Chapter 17

A Glimpse of Heaven

By Zarrah

Buffy quickened her steps as she approached Giles’ apartment. She had been trying to go over everything that had been said and done on Friday to see if maybe she had missed something.

She didn’t remember any sounds of disgust or facial expressions from Spike to indicate that their impromptu kiss had in fact been the reason for him “hiding out” since then, so her mind was still puzzled.

As she rounded the corner, she smiled as the apartment building came into view and she jogged up the sidewalk and through the front gates of the complex until she reached the courtyard of Giles’ building.

Stopping at the door, Buffy unconsciously fixed her hair, smoothing out the long blonde tresses and straightening her shirt before raising her hand and knocking.

Five minutes later Buffy was looking around, trying to figure out why no one was home.

Bringing her hand to the doorknob, Buffy grabbed it and turned it slightly, her eyes widening as it moved. Turning to look over her shoulder, she gave a quick look at her surroundings before turning back to the door and twisting the knob.

Buffy walked inside Giles’ apartment, shutting the door softly behind her before stepping farther into the room. Everything was quiet and it seemed as if no one was at home. The fact that the door had been unlocked only set off more alarms in her and Buffy found herself going into a mild panic as she headed for the hall.

Walking quietly, Buffy crept down the hall, her eyes fixed on Spike’s open bedroom door. She could see his bed from where she was and it looked as if Spike had just crawled out of it.

The blankets were hanging half way in the floor and several pillows were lined along the headboard.

Making her way to the door, Buffy froze as she looked in and saw Spike sitting at his desk. His back was to her and she let out a small breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding in.

Relaxing her posture, she smiled before leaning against the doorframe and clearing her throat. “So, what great plans did you have today that caused you to blow off our tutoring session?” She asked, smiling.

Spike’s body went stiff when he heard her voice and he lifted his head slightly trying to judge where she was exactly. “No great plans luv, just a bit busy is all.”

“Busy?” Buffy asked as she walked into the room. “Sitting there reading a book is being busy?”

“Yeah, ‘fraid so,” Spike said, turning his head slightly as he heard her move into the room.

“So, where have you been all weekend?” Buffy asked, sitting down on the foot of Spike’s bed.

“Been around.”

“Doing what?” Buffy asked, tilting her head to the side slightly.

“Nothing much, just...hanging out.”

Buffy’s brow scrunched up slightly as she looked at the back of Spike’s head and tried to figure out what he was hiding. She knew it was something. It had to be. The fact that he hadn’t turned around to look at her and his voice was an octave lower than his normal were the first clues. The state his room was in was another. Of all the times she had been in his room, never had anything been out of place, but now books lay scattered around, dishes lined the bedside tables and his bed looked as if it hadn’t been made all weekend.

Standing, Buffy took a step closer to the desk, stopping when Spike shifted in his chair and turned his head away from her.

“What are you hiding?” Buffy asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at him.

“’M not hiding anything,” Spike said, shifting in his seat again.

“Really?” Buffy asked, taking another step and once again stopping when he turned his head away from her. “Then what’s that all about?”

“What’s what?”

“You turning away every time I get close enough to see you?”

“Oh, umm that,” Spike sighed heavily, knowing this was going to lead to bad things before raising his hand and smiling as he touched his face. “I just don’t want you to see me in these,” he lied, pulling the glasses from his face and holding them up.

“Glasses?” Buffy asked, smiling. “You’re hiding because you got glasses?”

“Um, well yeah,” Spike said quietly. “Bloody awful things.”

Buffy let out a small chuckle before turning away from him and unconsciously started picking up Spike’s dirty clothes from the floor and tossing them in the corner basket. “I swear, guys are more superficial than girls are.”

Spike sighed in relief, closing his eyes and laying his glasses down on the desk as he heard Buffy moving around the room.

“I mean, sure girls are more with the ‘Oh, how does this look’ routine than guys are but give a guy a pair of glasses and they wimp out on ya,” she chuckled. “Is that why you’ve missed two days of school?” she asked, stopping and turning back around to look at him.

“Um, yeah, something like that,” Spike answered her, turning his head slightly and watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Buffy just shook her head as she grabbed the blankets lying on the floor and threw them back up on the bed. “That’s the stupidest reason I’ve ever heard of for skipping school. I’m surprised Giles even fell for what ever lame-ass excuse you gave him,” she said, grabbing the four pillows that sat at the top of his bed and tossing them to the floor. “What did you tell him exactly?”

“Can’t rightly remember,” Spike said, watching her in the mirror above his dresser as she made his bed. “What are you doing?”

“Huh?” Buffy asked, stopping what she was doing and looking over at him briefly before tucking the sheets under his mattress.

“I asked you what you’re doing?” Spike said, turning his head when she looked back over at him.

“Oh,” Buffy said, looking down at the blankets in her hands and smiling slightly before she realized that she had been unconsciously cleaning his room. “Um, just straightening up, old habit.” She lied as she quickly finished up his bed. “I can’t stand a messy room,” she told him, hoping he never stepped foot in hers.

“Is that right?”

“Yep, sometimes I think Willow only invites me over so she can get her room cleaned,” she laughed.

Spike turned his attention back to his book when he saw her finishing up his bed and grab the dishes from the bedside table before heading out into the hall. He turned his head when she was out of the room, sighing heavily as he looked at his now somewhat clean room. Hearing her coming back down the hall, he quickly turned in his seat, facing the wall again.

“So, plan on skipping again tomorrow?” Buffy asked as she once again entered Spike’s room and started gathering the scattered books from his dresser and stacking them on his bookshelf.

“Not sure, why?” Spike asked, trying to think of anything to get rid of her.

“No reason,” Buffy said, shrugging her shoulders. “Xander and Jesse came by yesterday.”

