sleep. If only he could be so nonchalant about the rest of the evening, he sighed to himself.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Faith pulled the shutters down on the diner. It had been a long day. With Buffy away, she had volunteered to do a double shift and she was now feeling it in her feet as she made the walk to the employee’s washroom. She smiled as she thought of Angel; he had been acting weird all day. He’d hung around for most of her early shift as he’d had a late start at the office. She changed out of her uniform, glad to be free of the smell of hamburger grease and coffee. Faith quickly grabbed her bag as she readied herself to leave, being the only one left in the diner always gave her the wiggins for some reason.
As she walked back out into the diner, she noted that the lights were no longer on. “Funny, don’t remember switching them off,” she said aloud, looking around the darkened diner a little nervously.
She sucked in a breath as she felt someone come up behind her; she was ready for whoever it was. As she felt hands try to cover her eyes she grabbed her assailant and threw him over her shoulder, he landed on the floor in a groaning heap.
“Always knew those self-defence lessons would pay off ya creep. You’d better stay down if you know what’s good for you,”
“Faith,” groaned the darkened form.
“Angel, oh hell, but what do you expect creeping up on a girl like that?” she asked as she dropped to the floor.
Angel sat up slowly. “Well I was going to get on my knee for this, but I guess my ass on the floor is a good a place as any,” he replied.
“For what…Angel?” asked Faith.
Angel reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little box and held it out. Faith took it and looked at him, wishing she could read his expression better.
“A present? For me?” she asked. “Ya shouldn’t have. Let me shed some light on the situation so I can actually see it,” she said getting up on shaky legs as she switched on the lights. She just hoped she wouldn’t be disappointed when she opened it, to find it was only a new pair of earrings. It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of her lungs as she looked down at Angel, still sitting on the floor, as she read his expression.
“Well are you going to open it or shall I just take it back to the jewellers?” he asked.
Faith lifted the lid and looked inside. She looked back at Angel, tears formed in her eyes. “Is this what I think it is?” she asked.
Angel nodded. “But the question is, do you want it?” he replied.
Faith closed the distance between them and handed him the box back. Disappointment flickered in his eyes, before he masked it. He sighed, well he had tried, but it seemed that Faith wasn’t the marrying kind.
“I’ll take that as a no then,”
“I want it, Angel I love you so much. I gave it back to you so you could put it on my finger you dumb ass,” cried Faith as she dropped to the floor covering him in kisses.
Angel laughed at his mistake as he took the ring from the box and slid it on her ring finger. “I love you the future Mrs O’Connor,”
Faith stopped kissing him. “God how to make a girl feel all old and domestic,” she teased.
“There will never be anything domestic and old about you Faith. You’re too wild,” he grinned.
“And don’t you just love it,” she whispered in his ear.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Spike pulled the car in the driveway and switched off the engine. He sat there for a few minutes, before waking Hank. The lights were shining from almost every window of the house, as if welcoming him home.
“This is it mate, the end of the road,” said Spike.
Hank sighed as he looked at his former home. “This is going to be harder than I thought,” he admitted.
“Good,” said Spike, hardly.
“You’re all full of tea and sympathy,” muttered Hank resentfully.
“Yeah I am…to those who deserve it,” said Spike as he got out of the car and waited for Hank to do the same. He still didn’t trust the other man to try and do a runner, even at so late a stage in the game.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It wasn’t until Buffy heard the car pull up in the drive, that she realised that she had been listening out for its return. Spike was home. Buffy resisted the urge to leap out of her seat and run to him, inhibited by the fact that he was possibly going to be accompanied by some unknown stranger. She walked over to the window and drew back the nets, she could see someone sitting in the passenger seat of Angel’s borrowed car and from what she could make out, it looked male.
She saw Spike get out of the car and she pulled back from the window, not wanting to be caught spying on them by who ever was with him. She waited for the sound of his key, as the door opened.
“Wait here,” she heard him instruct their visitor. “Buffy?” he called out.
“I’m in the lounge,” she replied. Her heartbeat accelerated at the sound of his voice.
Spike walked in, and he held out his arms to her. She ran into them and rested her head against his chest. “I missed you so much,” she replied as she breathed in his warm scent.
“Buffy?” came a voice from behind them.
Spike felt her stiffen in his arms. He inwardly cursed the impatience of the other man as he called out her name. Buffy looked up at Spike, tears glistened in her eyes. “You brought my father?” she asked.
Spike looked at her apologetically. “I’m sorry, but Dawn asked me…” he trailed off, as he read the hurt in her eyes.
She pulled fully out of Spike’s embrace to look over his shoulder at her long absent father. Her eyes hardened as they rested on him.
“Hank,” she said coldly.
“Is that anyway to greet your father?” he asked.
“I don’t have a father,” she replied in icy tones as she walked past him and up the stairs to her room.
Hank looked at Spike. “I guess I deserved that,” he sighed.
“That, and worse,” said Spike as he went after his wife.
Spike took the stairs two at a time in his urgency to reach Buffy. He stopped outside their door, almost afraid to try the handle in case she had locked it like before. He took a deep breath and to his surprise and relief it opened. He went inside to find Buffy sprawled on the bed, huge sobs racked her slender body.
“Bloody hell,” Spike cursed aloud as he went over to the bed and sat down next to her. “Buffy love, talk to me,” he pleaded as he stroked her hair.
Buffy lifted tearstained eyes to look at him. “I’m sorry, it’s just that seeing him…here…and…” she trailed off in between sobs.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything, I understand if you hate me for bringing him here,” he soothed her, his expression one of pained sadness.
“But I do Spike,” Buffy saw his stricken expression at her words “I don’t mean I hate you, I mean seeing him again made me realise what I have. You are everything he never was or will be,” she sniffed as she wiped at her eyes. “I must look a mess, and I wanted to look so pretty for you when I told you…” she sighed.
Spike looked down at her blotchy face, but seeing nothing but perfection. “When you told me what?” he asked.
“T-that, I love you,” she blurted out in a rush.
TBC