Rules Reset
By Sweetprincipale
Sequel to I Like to Win. Please read that first. Skipping around through season six. Buffy's life ended before she and Spike had a chance to try out a second game Spike proposed, inspired by the drinking game of "Drowning the Sorrows". He never thought he'd have chance to prove how much he loved her, or show he could be her champion when it came to making her happy. Now Buffy's back and the game continues, offering Spike a chance to show that he can not only bring her happiness, but possibly bring her back to life.
Author's Note: Wordy. Mushy. Plot heavy. Sorry for the long delay, re-read the last two chapters if you need to catch up on any little details.
Dedicated to NeonRaver, ginar369, Alexiarrose, Sirius120, cavementftw, Jewel74, Illusera, Omslagspapper, NausicA, Teddybear-514, Touch The Dark, Lyzzybelle, Evelynferguson,
Direct Quotes are obviously not mine, but belong to the fabulously talented and creative people who wrote them. In this case, some of season six's dialogue will be used.
Nothing of Buffy belongs to me, except my sincere admiration. However, this story is all mine.
Part X
"I was reading in Marie Claire that the bride should say something special to her bridesmaids- and best man-"
"Person!" Willow cried from her position, jammed in the backseat between Tara and Dawn.
"Her attendants," Anya amended, "when they go bridal shopping together for the first time. I wanted to say-"
"Look out!" Dawn screeched.
"Stupid arbitrary yellow lights." Anya blared her horn as she sailed through a recently turned red light.
"Are you trying to kill us before we even get to the bridal shop?" Willow clutched Tara's hand.
"No! I just hate driving in traffic. Anyway, I wanted to say-"
Buffy, riding shotgun, put her head back and tried not to groan aloud.
"I've been waiting to share this news all summer, and not telling any of you was physically painful. Literally. I started biting my tongue."
"I know how you feel." Tara piped up as Anya careened around a car turning left. "I just bit my lip. Honey, am I bleeding?" Tara turned to Willow and puffed out her lower lip.
"There it is! Bridal Dreams Wedding Boutique! Oooooh!" Anya's excitement was suddenly contagious. In spite of the harrowing car ride over in Xander's battered sedan, all the women in the party managed to squeal happily, Anya's infectious joy managing to burrow into even the most weary or skeptical hearts.
This might turn out to be a really good day. I'll stop worrying about all the other crap in my life and just enjoy this one great girls' day out. Buffy unbuckled her seatbelt as they parked.
"Now, when we get in there, bride's dresses first. That's the most important. As for whatever you guys wear, I'm thinking something in a bright yellow or a dark green. I wouldn't say any of you look too amazing in those, but not hideous either. Which means I'll look the best. That's the bride's job. Okay, everybody follow me!"
Or maybe this is one of those new types of hell. Buffy muted a sigh and trailed in after the beaming bride-to-be.
"I don't think we can get started, Giles." Xander backed the borrowed pick up around the back of the Summers' house.
"No?" Giles grunted and put his glasses up on top of his head, rubbing his lower back at the same time.
"I borrowed the truck at eight on a Saturday morning from one of the guys, and tools for plumbing from another at midnight last night. They said they're good on 'helping' this weekend . Everyone else I called last night or this morning was very, very drunk, hungover, sleepy, or half-awake. Not a good start for a crew."
"Dash it all." Giles climbed out of the truck and stood beside Xander, looking at the mass of bright pipes in the bed of the pickup. "Well, we can at least unload them."
"I'll go in and open the basement window, you start lowering them in?"
"It's a start. Better than nothing. After all, at the price of my compounding interest..."He suddenly looked stricken. As if the money mattered, when compared to his slayer. "How thoughtless, I-" He didn't have his glasses in the usual place to pull off and polish, so he rubbed his temple. "Please don't tell Buffy I said that."
"Said what?" Xander smiled quietly, and disappeared around the side of the house.
Giles shook his head and began to shoulder a piece of pipe, sighing as he watched the brunette, the boy becoming a man, move away.
Spike moved around the shady side of the yard, humming to himself, even the threat of being done to a crisp- for the second time in a few days, didn't deter the music in his head. I've got a prezzie that'll lift her burden and light her right up- provided she doesn't ask too many questions. Or object too much. Or deck me. The humming faded, and then came back, along with the smile on his pale face, hidden in the depths of his collar. He felt the thick wedge of paper under his flask, down in his coat where his hands were tucked. This helps. Even if it royally pisses her off, it helps. And that's all I want anymore. To be a help to her.
He bounded up the steps of the front porch, coat coming down to its normal position as he got out of the sun. This will make her day complete. She'll be in the clear- sort of, the plumbing worries won't weigh on her so much now that she has the money to pay for the repairs in her account already, and she can just worry about a day out with the ladies.