“Yeah, I heard.”

“You did? They said you weren’t home.”

“Oh, uh, I wasn’t, um, the neighbor saw them,” Spike lied.

“Oh,” Buffy said as she once again sat down on the bed.

Silence engulfed the room, and neither Buffy nor Spike said a as word as the minutes ticked by. Buffy began shifting uncomfortably on the bed, glancing around the room before her eyes settled back on Spike. She sighed lightly, wondering why he wouldn’t talk to her unless she spoke first and her earlier fears came rushing back to the forefront. Taking a deep breath, Buffy glanced down at her hands as they pulled at the bottom of her shirt before she raised her head.

“Is everything okay?” She asked, her voice soft with a hint of nervousness.

“Yes,” Spike answered, his eyes lifting from the book he was pretending to read.

“Oh,” Buffy said, smiling slightly. “You seem kinda, I don’t know…quiet.”

“Nothing to talk about,” Spike said, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

Buffy watched as he shifted again, his shoulders rolling slightly before he sighed heavily. Her eyes immediately fell back to her hands before she stood up slowly. “Well um, I guess I’ll just go then,” she said, turning to walk to the door.

Spike could tell by the tone of her voice that he had upset her. He hadn’t meant to but didn’t know any other way. Stealing himself best he could, he stared at the wall without moving. “See ya around.”

Buffy stopped, the slight stinging pain in her chest at the fact that he wouldn’t even look at her or carry on a decent conversation with her upsetting her more than she could fathom. Sighing lightly, she turned her head, giving him one last glance. “Well…bye,” she said, waiting for a few seconds for the reply that never came before she turned her head, glancing around the room one last time.

As she made it to the door, she stopped. Her brow scrunched up as her mind finally registered what she had seen. Taking a step backwards, Buffy turned her head back to the dresser and the mirror that hung over it. Her head tilted to the side slightly as the side of Spike’s face came into view and she felt her heart skip a beat when it did.

Turning completely around she looked back over at Spike before her eyes went back to the mirror. “Spike, look at me,” she said, taking another step back into the room.

“Thought you were leaving?”

“I am as soon as you look at me.”

Spike chuckled lightly, shaking his head slightly before closing his eyes. “Go home Buffy,” he said, hoping she would just listen to him for once in her life.

Buffy looked back into the mirror as she walked farther into the room and her eyes widened at what she saw. Before Spike even had a chance to realize she had moved, Buffy was at his side, her hand shooting out and grabbing his chin and turning his face to her. “Oh my god Spike,” she gasped, her eyes wide as she finally got a good look at his face.

Spike closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath before letting it out slowly and opening his eyes back up. “It’s not as bad as it looks,” he told her, seeing what he thought was genuine concern in her eyes.

“What happened?” Buffy asked softly, falling to her knees beside Spike’s chair as she continued to look up at him.

“Had a slight disagreement with a brick wall,” he said, trying his best to smile but the pain shooting up into his face made the small gesture useless.

Buffy’s hand moved from his chin to run softly up the side of his cheek. She felt tears stinging her eyes as she looked up at him. His entire face was a mix of bright purple and black, his eyes were almost completely swollen shut and he had several stitches running through his eyebrow.

Shaking her head, Buffy finally met his eyes, the tears stinging them blinked away before she was able to find her voice. “Who did this?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Spike told her. “What’s done is done.”

“Did you report it?”

“To who?”

“The police, that’s who,” Buffy said shocked he would even ask her “who”.

“No, I didn’t report it.”

“Why?”

“Just let it go Buffy,” Spike said quietly, looking away from her and back over at his desk.

“What happened?” She asked, softly, watching him as he played with his glasses.

“I told you already,” Spike answered her, turning to glance at her before looking back at the desk.

“Ran into a wall? You know I don’t believe that one,” she told him.

“Fine, how ‘bout, I was hit by a truck. That one sound better?” he asked, finally turning to face her.

“Well, sounds better than a wall. Did you at least catch the driver of said truck so…”

Spike watched as she stopped talking and her eyes widening before she gasped softly. “Spike, tell me who did this!” She demanded as she stood up quickly.

“Doesn’t matter Buffy.”

Buffy shook her head before turning around and pacing the floor, her conversation with Angel ringing in her ears and the comments she had made about him looking as if a truck had hit him. The faces of the other boys all came back into view and the more she remembered the madder she became. Stopping and turning to face him, she was barely able to contain her anger as she asked the one question she hoped he would answer truthfully. “Spike, did Angel do this?”

To Be Continued…….

Chapter 18

A Glimpse of Heaven

By Zarrah

Spike leaned his head to the side slightly as he looked at her. Her fury was shining in her eyes and as much as he would love to find a reason to get her away from that hulking ponce Angel, this wasn’t the way he wanted to do it. “No Buffy, Angel didn’t do it.”

Buffy just stared at him, trying to see if he was lying or not. The fact that Angel and all of his buddies had looked as if they had all tangled with “the imaginary truck” was just too coincidental.

“Is that the truth?” Buffy asked.

Spike sighed heavily, looking away from her briefly before his eyes settled back on her. “Yes luv, that’s the truth,” he finally said, honestly. Angel is too big of a wanker to fight his own battles. Spike added silently to himself as he remembered the beating the other boys had given him while Angel barked orders at them and watched.

Buffy just stared at him, a part of her not believing his answer but another part of her knew that Spike, Xander and Jesse disliked Angel with a passion and any reason to break him and Buffy up would do, so he had to be telling the truth…right?

Buffy turned when she heard the front door open and slam shut before Giles’ voice floated down the hall. Glancing back over at Spike she sighed heavily before turning back to the door as Giles came down the hall and entered the room.

