Title: Life terms
Author: Jillian K.
Summary: Post Dead Things with twist. What if Buffy had never learned of her own innocence
in Katrina's murder? It's ten years later and the only one still waiting for her is the one that she
hurt the most. Angst and more of that.
Disclaimer: BTVS and its characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. This fic is
intended for entertainment purposes only.
Chapter 1
He was dead, with a draining kind of tiredness that had nothing to do with physical activity but
rather with emotional turmoil. Only sleeping for a week could lessen his complete weariness.
Unfortunately, there was truly no rest for the wicked. In fact the fun was just starting.
Spike sat in his newly washed car and thought about her for the billionth time. He would see her
again. Today she would return to his life.
Buffy Summers. The strong, beautiful slayer with martyr complex that rivaled the biblical
Daniel. The woman whose blind sense of justice had led her to spend a decade in Valley State
Prison away from her people and her calling. They had missed her but she was just about to find
out that life went on without her. He hoped that the realization wouldn't hurt too much. Part of
him also hoped that it would.
He wondered how she would look. She would no longer be a fresh faced twenty year old but a
mature woman of thirty. No doubt she'd be different. Would her beauty be gone? And yet as
he wondered this he knew that it would make no difference.
It was very early and her release time was scheduled for 9:00 a.m. which was exactly 45 minutes
away. He'd driven all night to get Chowchilla on time. He didn't want her to have to get on a
bus to come home. She had gone through a lot already.
Buffy Summers was convicted and sentenced of one count of manslaughter. She had tried to
plea bargain but her prior record (a rather extensive one) had prevented her from doing so. So
she'd gotten the book thrown at her. Ten cold, lonely years behind bars. Buried behind bars.
She'd been placed in the general population when a certain demon had invaded the cell block.
Buffy'd done her duty but had been sent to the Security Housing Unit which was a supermax
security wing within the prison. She was in her cell for more than twenty-three hours per day
and was only allowed out to shower or to "exercise" in the penned up yard. Everywhere she
went she would be shackled and subjected to strip searches. He thought of that constantly. His
Buffy having to strip nude in front of strangers, spending her nights alone behind a steel door.
Being chained and told what to do every second of her life. It bothered him, actually it hurt him
deeply. She didn't deserve any of it.
Now she would be free and facing life as an ex-con. He was afraid that it would not be
easy. She would be branded a criminal for the rest of her life.
He sighed loudly and ran a hair through his soft brown curls. He'd given up on peroxide right
about the time she'd gone to prison. There was no need to impress anyone. In fact without her
he felt rather detached from the world. He knew that he had to take care of Dawn and make sure
that the Scoobies did not get killed but even as he did that, he felt completely unable to connect.
Even as he carefully guarded his charge he couldn't shake the numbness away the deadened
spirit. It was if all light had gone from his world.
Still, he had done his duty. The bit had survived and thrived miraculously into a pretty
levelheaded young woman that had gone to college and married a pretty decent chap. She lived
in Connecticut and was pursuing a masters degree as well as motherhood. He could not be
prouder.
The Scoobies had fought the good fight and had come out on top. The council of Watcher had
facilitated Faith's release when Buffy had gotten convicted. The penitent Slayer had managed to
keep the hellmouth under control. Willow and Tara had also proven to be a force to be reckoned
with. They were currently residing in England and sharing their knowledge with the ancient
Covent of Witchcraft. They would not be returning for another year.
Xander and Anya had decided to marry and raise a family away from the hellmouth. They had
moved to a little town in Iowa and called only sporadically. He really couldn't blame them as
they had suffered enough.
Eventually the hellmouth had caved within itself and Faith had decided to join Angel in LA.
Spike had come along but life within the poofster's circle was a little too much for him. He'd
decided to move back to Sunnydale and take care of the remaining vamps and demons in the
city. It was a little lonely but he'd adapted to it. He'd bought a tiny house with his savings and
this is where he would be taking the Slayer. He hoped that she would accept as she really had
nowhere else to go.
He sighed again and dug his nails into the steering wheel. It was all bloody screwed up. Maybe
he should go. Maybe it would be the best for both of them. He wasn't himself anymore and hell
only knew who she was now. They could only hurt each other and they'd already done too much
of that.
But he wouldn't leave. He couldn't. He had always been in for the long haul. He was there
when the gates finally opened and the Slayer had her first taste of freedom in ten years.