His fingers wrapped around the knob as he rapped lightly on the door. He blinked in surprise as the door swung open. "Buffy? Bit?"
No answer. He sniffed. Cocked his head. No fresh scent of either of them. Must be shopping early, no surprise with Demon Gal practically pawing the ground. I can't just leave the papers. I wonder if the carpenter -
"One at a- it's slipping!" A clanging sound and the young man's shout from the basement answered Spike's question for him.
Spike smirked. He considered slipping silently down the stairs. Then he considered the potential of getting hit with a pipe in the face- and possibly, what with his thick skull, causing a dent that would require a replacement pipe right off the bat.
Bein' good takes all the fun out of my life... He huffed and stomped towards the basement. Images of Buffy lying under him, actually lying under him, breathless, wide eyed, pulling him back for another kiss flooded his mind. Alright. Not all the fun.
"Oi! Is this the plumbing help center?"
"Ow! Spike?" Xander turned towards the sound of the snarking, only to catch a small gauge pipe in the back of the head.
"Sorry!" Giles called from the window.
"D'you lot need a -" Spike looked at the single figure in the basement, glaring at him in puzzlement as he rubbed his head. "Lot seems to be an understatement. I thought the place would be full of able bodied blokes?"
"Yeah, well, not before noon on a Saturday when the lure of sleeping in, beer, and sports beckons." Xander sighed and motioned for Giles to start passing him more piping. "What are you doing here?"
"Something to run past Buffy. But-" Spike stepped out of his coat, winced as he stepped forward into the small rectangle of sunlight made by the window, and helped Xander lower in one of the biggest lengths. "Since I'm here..."
"Feel free to leave." Xander interjected quickly.
"If you'd like." Spike let go of the pipe, and Xander crashed to his knees with the full weight and awkward length of the long tube. Spike snagged the end of the cylinder before it hit the floor. "Or I could help with the heavy lifting."
"Please stay." Giles called through the open window. "Pity you can't come out here and shift this from the truck." Giles grunted.
"Why are you in here an' makin' him do all the pushin' and pullin'?" Spike chided.
"Because I'm the one doing all the running and lugging." Xander snapped. "If you're here, can you shut up and just catch copper?"
"Fine, bossy boots." Spike snapped and held out his arms.
"That's the last of it." Giles waved Xander back up. Spike stood and surveyed the basement floor.
"Bloody hell..." A dozen long, wide pipes, a dozen small, narrow ones, a handful of curved ones, tiny little fiddly bits, nozzles, tools and clamps, and Buffy's borrowed, water-logged book all lay on the floor around him. It must cost a fortune to even find someone who knows how all this connects up, let alone do it without parts being left over at the end.
Soon Giles and Xander were also standing in the basement, looking mildly ill as they stood ankle deep in a sea of shining metal.
"Got my money's worth." Giles tried to joke.
"Yep." Xander pushed up his plaid sleeves and squatted down, opening the large white metal box of plumbing tools.
"What are you doing?" Spike asked.
"What do you think? I'm getting started."
"You're not a plumber! Don't you go and screw all this up." Spike growled.
"Please. Was there even indoor plumbing when you were alive?"
"Yes! Sort of." Spike hastily dismissed the memories of archaic bathroom fixtures and focused on Xander instead. "I have a friend- he can do all sorts of home repairs. Let me call him."
"Just a moment!" Giles held up a warning finger. "We were to hire a crew!"
"She can't afford that." Spike protested as Xander said,
"I'm a crew of one."
"Yes, but-"
"Think we could install this ourselves, surprise Buffster?" Xander tossed out hopefully, looking overwhelmed but determined.
"With my friend, I think we could make a good start at least." Spike was eager, although privately had no faith Xander could pull this off without divine- or demonic- intervention.
For once we agree, Xander thought, but didn't say. "You shut off the water, I'll get the rest of the tools out of the truck.
Giles coughed pointedly. "I know you mean well. Both of you." He admitted with a forced smile. "Surprising Buffy would be lovely, but remember-she quite dislikes when people case aspersions on what she can or can't manage."
Spike snorted. "I know she can handle some cruddy piping and finding a few plumbers, and even payin' 'em off. She can do anything in the universe, but sometimes it's nice when you come home an' find a surprise. Some big worry lifted."
"My tongue and brain are literally trying to fight their way from my head as I say this, but- Spike's right on there. This is not one of the things Buff would mind if someone else helped with. If she was all into plumbing, she would know which way to turn a damn valve." He looked balefully overhead, recalling the patched patch job of the week.