“I’ve got your medicine, William,” Giles said as he fumbled with the bag in his hand. “The druggist said they would make you sleepy,” he added as he stepped into the room and looked up. “Buffy, it’s uh…what are you doing here?” he asked, looking between Buffy and Spike.

“I just came by to see why Spike hadn’t been in school,” Buffy answered him. “Why didn’t you tell us he was hurt?”

“Because I asked him not to,” Spike answered for his uncle.

Buffy turned her head, looking back at Spike before she crossed her arms over her chest. “Why? You think your friends don’t deserve to know that you were hurt?”

“Wasn’t like that,” Spike said, looking away from her.

“Care to explain then?”

“I’ll just leave this,” Giles said, laying the bag down on the bed and turning to leave.

“Nothing to explain.”

“Someone beats the hell out of you and you don’t think we’d want to know?”

“Well, them maybe,” Spike said, softly. “Can’t see why you care,” he added before looking back up at her.

Buffy saw it then. The same scared, insecurities that the Spike she knew often got, shining in his eyes. “Why do you think I don’t care?” she asked him quietly.

Spike just stared at her face as all form of speech seemed to leave him. He couldn’t respond to that. He had a million responses ready to fly, but wasn’t about to let a one of them slip out. Shaking his head, he looked over at the bag Giles had left before he grabbed the edge of the desk and tried to stand.

Buffy saw his eyes close and he winced in pain as he tried to stand up before she walked over and grabbed his arm and helped him up.

“Thanks luv,” Spike said softly, his eyes finally opening after he was upright.

Buffy watched him as he turned and grabbed his glasses before turning back to her.

“You’re not gonna tell anyone about these, are you?” He asked, holding the glasses up and smiling slightly.

Buffy smiled back at him and shook her head. “Only if I need the info for blackmail purposes,” she laughed lightly.

“Funny pet,” Spike said, putting the glasses back on before looking over at the bed. “Care to help me over?” He asked, motioning to the bed with his head.

Buffy smiled big before wrapping her arm around his waist while his arm went over her shoulder. She couldn’t help but notice the large bruises that covered his chest and stomach as his shirt lay unbuttoned against his skin and the sight of it made her anger toward whoever had done this grow.

Most of Spike’s weight was put on Buffy and she realized as they walked slowly toward the bed just how hurt he really was. His physical appearance was nothing compared to the pain she could see in his eyes as he moved.

Finally making it to the bed, Buffy helped him sit, wincing herself as he hissed in pain. His eyes were closed and she could see his jaw clenching slightly as he took deep breathes.

“Do you want to lie down?” She asked softly as she stood there watching him.

Spike finally opened his eyes, smiling slightly at her before reaching for the bag Giles had left. “Yeah, need the pain killers first though,” he said pouring the contents of the bag out.

Buffy watched him fumble with the small pill bottle before taking it from him and reading the instructions on the label. Opening it, she grabbed two of the pills, holding them out to him before turning to the bedside table. “I think I took your water,” she said before she turned and left the room.

Spike watched Buffy walk down the hall and disappear around the corner and he sighed lightly as his shoulders slumped. He hated Buffy seeing him like this. He couldn’t think of anything more humiliating than to appear weak in her eyes. He wanted to tell her what a righteous bastard Angel was, but knew she needed to see that on her own.

Hearing her coming back down the hall, Spike smiled as she reentered his room and handed him a bottle of water. “Thanks luv,” he said, taking the water from her and swallowing the pills.

Buffy smiled back at him, her mind almost in a daze at the sight of him. It felt as if time was replaying before her very eyes. It hadn’t been so long ago that she had been standing in front of the Spike from her own time, looking at his bruised and beaten face and knowing that it was that way because of her, for her.

Spike placed the water bottle on the table, looking back up at Buffy and he leaned his head to the side slightly as he looked at her. She had a far off look on her face and if he didn’t know better, he could have sworn the glassy appearance her eyes had suddenly taken on were unshed tears welling up in her eyes. “Buffy, pet, you okay?” He asked, reaching out and touching her hand when she didn’t respond.

Buffy looked down, seeing his hand on hers and as she looked back up at his face, the tears that she tried to hold back fell. “I’m so sorry Spike,” she whispered.

“For what?” He asked quietly.

Buffy swallowed hard, fighting back the sobs that threatened to erupt. “For being such a bitch to you,” she said, trying to smile. “I never gave you a chance, just always assumed you were playing some game with me. I’m sorry I never gave you the benefit of the doubt or thanked you for everything you did.”

Spike watched her, completely lost as to what she was saying. Sure she had been a little bitchy, but no more than he had been to her. It certainly didn’t warrant tears. “It’s fine Buffy,” he said, not sure what else to say. “I’ve done my share of bitching as well.”

Buffy’s eyes finally focused back on his face, the reality of the here and now coming back into view before she looked down at their now joined hands. She gripped his hand, holding it tightly before looking back up at him and smiling. “So, you forgive me then?” She asked quietly.

Spike smiled, the pain shooting through his face ignored as he looked up at her. “I forgave you the minute that mouth started shooting off, Summers.”

Buffy chuckled as she rolled her eyes and dropped his hand. “Like yours was any better, bleach brain,” she said as she cleared the bed and straightened the pillows. “In you go,” she said as she grabbed the blankets and pulled them down.

Spike maneuvered himself, sliding up the bed and laying back as Buffy went to grab the blankets. “Won’t do any good to cover me up, not ready for bed anyway.”

“Giles said those pills will make you sleepy.”

“’M sure they will, but I’m not about to sleep in my clothes,” Spike said as he settled back into the pillows and closed his eyes.

“Well, what do you sleep in?” Buffy asked, dropping the blankets and walking toward his dresser.

