Breaking Hope
CHAPTER 2
"Sorry in advance 'bout the bed, luv," Spike said as we neared the door. He pulled out a set of keys and opened the door to a small underground apartment. I could tell Spike had been living here, everything about the way he made it his said as much. As I walked in I could see what he meant. The bed in the room was small with single mattresses that looked hard as a rock. However, I hadn't realized until that moment just how tired I really was. But apparently Spike had known the whole time. He scooped me up and lay me on the bed.
"Is this really happening?" I asked timidly. "Are you really back?" He gave me a look of sadness and regret, covered me up with a blanket.
"'Course luv," he replied simply.
I drifted in and out of sleep until I couldn't stay in bed if I tried. The problem was, Spike was no where to be seen. While I waited I took a good look around the house where he had been staying. Nothing seemed out if place and something about it the tiny apartment seemed so familiar. It felt like home. The unfortunate thing was that without any windows or clocks it was hard to tell what time it was. Plus my jetlag was really throwing me off.
Not very long after I got up Spike came back with two coffees and grocery bags,meaning it couldn't have been that bright out yet. I couldn't have slept that long so it must still be the same night. It was a moment before he realized that I was awake, and when he did, he gave me the biggest grin. "Morning Goldilocks!"
I blushed and he threw me his signature little smirk. "Hey." I pushed myself up from where I'd been sitting on the bed and walked over to him in my wrinkled clothing. "I- uh actually didn't pack anything, when I found out I got here as soon as possible."
He blushed a little. "I'm glad you came, I, uh got you something to wear, actually." I reached into my pocket, fished out his lighter, and handed it to him. He smirked and slipped it into his duster.
We sat on the couch with our coffee and just talked and laughed, it felt like no time had passed at all. I put my cup on the table and scooted over to cuddle with him. For a while that's all we did. "I've really missed you, Spike. I- I don't want to loose you again," I whispered.
"I don't want to lose you, either luv. Never again."
I hesitated. "Spike, can I ask you something?"
He responded with a nod. " Anything, luv."
I steeled my nerves "When I told you, down in the Hellmouth, that I love you, why did you say I didn't?"
He took a breath in, but looked like he had been expecting this question. "I told you that because if I hadn't, you never would have left. You would have died there too, and that time you wouldn't have come back." Okay as good an excuse as any.
"But you do believe me right?"
He blushed again. "Yeah, luv I do."
I looked him in the eye. "And do you still like me?"
He was instantly offended. "Bloody hell, of course I do, kitten, I love you more than anything, you know that." He grabbed my shoulders. "Buffy, luv, what's wrong?"
I was crying. "Everyone always leaves me. I just don't want to lose you again." He wrapped his injured arms as tight around me as he could.
"Don't worry luv, 'm not going anywhere. I'll always be here. I'm yours forever."
I blushed. "I feel the same way. I'm just so scared." It was easy to see a thought pass through his eyes. "What is it?" I asked.
"What if there was a way to be each other's forever? Bound to each other."
Renewed happiness and hope spread through my chest. "Can we really do that?" As soon as I said that the biggest grin broke over his face and he nodded.
"One thing luv, I just need you to be one-hundred percent sure, as this claim cannot be broken one it is put in place."
I wanted him to know just how serious I was. "I would never want the claim broken. What we have and who we are together is all I could ever want."
Holding himself in check he kissed me lightly on the lips and told me what we would have to do. A bite each, drawing blood and vocally claiming each other. We did the claim right then and there. When we were done we simply laid down exhausted on the couch, tangled in each others arms. Before long we both fell asleep.
I woke up quite early in the morning with a huge sense of ease and utter joy. I could feel his thoughts and emotions. It was a few minutes before Spike woke up as well. In that instant I could tell he felt all of me, too. "Hey, luv." We made eye contact and were enveloped by the feel of one another. It was broken by the phone ringing. "Who the sodding hell-" he never finished because he picked up the phone and barked "WHAT?" into it. I felt his slight sense of anger and annoyance boil into a jealous rage and because of that alone I knew who had to be on the other end of the phone: Angel. "No, I'm not bloody well coming in today…I'm sodding busy, that's why…fine, if you really want to know…" Spike looked at me to confirm that it was okay for him brag. I sent him a begrudging approval, and he smirked before saying: "Buffy is here." There was a lot of yelled threats and cursing on the other end and Spike just hung up.
He gave me a sly look and I knew what he wanted to do: show off our new claim to my jealous ex. "I picked you up a few things." He brought me a couple bags full of clothes and set them down. "I wasn't sure which you would like, but I wanted you to have a few new things for now. if you don't like them we could go out again later and get something better."
"I'm sure they're perfect, Spike." He looked at me as I blushed. "Right then, I also got you some food, so you look through there and I'll whip something up." I selected a red long sleeve shirt and pair of black jeans. In the other bag I found a black motto jacket, which I pulled out also. I changed quickly in the bathroom. The scent of something cooking wafted under the door. It smelled like heaven. I realized that I hadn't eaten since the morning Andrew came back. My stomach lurched and gurgled.
"Hungry, are we pet?" Spike called. I reddened and walked into the kitchen. I forgotten about that crazy vampire hearing. He dealt some food onto my plate. The meal was an cheese omelet with a generous side of bacon. He poured me a cup of orange juice as I dug in. I inhaled everything and didn't come up for air until every last crumb was gone. I downed my orange juice in one gulp and wiped my mouth. Only then did I look up to see Spike grinning at me with his tongue curled behind his teeth.
"What?" I asked, blushing, though I was pretty sure I already knew.
"You look gorgeous, even when you are stuffing you face full up, you're just so... perfect."
I leaned over to him and planed a kiss square on his lips before pulling away. "I love you, Spike." He looked so ecstatic to hear that. Happier than I could remember ever having seen him.
"Love you too, kitten."
I stood up and walked over to sit on his lap. "Never leave me again." I said kissing him.
"Never, I'm yours forever." He pledged.
"And I am yours."
The office was a quick ride away in the car that had special anti-sun windows. The drive itself was pretty great with Spike and I singing along to dated songs, joking around, and continuing to catch up with each other. Though I quickly regretted telling him one specific thing.
"What do you sodding mean they all left?"
I sighed and tried to explain better. "I haven't seen Xander since he left for Mexico. Will and Kennedy are off making with the smoochies, and Dawn went off to the boarding school set up for the new slayers." He was fuming and I sent calmness and reassurance through the bond. With a sigh he relaxed. "Really, Spike, it's okay. They all have lives and it wouldn't have been fair to expect them to be hanging around all the time just in case I need them." He nodded, but he probably just wanted to avoid an argument.
After a moment he went on to explain what life had been like for him during the past few months and the crazy things he had been up to at Angel's. I thought my life had been odd. His had been jammed full with the unexpected.
Luckily for us I was very used to the weird and I had expected things to be interesting when we met back up. I knew Angel was going to be mad and jealous when he found out about the claim. All eyes were going to be on us as we entered the building and rode the elevator up.
I hadn't expected the building to be empty, and Angel to be waiting for us in his office. He was calm, collected, and nearly gleeful.
"Hey, Buff," Angel said. His eyes were dark and bore into me with an unsettling intensity. Something was definitely not right.