"That's true. Home maintenance is hardly something she needs to focus on just now." The Watcher's hazel eyes went far away, images of a crumpled body, oddly peaceful, yet terribly tormented in death- now back. But not back. Quiet, subdued, exhausted, and... oh, words failed him. Simply different. "Without Joyce around- ah, she barely had time to mourn before-" His throat clogged.
"We were mournin' her." Spike whispered, own voice a dry husk.
"I'll get the tools." Xander said decisively.
"I'll call my mate." Spike headed up after him.
"Where's the stopcock?" Giles pushed up his own sleeves.
"The what?" Xander choked.
"It's in the corner, across from the circuit breakers." Spike pointed, then prodded Xander lightly enough not to get zapped. "The main water shutoff, idiot. You've got a dirty mind."
"Coming from you- no. Just no." Xander gagged. "And if your friend is a vampire-"
"He's not! He's a nice bloke, mainly deals in electrical work, but-"
"Is he human?"
"Not exactly."
"Spike, c'mon, I'm not having demons in Buffy's basement!"
"He's good, he's free, and he's harmless." Spike said with more surety than he should have- at least on one aspect.
Xander looked him in the eye as they reached the top of the staircase. "I'm only putting up with this because it's Buffy."
"To use one of the expressions she uses, an' I hate- 'ditto'." Spike glared back. "Go on then. Get your wrenches an' whatnot. I'll call Clem."
"Clem?" Xander said the name doubtfully.
"Think about her face when she comes home and finds most of the job done." Spike picked up the portable from the kitchen island.
Unaware of it, both men had identical pleased looks on their faces, though for different reasons.
"Yeah, that'd be a great end for a great day... I bet she's having fun. I bet they all are."
"This looks more fun in the magazines." Anya panted as she slid on another dress.
"The b-beaded ones are going to be heavier." Tara reminded her, fluffing the skirt.
"I think we should get all the ones you like in a pile, so you wouldn't have to put your clothes on between dresses." Dawn said sensibly.
"But every one I see is so pretty! I want them all!" Anya cried, facing the mirror, now in another long white gown.
"You look beautiful." Willow smiled. "Like a- a swan."
"With no feathers." Buffy added, watching Anya's face change from delighted to worried in the mirror.
"Oh good. Because while I hope that Xander and I will mate for life, like swans- I find them very creepy with their scooping, disproportionate necks."
"I meant elegant. Graceful." Willow clarified. "Which means that probably isn't the dress for you."
"Honey!" Tara gasped.
"I'm not graceful?" Anya's lip suddenly wobbled.
"Of course you are!" Dawn patted her bare shoulders. "But- but it isn't the first thing we say when we think about you." The teen smiled timidly.
"How about something... bolder?" Willow tried to put a positive spin on things. "For a strong, confident woman?"
"I want to look radiant. Like a princess. I was thinking a cross between Marilyn Monroe and Cinderella." Anya bit her lip in a gesture of nervous hopefulness.
Her four friends stared.
"Ummm." Buffy looked elsewhere.
" Th-that's a unique combination." Tara smiled.
"That's not going to be easy to find." Willow looked at the mass of white dresses.
"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" Anya started fumbling for the zipper on the back of her gown. She mimicked a disapproving tone, "Anya spent her immortality hurting men, and now she's in love and wants a fantasy wedding and wants everything to be perfect..."
"Nothing is perfect." Dawn shrugged and caught the dress as it slumped to Anya's ribcage. "But it's going to be great. Right, guys?"
"Absolutely."
"Of course!"
"You'll see."
Anya heaved a sigh, and stepped out of the dress, and pulled on her street clothes yet again. "We'll narrow it down. Nothing short, nothing feathery, nothing with a neck or short sleeves. Either no sleeves or long sleeves. Something that matches my personality? First thing that your think of when you see me?"
They don't make a dress that screams "I have no tact", thought Willow, wide eyed, stalling by helping Tara put the dress back on the hanger.
Forceful. A nice skirt suit would- no. She'd look like she was in her forties. Well, she's a thousand so maybe... Tara locked eyes with her lover, and silently confirmed they were both in the same situation, torn between politeness and honesty.
"Fun. Where's a dress that screams I'm beautiful and fun?" Dawn looked around eagerly.
Buffy's voice was low, musing. "Fairytale. Second chance. Finally."
The remaining members of the quintet paused in their tasks. "What, Buffy?" Willow put a hand on the blonde's arm.
"It should be a fairytale dress. Cinderella skirt- Monroe top. We can find that. Tight then poofy. It should be what Anya wants, because this is her 'finally'. Finally found the right one. It's a good feeling." Buffy smiled to herself as she concluded.
"The best feeling. Simple but so amazing. Finally." Anya turned and beamed at Buffy. "See, this is why you're the maid of honor."