Spike popped one eye open and grinned as she turned back to look at him. “My birthday suit. Wanna help me get into it?”

Buffy watched the sly smirk play across his face as her cheeks started to burn. She knew she had walked right into that one and the sudden image of him sprawled out; completely naked had her turning her head as she blushed.

“You’re a pig, Spike,” Buffy said, looking at anything but him.

Spike chuckled, the small action causing his whole body to ache, but the bright pink glow to her face and neck was too good to pass up. “What’s the matter kitten, never seen a naked man before?”

Buffy was about to answer, when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. A young, sixteen-year-old girl stared back at her, not the twenty-three year old adult she really was. Sure she had seen a naked man and even been with a few, but that was before all of this. Oh my god, does this mean I’m a virgin? She screamed to herself as she looked at her reflection.

Spike was watching her, the little smile still playing across his features as the effects of the painkillers started playing havoc with his brain. His eyes drooped and he fought to keep them open as Buffy finally turned back to him.

“As much as I’d love to see you turn an even brighter shade of red, ‘m not sure I can stay awake long enough to enjoy it,” Spike said, his eyes closing briefly before he forced them back open.

Buffy sighed heavily, shaking her head at the thoughts of Spike once again getting the last word in, embarrassing her in the process before she walked back over to the bed and sat down on the edge. Reaching up, she removed his glasses, sitting them on the bedside table as he opened his eyes back up. “Why haven’t I ever seen you in these glasses before?” She asked, looking back over at him.

“Contacts,” Spike drawled out, fighting to keep his eyes open.

“Oh. Have you always had them? Glasses I mean?”

“Yes.”

“Can you see without them?”

Spike opened his eyes back up, looking up at her. “You look a little fuzzy from here.”

“Blind as a bat then?” Buffy asked, smiling.

“Something like that,” Spike said, grinning.

“What about now?” She asked, leaning down slightly.

“Nope, still all blurry.”

“And now?” Buffy asked smiling as she leaned down further.

“Don’t you have someone else to torture who is in less pain than I am?” Spike asked, smiling as Buffy smiled down at him.

“Nope, you’re the only person I can think of that I want to torture at the moment,” Buffy said, giggling.

“Well, don’t I feel all special.”

Buffy grinned back at him, chuckling slightly at the spaced out look in his eyes. “You look completely fried,” she said, smiling.

“Gotta tell ya, I’m liking the effects of the meds.”

“Yeah, what do you see?”

A few minutes passed before Spike answered her.

“An angel,” Spike said, quietly, his words getting more slurred as he spoke and his eyelids fluttering open and shut.

Buffy’s grin widened as she looked down at him. She didn’t even know if he was even conscience of what he was saying or not as he looked completely out of it. “You think I look like an angel?” She asked.

“Mm hum” Spike said, quietly, his eyes once again closing. “Beautiful angel.”

“I’m a beautiful angel now?” Buffy asked, giggling.

“Always beautiful,” Spike whispered.

Buffy sat there watching him, the smile on her face widening as his words played over and over again in her head. She reached up with her hand, brushing the backs of her fingers along the side of his face and she felt her pulse race as he moved his head and leaned his head into her hand.

“You think I’m beautiful?” She asked quietly.

“Mm hum.”

Buffy continued to smile down at him, studying his face as her fingers lightly played across his features. Even with the massive swelling, she could still make out the sharp cut of his cheekbones, the deep hollows that sucked his cheeks in and as her gaze traveled over his face, her eyes gazed upon the full bottom lip that her fingers seemed to be drawn to.

Spike’s lips parted slightly and Buffy’s eyes were drawn into his mouth as the tip of his tongue became barely visible. She felt her skin heat up as she remembered the spell Willow had inadvertently cast and the few hours she had spent thinking she and Spike were madly in love and planning a wedding.

No matter how many times she had tried to block the memory, the feel of his lips on her always caused gooseflesh to prickle her skin and not that she would ever tell another living soul, but the way Spike had kissed her would be burnt into her memory forever. The very thought of it caused a longing in her that she tried in vain to be repulsed by, but never could find the conviction needed to carry it out.

Of the many kisses she had ever received in her lifetime, none of them even came close to the fire and passion the Spike put into his. The thoughts alone were enough to make her wish the spell had never ended, that she could have spent the rest of her life drawn into an imaginary love that seemed to surpass anything she had ever felt before or after.

As her eyes traveled up from Spike’s lips to his face, she smiled at his closed eyes and the almost angelic look on his face before she leaned forward. “Goodnight Spike,” she whispered as she leaned down, lightly kissing him and she was surprised as he responded to the light touch.

“Love you Buffy,” Spike mumbled against her lips as she leaned over him.

Buffy sat up slowly, staring at him as he slept. She was glad she wouldn’t have to respond to that as her usual response to Spike’s admission of his love for her was a good punch to his face. The urge to hit him wasn’t there anymore and the smile that slowly covered her face surprised her.

Standing, Buffy smiled as she grabbed the blankets and covered him up before turning and walking to the door. Stopping at the door, she turned, looking back over at him before flipping off the light switch. “Get well,” she said, before turning and walking down the hall.

Spike’s eyes opened, his head turning to the side and he smiled big as he watched her walk down the hall. “Two kisses in less than a week,” he whispered. Grinning big, he sighed contently before looking up at the ceiling. “She wants me,” he said softly as he chuckled and snuggled into his blankets.

Chapter 19

A Glimpse of Heaven

By Zarrah

Buffy walked quickly down the halls at school, searching out her friends. It had been late when she returned home the night before and even though she wanted to tell Willow everything that had happened with Spike, she didn’t want to get her friend in trouble by calling her so late.