TBC (Maybe. If I get enough reviews)
Author: Jillian K.
Summary: Post Dead Things with twist. What if Buffy had never learned of her own innocence
in Katrina's murder? It's ten years later and the only one still waiting for her is the one that she
hurt the most. Angst and more of that.
Disclaimer: BTVS and its characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. This fic is
intended for entertainment purposes only.
Chapter 1
He was dead, with a draining kind of tiredness that had nothing to do with physical activity but
rather with emotional turmoil. Only sleeping for a week could lessen his complete weariness.
Unfortunately, there was truly no rest for the wicked. In fact the fun was just starting.
Spike sat in his newly washed car and thought about her for the billionth time. He would see her
again. Today she would return to his life.
Buffy Summers. The strong, beautiful slayer with martyr complex that rivaled the biblical
Daniel. The woman whose blind sense of justice had led her to spend a decade in Valley State
Prison away from her people and her calling. They had missed her but she was just about to find
out that life went on without her. He hoped that the realization wouldn't hurt too much. Part of
him also hoped that it would.
He wondered how she would look. She would no longer be a fresh faced twenty year old but a
mature woman of thirty. No doubt she'd be different. Would her beauty be gone? And yet as
he wondered this he knew that it would make no difference.
It was very early and her release time was scheduled for 9:00 a.m. which was exactly 45 minutes
away. He'd driven all night to get Chowchilla on time. He didn't want her to have to get on a
bus to come home. She had gone through a lot already.
Buffy Summers was convicted and sentenced of one count of manslaughter. She had tried to
plea bargain but her prior record (a rather extensive one) had prevented her from doing so. So
she'd gotten the book thrown at her. Ten cold, lonely years behind bars. Buried behind bars.
She'd been placed in the general population when a certain demon had invaded the cell block.
Buffy'd done her duty but had been sent to the Security Housing Unit which was a supermax
security wing within the prison. She was in her cell for more than twenty-three hours per day
and was only allowed out to shower or to "exercise" in the penned up yard. Everywhere she
went she would be shackled and subjected to strip searches. He thought of that constantly. His
Buffy having to strip nude in front of strangers, spending her nights alone behind a steel door.
Being chained and told what to do every second of her life. It bothered him, actually it hurt him
deeply. She didn't deserve any of it.
Now she would be free and facing life as an ex-con. He was afraid that it would not be
easy. She would be branded a criminal for the rest of her life.
He sighed loudly and ran a hair through his soft brown curls. He'd given up on peroxide right
about the time she'd gone to prison. There was no need to impress anyone. In fact without her
he felt rather detached from the world. He knew that he had to take care of Dawn and make sure
that the Scoobies did not get killed but even as he did that, he felt completely unable to connect.
Even as he carefully guarded his charge he couldn't shake the numbness away the deadened
spirit. It was if all light had gone from his world.
Still, he had done his duty. The bit had survived and thrived miraculously into a pretty
levelheaded young woman that had gone to college and married a pretty decent chap. She lived
in Connecticut and was pursuing a masters degree as well as motherhood. He could not be
prouder.
The Scoobies had fought the good fight and had come out on top. The council of Watcher had
facilitated Faith's release when Buffy had gotten convicted. The penitent Slayer had managed to
keep the hellmouth under control. Willow and Tara had also proven to be a force to be reckoned
with. They were currently residing in England and sharing their knowledge with the ancient
Covent of Witchcraft. They would not be returning for another year.
Xander and Anya had decided to marry and raise a family away from the hellmouth. They had
moved to a little town in Iowa and called only sporadically. He really couldn't blame them as
they had suffered enough.
Eventually the hellmouth had caved within itself and Faith had decided to join Angel in LA.
Spike had come along but life within the poofster's circle was a little too much for him. He'd
decided to move back to Sunnydale and take care of the remaining vamps and demons in the
city. It was a little lonely but he'd adapted to it. He'd bought a tiny house with his savings and
this is where he would be taking the Slayer. He hoped that she would accept as she really had
nowhere else to go.
He sighed again and dug his nails into the steering wheel. It was all bloody screwed up. Maybe
he should go. Maybe it would be the best for both of them. He wasn't himself anymore and hell
only knew who she was now. They could only hurt each other and they'd already done too much
of that.
But he wouldn't leave. He couldn't. He had always been in for the long haul. He was there
when the gates finally opened and the Slayer had her first taste of freedom in ten years.
TBC (Maybe. If I get enough reviews)