"I am?" Buffy whipped her head around.
"She is?" Willow gasped.
"Yes. See, Xander has no biological siblings, but you two are his very best friends and he's emotionally adopted you. At points he's apparently wanted to have you in other ways- but that was before he met me." She smiled tightly at Willow. " As his oldest and dearest friend and 'sister' you're the best man-slash-person, and his chief attendant." Anya turned to Buffy with a broader grin. "As the other sister, and as a very good friend to me, you get to be the maid of honor. Tara, I hope you're not offended. Xander and I like you too! But as your pseudo familial role, I guess we'd class you as sister-in-law and -"
"I don't mind!" Tara cut her off with a giggle.
"Um. I have a question. I'm not a flower girl, am I?" Dawn raised her hand.
"No... I didn't think we could convince you to be one since you're a teenager. And very tall for your age." Anya patted Dawn's shoulder. "Is everyone okay with their roles in the wedding?"
Nods all around.
Buffy followed Anya from the dressing area back to the racks of dresses in a mild daze. Maid of honor, me? Xander's "sister"? Well, yeah, I just never put it in words, but I guess we're family. All of us are family, especially now, when there's not much left. I guess I'm not surprised, either.
"Okay, visionary maid of honor!" Anya's voice rang out like a drill sergeant's, startling the only other group in the store, as well as her own party. "C'mon. Lead me to the 'Finally' dress. Tight top, poofy bottom."
Buffy winced at the harsh noise, having one of those moments where her soul, so used to the peace and quiet of a heavenly realm, shook inside her. The world seemed to tilt and sway, a mass of colors and florescent lights. But she held onto herself this time, focused her eyes on the cluster of loved ones in front of her, and then with a deep, steadying breath, looked past them. All the pretty dresses. All my favorite girls in the world. Nothing to do for a few hours but play dress up. "Dawn, Tara, Willow- you take the right side, Anya, you and me will take the left. Each group bring back at least three!" Buffy darted up with a mischievous smile, and grabbed Anya by the wrist. Giggling, they scattered.
"Oh! Now it feels fun like the magazines say!" Anya cried as Buffy dragged her to the far wall.
"You're right! It does." Buffy smiled back, and dove into a sea of white lace and ruffles.
"Ready to admit we were right, Rupes?" Spike triumphantly lifted down a piece of corroded pipe and then stood back and admired the gleaming new section above their heads.
"No." Giles said complacently. "I will admit that when we have more than two pipes replaced and the water is turned back on, and the house doesn't float away like the ark in some sort of Old Testament-like flood."
"Spike? What time did your friend say he could come over?" Xander looked at the manual in his hand and down on the floor, a frown on his face.
"He should be here in any minute, he was ready to come an' help." Should be. After I put the fear of a pissed off boyfriend- loved one- I dunno, whatever I am in Buffy's eyes, into him. "Why? What's the matter, Boy Wonder?"
"Nothing." Xander said in a completely unconvincing way. "I'm just a little confused about this one part."
"Then for heaven's sake, let's skip that part and find something you're not confused about." Giles said nervously.
"You fight vampires. You've been speared in the chest, tortured, concussed, turned into a Fyarl demon. More than that, you've been with the Slayer since she was a perky little thing in miniskirts." Spike scoffed to the graying man beside him. "Are you really that nervous about making a plumbing boo boo?"
"It's Buffy's home. Yes. I am." Giles fixed both of the other friends turned repairmen with a drilling stare. "Aren't you?"
Xander and Spike exchanged a glance. "Down tools" Xander dropped the manual.
Spike stepped away from the toolbox. "No harm in waitin' a minute or two."
"Just five more minutes." Anya whined, turning Dawn critically before her.
"We've been here forever." Willow groaned.
"Growing teenager- needs lunch. Or almost dinner by this time." Dawn protested as Anya stepped back and surveyed her with a critical eye. "Do I pass?" She joked.
"It's not unattractive enough. The lines are too smooth."
"Anya- everything you pick is going to be 'unattractive enough' once you put it in yellow or dark green." Buffy pointed out.
"We'll all look like those pine tree air fresheners you put in cars." Tara laid her head to Willow's.
"One more dress." Anya scurried off. "Willow- it's your turn to be the model. Get up here." She called as she darted off.
As soon as Anya was out of sight, Dawn collapsed on one of the chairs in the fitting area. "I think she's still part demon."
Everyone laughed. "Can you have taffeta chaffing? Sweetie, is this chaffing?" Willow rolled up her sleeves.
"Who knew so many pretty dresses could be so itchy?" Tara examined her girlfriend's arm.
"I can't say. We haven't actually tried on any 'pretty' dresses." Buffy joked, and they all laughed again.