Spotting the redhead she was looking for, her steps quickened, only to be stopped suddenly as her arm was grabbed and she was pulled to the side.

“Just the girl I was looking for,” Angel smiled brightly before kissing her quickly.

Buffy looked wide-eyed at her boyfriend, glancing at Willow before looking back at Angel. “Hey Angel,” she said, pulling her arm free.

“Well don’t sound so happy to see me,” Angel told her, his smile wavering slightly at her wide-eyed expression.

“Sorry, you just startled me.”

“Sorry about that,” Angel said wrapping his arm around her. “So where are you off to in such a hurry?”

“Oh, I needed to talk to Willow about something,” Buffy told him, taking the opportunity to glance back over at the redhead.

“What?”

“Huh?” Buffy asked, looking back at Angel.

“What do you need to talk to her about?” He asked again.

“Oh, um…just…some stuff.” Buffy stuttered, giving him a tight smile as she did.

“What kind of stuff?”

“It’s um…just girl stuff,” she lied, glancing down at the floor before returning her gaze to him.

Angel watched her almost nervous behavior and gave her a tight smile as she looked at Willow again and wondered if what she needed to talk to Willow about had anything to do with Spike. Buffy had spent more time with that idiot than he liked and he had to wonder if she had any clue as to what happened to him. He knew without a doubt that she would break things off with him if she ever found out what he had done to Spike and he planned on that little piece of information never leaking out. Just the thought of Spike angered him, especially seeing how Buffy seemed to be getting closer to the blonde every day. Shaking away the anger he felt, he forced a smile on his face and tightened his arm around her waist.

“I feel like we hardly spend any time together lately. What have you been doing?” Angel asked her, trying to change the subject.

“Nothing overly important,” Buffy told him. “I’ve just been busy, is all.”

“Too busy for me?”

“No.”

“Seems that way to me.”

Buffy sighed lightly, looking up at him before she glanced at Willow. She knew she’d never get all she needed to tell Willow out before class so she decided to wait till lunch. Smiling as she turned back to Angel, she leaned up, giving him a quick kiss as the bell rang. “Walk me to class?” She asked, watching as his smile widened before his arm draped over her shoulder.

“It would be my pleasure,” he replied with a smile.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Willow and the gang sat patiently at their lunch table, waiting for Buffy. A note passed between several people had informed her to get the guys together as she had something important to tell them. As the last bell rang, Willow, Xander and Jesse sat around the small table waiting.

“So, the note didn’t say what the big emergency was?” Xander asked curiously.

“Nope, just that it was about Spike and for us all to be here,” Willow told him.

“You think it’s something bad?” Jesse asked, looking around the room.

“I hope not,” Willow said, smiling as she spotted Buffy walk through the door. “Guess we’ll find out soon enough,” she told them. “There she is.”

Buffy was practically seething by the time she stepped into the lunchroom with Angel and she accepted his eager kiss before he turned and walked away from her as she made her way to the table and sat down with her friends. Angel had been like a leach all day and she barely managed to fend him off long enough to talk to her friends alone. She didn’t know what to make of him. The more he hung on, the more curious she became about his actions. He had never been so demanding of her or her time and the whole thing was starting to wig her out.

“Hey Buffy,” Xander greeted as she sat down, “What’s with the big pow-wow?”

Buffy inhaled deeply, letting out a calming breath as she sat her books aside and straightened in her chair. “I needed to talk to you about Spike,” she told them. “I know why he’s not been here.”

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense,” Jesse said as she sat there staring at them. “Spill already.”

“Well, I went to see him yesterday after he cancelled our tutoring session,” she began, “and you aren’t going to believe what I found.”

“Oh no,” Willow said softly. “What is it?” She asked, knowing by the look on Buffy’s face that whatever she was going to say was more than just Spike skipping school again.

Buffy sighed heavily as she began to relay the previous day’s events. She had a hard time keeping her emotions in check as she retold what she had found and the look on her friends’ faces didn’t make it any easier.

“Oh my god,” Willow whispered out. “Is he hurt bad?”

“Yeah,” Buffy answered, nodding her head as she did. “He looks so terrible. His whole face is black and blue. His eyes are swollen almost shut. He has cuts all over him…,” Buffy had to stop as she felt tears stinging her eyes as she tried to describe what he looked like. The image of him kept flashing in her mind and the pain etched across his face was still a clear picture.

The chatter amongst the friends was whispered and Buffy tried to hear all that was said, but her mind wouldn’t let go of the images of Spike. She could still see every bruise and cut and hear his grunts of pain when he tried to move. She still couldn’t come to terms with the fact that someone did this to him despite what he had told her, and from the way he acted, he knew who it was. The whole thing confused her.

Looking up when she heard Angel’s name mentioned, she saw Xander and Jesse glaring at Angel and his buddies across the lunchroom and she turned her head, watching as Angel and his friends laughed about something. She stared at him and the others, taking in their fading bruises before Angel’s words from the previous day finally penetrated her brain.

Buffy felt the tears stinging her eyes as she stared at Angel before she quickly grabbed her books and stood from the table.

“Buffy, where you going?” Willow asked as she watched Buffy practically run from the room.

“Probably just figured out what the rest of us already knew,” Jesse said quietly to Xander as Willow grabbed her stuff and followed Buffy out.

“Man, Angel so needs his oversized ass kicked,” Xander commented as he looked back over at the group of guys that were still laughing.

“Yeah,” Jesse agreed. “Maybe when Spike is feeling up to it, we can remedy that.”

Xander shook his head as he and Jesse kept their eyes pinned on Angel. They didn’t have a doubt in their mind as to what happened to Spike. Hell, everyone in the school knew how much Angel disliked Spike and the fact that Angel had threatened Spike only last week didn’t leave any room for guessing. It was clearly obvious to them what happened to Spike.

