RV of Love by Julbie
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INT. SPIKEÕS R.V. - NIGHT
The Scoobies are camped out for the night. Exhausted from being on the lamb from Glory for a few days, everyone seems to be sound asleep. All but SPIKE, who sits in the booth at the fold-out kitchen table with a deck of cards, quietly playing Blackjack with himself. BUFFY walks up to him without a word, looking sleepy and a little sad.
SPIKE
(instinctively defensive)
I was trying to be quiet.
(beat)
I shouldnÕt have shuffled.
BUFFY
No, itÕs fine. I was awake.
SPIKE
CanÕt sleep?
She slouches into the booth next to Spike and shakes her head, ÒNo.Ó
SPIKE (CONT'D)
Yeah, well, me neither. Whole creature of the night thing.
Hard to adjust to the good guy schedule. WhatÕs your excuse?
Buffy is quiet for a long time. Eyes focused elsewhere. Spike is just about to break the uncomfortable silence by changing the subject.
SPIKE (CONTÕD)
Wanna play Gin RumÑ
BUFFY
IÕm scared.
Spike is a little thrown by this admission. Especially since heÕs the one sheÕs chosen to confide in. After a long moment:
SPIKE
We all are.
BUFFY
(re: Scoobies)
Yeah, but look at them. Sound asleep. They can do that, because they think IÕm in some kind of charge or something. They think I know what IÕm doing, and everythingÕs going be okay because IÕm going to make it okay.
(lets it all out)
Well, what if I canÕt make it okay? What if I have no idea what IÕm doing? Did they ever stop to think of that?
SPIKE
(calmly)
No. They didnÕt. They look to you as their leader because youÕre the strongest. Present company excluded, of course.
Buffy manages a weary look that says, ÒI donÕt think so.Ó
SPIKE (CONTÕD)
Well, whatever, they sure as hell arenÕt going to listen to me anyway. So you have to be the one. They need to think youÕre in control, even if youÕre not. Otherwise, theyÕd never be able to handle whatÕs to come.
BUFFY
Hey, great. Well, thanks for that little pick me up. I feel much less alone now.
SPIKE
(quietly)
YouÕre not alone.
Buffy looks up into his eyes. He meets her gaze with a look that confirms his words. The energy between them is powerfully charged. Suddenly, Spike breaks the silence with:
SPIKE (CONTÕD)
(goofy; mocking)
Does someone need a hug?
Buffy tries not to, but breaks into a laugh anyway. Playfully, she pushes Spike away. As she does this, he grabs hold of her arm and pulls her roughly into a hug.
Buffy fights it for a split second, more out of shock than anything else, but it feels way too good to pull away from. She sighs heavily and sinks into him. Spike is more surprised than she is by his spontaneous need to have her in his arms and her not staking him because of it. When he realizes sheÕs not going anywhere, he closes his eyes and rests his chin on top of her head, breathing in her scent. A moment passes. Then, very tentatively, he begins to stroke her hair.
BUFFY
Spike?
Spike freezes, mid-stroke, bracing for reprimand.
SPIKE
Yeah?
BUFFY
Say everythingÕs going to be okay.
Spike is quiet for a moment. Buffy looks up at him.
SPIKE
(meeting her eyes)
Everything is going to be okay. WeÕll make it okay. I promise.
Buffy closes her eyes and snuggles back into SpikeÕs chest.
BUFFY
Is it all right if I stay here a minute?
SPIKE
(voice-shaking)
Yeah, sure. I didnÕt make any other plans for the evening.
BUFFY
Good.
Buffy slips her hands under SpikeÕs coat and circles her arms around his waist pulling him even closer to her. Spike is in Heaven.
From across the room, WE SEE that GILES is wide awake, listening with a small, content smile on his face. He turns and goes back to sleep.
THE END
Ê
Ê
INT. SPIKEÕS R.V. - NIGHT
The Scoobies are camped out for the night. Exhausted from being on the lamb from Glory for a few days, everyone seems to be sound asleep. All but SPIKE, who sits in the booth at the fold-out kitchen table with a deck of cards, quietly playing Blackjack with himself. BUFFY walks up to him without a word, looking sleepy and a little sad.
SPIKE
(instinctively defensive)
I was trying to be quiet.
(beat)
I shouldnÕt have shuffled.
BUFFY
No, itÕs fine. I was awake.
SPIKE
CanÕt sleep?
She slouches into the booth next to Spike and shakes her head, ÒNo.Ó
SPIKE (CONT'D)
Yeah, well, me neither. Whole creature of the night thing.
Hard to adjust to the good guy schedule. WhatÕs your excuse?
Buffy is quiet for a long time. Eyes focused elsewhere. Spike is just about to break the uncomfortable silence by changing the subject.
SPIKE (CONTÕD)
Wanna play Gin RumÑ
BUFFY
IÕm scared.
Spike is a little thrown by this admission. Especially since heÕs the one sheÕs chosen to confide in. After a long moment:
SPIKE
We all are.
BUFFY
(re: Scoobies)
Yeah, but look at them. Sound asleep. They can do that, because they think IÕm in some kind of charge or something. They think I know what IÕm doing, and everythingÕs going be okay because IÕm going to make it okay.
(lets it all out)
Well, what if I canÕt make it okay? What if I have no idea what IÕm doing? Did they ever stop to think of that?
SPIKE
(calmly)
No. They didnÕt. They look to you as their leader because youÕre the strongest. Present company excluded, of course.
Buffy manages a weary look that says, ÒI donÕt think so.Ó
SPIKE (CONTÕD)
Well, whatever, they sure as hell arenÕt going to listen to me anyway. So you have to be the one. They need to think youÕre in control, even if youÕre not. Otherwise, theyÕd never be able to handle whatÕs to come.
BUFFY
Hey, great. Well, thanks for that little pick me up. I feel much less alone now.
SPIKE
(quietly)
YouÕre not alone.
Buffy looks up into his eyes. He meets her gaze with a look that confirms his words. The energy between them is powerfully charged. Suddenly, Spike breaks the silence with:
SPIKE (CONTÕD)
(goofy; mocking)
Does someone need a hug?
Buffy tries not to, but breaks into a laugh anyway. Playfully, she pushes Spike away. As she does this, he grabs hold of her arm and pulls her roughly into a hug.
Buffy fights it for a split second, more out of shock than anything else, but it feels way too good to pull away from. She sighs heavily and sinks into him. Spike is more surprised than she is by his spontaneous need to have her in his arms and her not staking him because of it. When he realizes sheÕs not going anywhere, he closes his eyes and rests his chin on top of her head, breathing in her scent. A moment passes. Then, very tentatively, he begins to stroke her hair.
BUFFY
Spike?
Spike freezes, mid-stroke, bracing for reprimand.
SPIKE
Yeah?
BUFFY
Say everythingÕs going to be okay.
Spike is quiet for a moment. Buffy looks up at him.
SPIKE
(meeting her eyes)
Everything is going to be okay. WeÕll make it okay. I promise.
Buffy closes her eyes and snuggles back into SpikeÕs chest.
BUFFY
Is it all right if I stay here a minute?
SPIKE
(voice-shaking)
Yeah, sure. I didnÕt make any other plans for the evening.
BUFFY
Good.
Buffy slips her hands under SpikeÕs coat and circles her arms around his waist pulling him even closer to her. Spike is in Heaven.
From across the room, WE SEE that GILES is wide awake, listening with a small, content smile on his face. He turns and goes back to sleep.
THE END
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