"Those were thirty one of the ugliest dresses I think they ever made." Dawn slipped out of the iridescent purple creation that was strangling her, and back into her jeans.
"You counted?" Tara giggled.
"I just wonder how she instinctively finds them." Willow groaned.
"She must have a built in 'This is bad' radar."
The friends sank back into seats, studying the long row of cast offs, and one beautiful, perfect white dress at the end. "But she found her dress."
"Yeah. We did a good job."
"I have to say- for humans, you do a nice job." Clem peered under the final sink.
"Well, for demons, we return the backhanded compliment." Xander wiped his forehead and straightened up.
"I must say, demon strength seems to come in handy for carrying and tightening difficult bolts."
"Well..." Clem shrugged modestly.
"Yeah, along with those creepy little worms inside you-"
"Gorgonitic hybrid beings." Clem corrected sharply, rubbing his arms. "Oh, wait I'm missing one."
"I rather think I've found him." Giles said with a forced smile holding out his hand where a tiny, slithering snake-like creature hissed and sparked.
"There you are!" Clem held out his hand, and in moments the being wiggled inside the loose skin and disappeared. "Sorry, what were you saying Xander?"
Xander tried not to gag. "The uh- little helpers you've got there. They kick butt at tightening little screws and they're not too bad at welding."
"We usually prefer to use them for smaller jobs, like soldering. What with my family being in the electrical business and all. But they do the job in a pinch." Clem smiled, pleased with the appreciation. "Y'know, humans aren't so bad. Speaking of pinching- that tight skin really comes in handy. I mean, you guys don't need any special attachments to get to small, hard to reach places." He held up his large, loose-skinned hands tipped with claws.
"So you have a lot of experience with wiring?" Xander's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Plenty! Family trade."
"My fiancee and I are looking into buying a fixer-upper, and -"
"You are?" Giles and Spike cried as one.
"Eventually, I was thinking about it. I know we can't afford a new place."
"Does Anya know this?"
"No... But after she buys whatever dress she wants, I'm not going to have a problem explaining our strapped for cash status."
"Wow, if you need any help with a pre-inspection inspection I'd be happy to-"
"I'd be happy to go get somethin' fermented to drink." Spike muttered utter the technical conversation forming.
"Clem, you wanna beer?" Xander offered, overhearing the peroxide blonde's comment. "I think I have most of a six pack left in the fridge. Giles?"
"Uh. No, I won't, thank you."
"Somethin' stronger, Rupes?" Spike winked. "Scotch?"
"You have some?"
"Flask is upstairs."
The foursome moved upstairs wearily, demon and carpenter, Watcher and Vampire. "Americans." Spike muttered as Clem and Xander eagerly snagged bottles from the fridge.
"Brits." Clem shook his head as Spike and Giles were content to drink warm liquor.
Giles squinted. "Do you ever feel you've woken up from a very odd dream- and it's still going on?" He asked as Spike poured him a measure in the bottom of a coffee cup. Xander and some demon electrician are laughing over beers in Buffy's kitchen. I'm drinking whiskey with a vampire in the house of a slayer. Perhaps most unbelievably- all of us have just replaced a majority of the plumbing in the basement, including the pipes responsible for the house's water supply.
"Only all the time." Spike smirked. "More?" He sloshed the flask.
"Yes, please."
"No peeking." Anya ordered.
"But-"
"When I count to three, you can open your eyes. I found the perfect dress, in the perfect color, too!"
Anya's four hostages (also known as bridesmaids) dutifully closed their eyes. They had spent an entire day in a sea of fabrics and colors, gone through the afternoon without lunch, had tried on shoes, carried bags, fooled with hairstyles, and caused at least two sales associates to go hide in the back of the store. "Hurray! But then we can leave, right?" Willow asked.
"As soon as I put the down payment on my dress. We better make some huge sales tomorrow to cover this."
"Halloween is a central observance for amateurs in the oc-occult." Tara soothed. "We'll do great."
"Okay, turn around, and open your eyes!" Anya clapped her hands to her cheeks in an agony of expectation.
Four pairs of eyes opened. Followed by mouths. No sound came out.
I can't wear that. That's an insult to the color green.
Maybe the bouquet will hide most of the ruffles. Maybe we can talk her into getting bouquets the size of Rhode Island.
Be polite. Be polite. Be polite. Oh crap... Be polite. Tara smiled and nodded once.
Aww c'mon. I was buried in something nicer than thatI If I were a zombie, okay, maybe I could pull that off, but I'm still human. Mostly. "Wow."
"It's pretty, isn't it? Like emeralds." The bodice caught the light.
A collective horrified thought entered the four women's minds. Holy pine scented traffic lights, it's not only air freshener green, it's shiny. Maybe if I break my leg, I won't have to wear it.