“Buffy, wait up,” Willow yelled as she ran down the hall after Buffy.

Buffy stopped and spun around quickly and Willow was surprised to see the hatred flaring in her eyes.

“I can’t believe I was so blind,” Buffy almost shouted as she started pacing the hall.

“What’s wrong Buffy?” Willow asked, trying to catch her breath as she watched Buffy.

“Angel, that’s what’s wrong,” Buffy told her hatefully. “He’s the one who did it. He and those stupid lackeys of his.”

“Did what?”

Buffy chuckled bitterly. “Beat the shit out of Spike, that’s what!”

“Buffy, come on,” Willow said, trying to calm her friend. “You know Xander and Jesse have always hated Angel and this is just another attempt at ‘blame all the world’s problems on Angel’ routine.”

“Well, normally I’d agree with you Will, but this time they’re right.”

Willow stared at Buffy and just stood quietly until Buffy stopped pacing and turned to look at her.

“Do you remember seeing Angel and his friends on Monday?” Buffy asked her calmly.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“And do you remember all the bruises they were all sporting?”

Willow’s eyes started to widen as she remembered and she almost hated to hear the rest.

“Well, when I asked Angel about it, he said he got hit playing ball at the park. Anyway, I commented that he looked like he had been hit by a truck and that’s exactly what Spike told me happened to him. I automatically thought of Angel when he said it and when I asked him if Angel did it, he said no.”

“Well, if I know Spike, he would have loved blowing the whistle on Angel,” Willow told her. “Anything to get you away from him would do.”

“I know,” Buffy said. “But the other guys are the ones I’m thinking actually did it.”

“Why do you think that?” Willow asked.

“Because Spike said that Angel was too big of a wanker to fight his own battles,” she said with a slight grin at repeating Spike’s “wanker” comment.

“Okay,” Willow said, thinking about all Buffy had told her. “So, you think Angel had something to do with it then?”

“I think Angel had everything to do with it,” Buffy said. “And I’m going to prove it.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“I’m going to get Spike to tell me, that’s how.”

<><><><><><><><><><>

Spike leaned back against the pillows on his bed, trying to stretch out without causing the gripping pain he had been feeling to course through his body. He had spent more days than he liked to remember stuck in his room and was ready to get out.

Staring at the walls was beginning to drive him crazy and he didn’t think he could stomach another “movie night” with Rupert. The effort it took to walk down the short hall to the den wasn’t worth the black and white flicks his uncle always selected for them to watch.

He had hoped that Buffy would come back and see him but it was almost eleven pm and hadn’t heard a word from her. He had spent the whole day waiting for her and he cursed himself for thinking that maybe she had cared for him as much as he did her. When she didn’t show, he had slumped down into his bed and cursed Angel for everything he was worth. He didn’t know how or when, but he knew Angel would pay dearly for what he had done.

Sighing heavily, Spike finally crawled down into his bed and closed his eyes. He was glad the pain medication made him sleepy because every time he closed his eyes, he saw her face. Not that he minded, but the images his brain kept conjuring up always made sleep impossible.

He had relived the two small kisses she had given him over a thousand times and couldn’t help but wonder what she would do if he kissed her. The kiss the previous night had been given for no other reason than he could think of, but to kiss him. He knew it was probably more than that, but the first was given out of gratitude; yesterday was something entirely different.

A tiny smile graced his face as he remembered it and he knew she felt something for him. She had to. No other reason would cause her to kiss him. Sure they were friends, kind of, but he had never seen her kiss Xander or Jesse, so that gave him a crumb of hope that she was finally coming around.

Jumping slightly as the phone rang, Spike opened his eyes and grabbed the phone before it woke his uncle up and pulled the receiver to his ear. “Ello.”

“Hey, did I wake you?” Buffy asked quietly.

Spike smiled wide when he heard her voice and any doubts vanished immediately. “No,” he finally answered, “too many things on my mind to fall asleep at the moment.”

“Oh, well is that a good thing or bad?”

“Good. Definitely good,” he said, smiling.

“Well you sound better today. Are you feeling any better?”

“Still have the aches and pains and I’m not one hundred percent back to my normal, sexy self, but other than that I’m okay.”

Buffy giggled softly as she lay across her bed. She could almost see the smirk planted on his face and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his statement. “I think your stud status is in severe jeopardy at the moment, what with all the shades of blue and purple you have going on.”

“Hey, most girls like purple…might just propel me into the hottie of the year category.”

“Oh sure,” Buffy laughed. “You’re exactly what I’m looking for in a guy. Someone I can color coordinate my clothes with.”

“Oh, so you do want me then?” Spike’s smile only widened when he heard Buffy choke out a cough before she became extremely quiet and he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Still there princess?”

“Yeah,” Buffy finally said. She didn’t know why, but a smile unlike any she had felt like having before was spreading across her face. She knew Spike unlike anyone else and the usual flirty banter was still there. The thing most puzzling now…she liked it.

“So, you going to come by tomorrow?” Spike finally asked quietly. “I mean, it is a tutoring day and all.”

“Yeah,” Buffy said, her smile widening. “I mean, that is, if you want me to.”

“Yeah, I do,” Spike smiled. “I mean, just because you passed one test doesn’t mean you don’t still need help.”

Buffy’s mind was reeling. She couldn’t explain the thrill of excitement she was feeling at seeing him again and she had to wonder where it all came from. I mean, she hated Spike…right? He was a pain in her ass, an obnoxious little leach that she couldn’t seem to get rid of. So why were the prospects of seeing him giving her a happy?

“So, um…I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Spike finally asked after she got quiet again.

“Yeah, tomorrow,” Buffy grinned.

“Alright.”