"Yes. Very... green." Dawn nodded after a struggle.
"But it's still suitable, because it's an older style and the waistline is sort of 'young', which I think will make me look more like the radiant bastion of womanhood and you will look more like the 'maidens' in comparison."
"What's she a bastard of?" Buffy hissed. Tara elbowed her and shook her head.
"Traditionally, at least for most of my life, a bridesmaid actually had to be a maid- as in a virgin, not a housekeeper. I'm speaking of my human life, not my demon life, because to vengeance demons, virginity didn't matter, and dresses were made of blood larvae. So I'm saying bridesmaids were virginal, and these dresses will help you look the part, since none of you come by it naturally. I mean almost none. One out of four isn't too bad nowadays. Right, Dawn?" Anya's happy burbling came to a halt with an affectionate look at the fifteen year old.
"Yes. Right, Dawnie?" Willow suddenly got a panicked look on her face. We didn't let her date, I know I didn't let her date, oh God what if she-
"Don't look at me like that, guys!" Dawn winced. "There's no way I'm going anywhere near the opposite sex until I go off to college. Spike wants to 'meet' anyone I date, and therefore read my lips, 'Dawn dates no one'."
"I suddenly really like Spike." Buffy teased, and everyone laughed. Except Anya.
"Hm- erm." She cleared her throat. "Bride here. Eyes on me. And stop rolling them, I can see that!" She fluffed the sample dress lovingly. "I think all of you will look lovely. Young and lovely and emerald-y. And I will look like a sexy princess in my dress." With a beaming smile, she concluded, "Do you like it?"
The silence went on for just a split second too long, women warring with vanity, love, honesty, and the thought of arguing. Willow saved the day. She would, after all, do anything in the world for her best friends, find ways to rearrange the cosmos and defy the grave- or wear something butt ugly in front of an entire congregation full of wedding guests.
"We should celebrate! Yeah. We all need to go get ice cream. Now!" The redhead cried in a strained, almost squeaking voice, a smile plastered on her face that made her cheeks ache.
"Ice cream?" Anya asked in a confused voice.
Buffy stepped in. "It's -it's traditional! Yes, traditional to go eat ice cream after a long day of fun, girly bonding!"
"Oh, this just keeps getting better and better!" Anya gushed, seized her wedding gown and the bridesmaids' monstrosity, and headed out to the front to make her down payment and discuss fittings.
"Does anyone else think those things look like Christmas decorations that got sewn together?" Dawn asked softly.
"Shhh. Yes." Tara giggled in her ear. "Good save with the ice cream, Babe."
"I need it. We all need it. It's multipurpose. Ice cream serves the tradition of girls' day out's ending with consuming fat and sugar, and it's also anesthetic for our eyeballs."
The laughter got louder.
"Is anyone else thinking of asking what the blood larvae looks like? Just so we can make an informed decision? I'm thinking it might be the lesser of two evils."
"You do look good in red, Sweetie."
Buffy's shoulders shook as she tried not to let the laughter get too boisterous. I missed this. I would have missed this. I miss the laughing and the joking and Willow's quirky comments and Tara's giggle, and Dawn's whining goofiness. I would have missed watching my best friend get married. Missed this wedding. God, even though sometimes I look at them and I'm so mad I feel like I'm going to hit them or just boil over because it hurts so bad, that I hate what they did- I love them so much.
Even if I felt complete up there, wherever I was, I was wrong. My life wasn't really complete when I think about how many events I would never have seen.
I wouldn't have known that, though. These are all things I wouldn't have cared about, because I wouldn't have known they existed. I was content, I was at peace.
No one would ever call this peaceful. Dawn had just laughed so hard she had to double up, taking out Willow in the process, making them laugh all the more. But these moments are what makes your life full. Spike's smile merged with the smiles of these others. A short life, or a full one?
Buffy bent to help her sister up, and let herself laugh again.
Anya, writing a check at the front desk, laughed as well.
"Your family seems very happy this afternoon." The clerk verified the signature and began making out the tag for the dress.
"Oh, they're not my..." Anya paused. "Yes. Well, they should be. I'm the first one to get married. We're celebrating me and love in general. With ice cream."
"How nice." The clerk handed Anya a receipt. "If you just give us a few minutes, we'll have someone over to verify the sizing of this manufacturer with your friend's sizes."
"We'll be waiting." Anya bit her lip as her perfect gown was lifted off the rack and taken away. "Bye, dress. I'll miss you!"
"Are we good to go?" Buffy bounded up beside the bride as she stood at the front desk.
Anya's response was to burst into tears.
"I guess not." Buffy looked horrified. "Guys!"
"What's wrong, Anya?" Dawn cried, arms instantly opening.
"Oh, Anya, we were only having a little fun, we love the dresses, we would wear anything in the world for you." Willow patted her back firmly.
"W-what happened, Honey?" Tara looked startled.
"I'm getting married." Anya sniffled. "And I'm so happy."
Silence. Then Buffy cautiously said, "That's good, right?"
"I think you might have read the one article too fast. You cry during the wedding itself. Strictly optional." Dawn calmed.
"You don't understand. I'm so happy to get married to Xander and I love him so much, but his family is so awful, and my family is dead and... oh." She stomped her foot and wiped at her eyes. "I'm glad you're our family and I love you guys. Now we do a group hug, right?" The sniffling slowed and the tears were blinked away.
"Right. That's right." Dawn, already hugging the bride with one arm gave a fierce glare at the others and they moved in instantly.
They formed a brief, squashy hug, moved and a little uncomfortable all at once.
Buffy found Dawn's eyes on hers as they shared the ungainly embrace. The sisters smiled. She wouldn't have had any family either. Buffy wormed her arm past Tara's back and locked her fingers around Dawn's wrist. Her sister's fingers managed to squeeze her arm back.
There's being happy, and there's feeling pain, confusion, an ache in your heart, a myriad of things that you would rather never feel. But when you feel them, you know you're alive.
Buffy gasped silently. For the first time since she'd been back, she had the feeling, not an entirely comfortable one, that she was glad to be alive.
"I am so glad to be home. I have to pee. I haven't laughed so hard, in ever." Dawn clutched her side.
"The way Anya drives isn't helping." Willow agreed.
"Hey!"
"You'd better hope there are working bathrooms." Buffy sighed. The happiness created by the great day of fun and free time, with no focus on her life's problems ebbed out of her as the house came into view. In that house was three grand worth of copper, all of it tallying up interest on Giles' MasterCard. Most likely it's halfway installed, and there are sweaty guys from work all over the couch and wanting to be paid, and when I can't pay them, they'll glare at me all week at the site. Or almost none of it's installed and there's one very exhausted Xander, or one very passed out Xander or a very flooded basement or a-
"Buffy? All of us are out of the car except you. Do you want to go get more ice cream?" Anya asked.
"Huh? Oh. Sorry." Buffy scrambled out of the door, a puddle of dread in her stomach turning rapidly into a full body tsunami.
"I'm sure Xander found some people to help and I told him to make sure the plumbing was in working order by tonight." Willow fished her keys out of her purse. "He must have gotten at least one person to help. I don't recognize that little red car."
Dawn opened the front door, already unlocked and raced upstairs.
"Xander? Xander?" Buffy shouted.
"Groom-to-be? Where are you?" Anya caroled, trotting ahead.
Buffy's eyes scanned the room. No couch-people. No obvious signs of flooding.
"We're done. Come on down!" Xander's voice shouted up from the basement.
"Remember, be nice." Tara hissed in Buffy's ear as they made their way down. "Whatever they got done, we appreciate it."
"I know, I do." Buffy smiled and patted Tara's hand. "Hey, Xan, who's 'we'?"
"The 'we' in question are four of the very best plumbers in the- ooof!" Xander was knocked from the base of the stairs by his beaming future wife. "Hi, Ahn!"
"I found the most beautiful dress ever!" Anya was off and running, talking a mile a minute as she wrapped herself around him, and Xander's explanation was cut short.
Giles took over. "Xander was trying to tell you that between him and I, and Spike and his friend Clem-" He paused to let Clem emerge from the shadows, wave, and allowed for gasping, "managed to finish the job in only-" he consulted his watch, "eight hours, I suppose."
"Hi Slayer. Red. Ladies." Spike grinned up at them. "No leaks. We tested every bloody inch and we're sound as a pound."
"You- the whole- really?" Buffy blinked, the ball of unease inside her shrinking.
"And it works?" Willow tagged on.
"Sure does. Clem is a- Clem?"
"I'm gonna go. Nice to meet you all. I had a great time." The demon had skirted his way silently behind them and spoke rapidly when their attention was directed to him. "Bye Xander! Giles, Spike. Oh, Xander, bowling on Thursday night." Clem began nervously making his way up the stairs.
"Lane eight, see you there!" Xander called in a smothered voice from under Anya's fevered, joyous kisses. Clem nodded, giving a thumbs up, and when he got to the top, he bolted.
"Was that a demon? That was a demon!" Tara approached Giles worriedly.
"But a very nice one." Giles grinned and slurred a tiny bit.
"Are you drunk?"
"I am mildly playful. Manual labor brings out the boy in me." He twinkled at them.