“Well, goodnight Spike,” Buffy said softly.

“Goodnight Buffy.”

Twin smiles lit up both their faces as they each hung up the phone. Neither one knew what had just happened, but they both knew something had changed. With happy smiles, they both snuggled down into their beds with thoughts of the other on their minds. With giddy smiles, they both closed their eyes, hoping that tomorrow came quickly.

To Be Continued……

Glimpse of Heaven

Chapter 20

By Zarrah

Hearing the front door open and close, Spike turned his head to his closed bedroom door and tried to listen for sounds in the other room. The house had been eerily quiet all day and hearing movement in the other room, he sighed loudly as he leaned his head back against the pillows and closed his eyes.

He had spent the better part of the day trying to straighten his room and even though every move he made sent pains throughout his body, he wasn’t about to let Buffy see his room in such a state of disarray again. He wanted everything to be perfect and having her clean his room wasn’t how he wanted to spend their time together.

He was almost a nervous ball of energy by the time three o’clock rolled around and he anxiously watched the clock, knowing that Buffy usually arrived by six. Time seemed to drag as the minutes seemed to stretch into hours, and the later it became, the more anxious he became.

Opening his eyes, Spike glanced at the clock and sighed as the numbers flashed six forty-five before movement outside his door caught his attention. Turning his head to the door as it opened he smiled as Buffy stuck her head in.

“Knock, knock,” Buffy said, smiling as she opened the door to Spike’s room and looked in.

Spike couldn’t contain the smile that covered his face when he saw her and the long agonizing day of waiting was over. “Hey pet,” he greeted as she entered.

“Hey yourself,” Buffy said, entering the room and pushing the door back shut. “How you feel?”

“Better,” Spike told her, his smile still present as he tried to sit up.

“Well, you still look like shit,” Buffy grinned as she walked over to the bed and sat down, sitting the bag she held in her hand on the bed next to her.

“Well thanks ever so,” Spike said grinning as he rolled his eyes at her.

“No problem,” Buffy giggled at his expression. “Although the glasses are still going to take a while to get use to,” she said, staring at the wire-framed spectacles perched on his face.

“Don’t have to get use to them,” Spike told her as he shifted his weight and sat up straighter. “Once the swellin’ in the eyes goes down, the contacts can go back in.”

“Well that’s good. I would hate to try and restrain myself from all the glasses jokes I could come up with,” she smiled.

Spike just smiled, knowing she wouldn’t be the only one making with the jokes. He’d never hear the end of it if Xander or Jesse saw him and he was glad his friends hadn’t decided to pay him a visit. “So, you ready to study?” He asked, finally sitting up and leaning back against the pillows.

“Yeah, but first, I brought you a prezzie,” Buffy said, grinning wildly as reached for the bag she had placed on the bed.

“Why Buffy, here I thought you didn’t care,” Spike said as Buffy grinned and lifted the bag. “What is it?”

“Greasy goodness of the gods,” she told him as she opened the bag. “Or so I’m told.”

Spike inhaled deeply, his grin widening as the smell wafting from the bag Buffy brought in finally hit him. “Please tell me that’s a Jody burger I smell.”

Buffy chuckled at the dreamy look on his face before reaching into the bag. “Well nothing else could smell this greasy and still be eatable,” she said, pulling the food from the bag. “I thought you might be in the mood for something other than TV dinners.”

“How right you are,” Spike told her, sitting up straighter as Buffy scooted back on the bed and handed him the tray of food.

“Jody asked me to tell you hey,” Buffy said, handing Spike a few napkins before she opened her own box.

Spike smiled as he looked up, shaking his head slightly as Buffy dove into the mounds of chili and cheese covering her fries before she looked up at him and grinned.

“What?” She asked, smiling as she took a bite.

“Just can’t believe you went to the Jody Burger all by yourself,” Spike told her. “Didn’t think you’d ever step foot into that place again.”

Buffy shrugged her shoulders before looking back down at her food and poking at it with her fork. “Well I know you like it,” she said quietly before glancing up at him quickly. “Thought maybe with all the crap you’ve been through the past couple of days you’d like something other than those frozen diners Giles is so fond of.”

“Well you’re right about that,” Spike said smiling as he saw the slight pink tint staining Buffy’s cheeks while she concentrated on her food. He honestly didn’t believe she would ever go back to Jody’s, let alone go by herself and apparently just for him. His mind had been plagued all day with thoughts of having something with her other than a friendship and now this tiny gesture had him hoping it meant more than just her concern for his nutritional well-being.

Buffy swallowed heavily, trying to concentrate on her meal and not Spike. She didn’t know what possessed her to go to the seedy burger joint, but the look on Spike’s face what the exact reaction she had been hoping for.

She had spent way to many hours pondering the “what ifs” where Spike was concerned and no matter how many times she tried to rationalize her sudden concern for him, it always came back to one thing. She cared. She cared that he was hurt and that someone purposely hurt him. She cared that he was in pain and she wanted nothing more than to take it away. The confusing thing was: Why?

She had a boyfriend who, on any given day, would have made her happier than anything. Her whole world had revolved around Angel and she would have given anything for the relationship to continue in her own time. So why now…that everything seemed to be so perfect…did the one person who she had spent so much time loathing cause so many confusing emotions in her?

Spike silently watched her, seeing a multitude of emotions cross her face as she stared down into the Styrofoam box in front of her. He knew without her confirmation that she was pondering the same thing he had been all day, or at least he hoped she was. The two of them.

Buffy smiled as she saw Spike’s hand find its way into the box in front of her and snatch one of the soaked fries from her plate before she looked up at him. The smile on his face as he looked at her made her heart trip in her chest as he licked the cheese from his fingers and came back for seconds. Eyeing the burger on his plate, Buffy smiled big as she leaned over, taking it and helping herself.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Angel ran a hand through his hair, straightening his shoulders before raising his hand and knocking on the door. He had serious doubts about this, but his friends had assured him that this was the way to go.

Smiling as the door opened, Angel cleared his throat as Hank stood before him. “Evening sir,” he said politely.

Hank surveyed the young man in front of him, trying to remember his manners and knowing that Buffy would be seriously upset if he just slammed the door in Angel’s face like he wanted to. Giving the teen a tight smile, Hank crossed his arms over his chest and gave Angel a nod of his head.

“I was wondering if Buffy was home?” Angel asked, seeing that Hank was going to be tougher to get around than he first thought.

“Sorry, she’s at her tutoring session,” Hank told him.

“Oh,” Angel said, acting surprised. “I thought she wasn’t going to be going over to Spike’s anymore.”

“Why would you think that?” Hank asked, his posture relaxing slightly at the look on Angel’s face.

Angel had to think quickly and he put on his best concerned face before he shuffled on his feet slightly. “Um, it’s just that, well…never mind,” Angel said, smiling slightly. “Tell her I came by,” he said before he turned and started for the steps.

“Hold on a minute,” Hank said as he stepped out of the doorway and out onto the porch.

Angel smiled widely before he let it slip away and turned to face Buffy’s father. “Yes sir?”

“Is there something about William that I should know?” Hank asked.

Angel shook his head slightly, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. “It’s not my place sir,” he said quietly. “Rumors are just that, rumors.”

“And what kind of rumors have you heard?”

Angel bit back the smile threatening to cover his face before he sighed heavily. “Well, it’s just some things I heard Spike was into. Why he got beat up so badly, that’s all.”

Hank stared hard at Angel, watching the young man closely before he turned and walked back into the house. Turning once he reached the door, he looked back out at Angel. “Come inside son,” he said as he held the door. “Let’s have a little talk.”

Angel wanted to shout when Hank stood there holding the door for him. This had worked better than he thought. Nodding his head and giving a small smile to Hank, Angel walked forward, suppressing a smile once he crossed the threshold and the door was shut behind him.

<><><><><><><><><><>

Buffy groaned and flung her head back on the pillows as she discovered yet another of her answers was incorrect. She felt like throwing her book across the room or stomping it into the ground and she closed her eyes before she let out a small dissatisfied moan.

“I’m never going to get this,” Buffy said as Spike continued to try to talk her through her homework assignment.

“You’re not concentrating Buffy,” Spike said as he lifted her notebook and looked back over her work.

Buffy half opened one eye, looking at Spike as she sat next to him. There was a reason for her lack of concentration. It was him! After finishing their meals, each of them stealing more of the other’s food than actually eating their own, Spike had scooted to the edge of the bed and patted the space beside him as he grabbed her book bag. She had hesitantly stood and walked around the bed, taking a seat next to him.

She would be lying if she said the small move hadn’t made her nervous. Sure, she had been physically close to him before, but not this close. Their shoulders were touching and on more than one occasion, Spike had leaned down to point out her mistakes as she worked out her math problems and Buffy couldn’t help but shudder at being so close to him. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. The smallest brush of his hand on hers had her heart racing in her chest and her thoughts strayed more than once. She wasn’t sure how much longer she would be able to sit there and not go completely insane.

Buffy sat there staring at him and even though his face still held the blue and purple bruises and was swollen beyond anything she had seen before, she couldn’t help her thoughts from turning traitorous again. The bluest eyes she had ever seen stared at her from behind the small wired-framed glasses and as her eyes ran over his features, they landed on his lips.

Spike watched her, seeing her eyes roam over his face and his breath caught in his throat. Just the way she was looking at him had his mind going into overdrive and as her eyes finally came back up to meet his, he felt all the air leave his lungs.

Buffy realized how close they were when she felt his breath on her face and as she moved her head, she swallowed hard as he leaned down. Her mind was screaming at her that this was wrong, to not go there, but as she lifted her head, her eyes closed the instant she felt his lips touch hers.

Thoughts of Angel flashed through her mind, as did passion-filled kisses from another time, as she felt the soft sweep of his lips brush across hers. She inhaled deeply, taking in a deep breath, and before she could even convince herself that this way wrong, she had twisted her body and was actively kissing him back.

Spike was in heaven. He didn’t know what possessed him to kiss her, but judging from her reaction, he was glad he did. There was no denying it now, no matter what she said. There was something there. He knew it. As he lifted his hand and laid it softly on her cheek, he gasped softly as he felt her tongue slide across his bottom lip…

“Are you listening to me?” Spike asked, moving his arm and poking Buffy with his elbow to get her attention.

“Huh…what?” Buffy said, finally snapping out of her thoughts and focusing her eyes on him.

“I asked you if you were listening to me,” Spike told her, watching her as she looked at him.

Buffy’s eyes widened slightly before she sat up straight and stared at him. “Um, yeah,” she stammered as she quickly stood up and grabbed her book from him. “I um, just remembered I had…this thing to do tonight.”

Spike watched her as she quickly grabbed her things, shoving them into her book bag and zipping it quickly before she walked around the bed to the door. Sitting up as quickly as he could, Spike stared at her as she turned her head to him and smiled.

“I’ll see you later,” she blurted out before practically running for the door and fumbling with the doorknob before she finally got it opened and darted out of the room.

Spike watched her run down the hall and disappear around the corner before he heard the front door open and slam shut again. He was in complete shock and shook his head as he stared out into the empty hall. “What the bleedin’ hell was that all about?”

To Be Continued……

A/N…Seems like Buffy is fantasizing about Spike now…who can blame her...lol. How will this affect their relationship now and what the hell is Angel up to?

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