"Yeah, that an' half of a flask." Spike chuckled. Giles chuckled back as he nodded.
"That'd be your cue to go home then and get to bed. The store opens at eight tomorrow!" Anya managed to pry herself away from pre-connubial bliss to think about money matters.
"It doesn't. Tomorrow's Sunday!"
"Tomorrow is Halloween. Mega Bone-anza at the store, remember? Everyone is helping, so we all need to rest up."
"Wait!" Buffy held up her hands. "Are you saying all the plumbing is done? For good? And it works?"
"Yes." Spike, Xander, and Giles chorused. "Also, we did it for free." Xander winked.
Buffy's squeal was deafening. She ran, hurled herself first at Giles, then Xander, even Spike. "Thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyou soooo much!" She cried. "I can't believe it! That's a huge savings and it helps so much I can't believe you, all of you, and Mr. Wrinkly Guy who left, you're all the best and you have no idea..."
The torrent of relief induced gratitude spiraled on for several minutes. It was the hyper, excited voice her friend's thought they'd never hear again. They smiled, and let her speak.
"Stop smiling at me." Buffy smiled herself, and hung her head to escape his gaze.
"No." Spike said simply. "Can't help myself."
"Could you at least try? You make me feel like a dork."
"How's this?" Spike rearranged his features in a scowl.
Buffy sighed. "Better. More familiar. Although, the smile was nice, too."
"So is yours, Luv." The two of them sat on the back stoop, knee to knee, looking up at the moon. "Now that we've escaped the madhouse, an' I can hear myself think, did you have a good day?" He asked cautiously.
Buffy nodded. "Awesome except for the bridesmaid dresses. No awesomeness there." They laughed together, maybe the hundredth time both of them had laughed that day. With a stretch, she leaned over on the cool, pale form beside her. "The best part was coming home, and finding that huge nagging worry done with. Well, all except for how to pay Giles back."
"Ah. That bit." Spike nervously looked back towards the house. The wicca set were out picking up something at the campus library before it closed, Dawn going with them to oversee the buying of candy for trick or treaters afterwards. Xander and Anya had left, Giles had gone with them, so it was just the two of them. Alone. Which was good on one hand. On the other hand, it might've been good to have Bit around, to run interference, or Anya to talk number sense at her if Buffy objected.
"Yeah. That huge bit. You know, the problem with debt is that it doesn't just sit there. It parties. It has all its little ten percent friends over or their twenty dollar late fee buddies. Not only that, but the other bills, the regular stuff you need to do to stay alive? It can't take the hint and leave town while debt is partying. Nope, it just wanders on in and demands attention too. God, Spike, I'm cracking up. I mean, today I'm finally feeling like I want to be here, happy to be alive again, with people I love and see their lives changing- and now I'm back to sitting on the steps, hating the mess I'm in and feeling like I can't handle it."
Spike licked his lips twice, stalling, thinking. "You're happy to be alive?" He murmured quietly.
"Yeah. I was. I mean, I am, but it's not a permanent feeling yet, okay?"
"No worries. No pressure. Not from me." He let out a deep breath of borrowed air, still holding faint wisps of smoke. "If the mess could just get cleared away, and you could start fresh... would that be better, d'you think?"
"It has to be. It would be one less icky thought, one less reminder my friends took me out of heaven and dropped me in crap-land. The fewer thoughts about that, the better."
"It takes time to let all that go, I know."
"It's not even that I'm letting it go or not. I can, I will. I'll tell them someday, too, when I can say it without crying or punching them." Buffy sighed in frustration as she ran her hands through her long blonde locks. She looked over at her friend, her currently most trusted friend. "Sometimes I just want to clear my mind, and when I refocus it, I don't want anything to drag me down. I can live here, I can be alive. But if I'm getting resurrected, I want the whole deal. Fresh start."
"I wish I could give you that, Luv, but without cutting all the old ties, well..." I would give you that. Say the word and I'll take you clear across the world and we'll start fresh as nightfall. But you don't want that, so we sit. And we muddle, trying to make these masses of dead clay into something beautiful, worthy of a guest from heaven.
She was quick to state what he knew. "I don't want that. I'm sorry. I'm not making sense. I am happy. I'm okay. I'm just... tired of thinking about icky stuff on a good day, but it won't leave me alone."
"Then maybe I just haven't made the day good enough." Spike reached inside his coat, gratified to find her hand preventing him from grasping the papers, because her fingers were tight on his sleeve.
"You have made every day I've been back better. I can't lie and say good. But better. Sometimes, yes, good."
"Thanks, Slayer." Spike smiled a lopsided, soft grin, and slowly drew out the envelope. "Then let me make it better."
Buffy took the thick envelop from his hand. "What's this?"
"Legit. I swear."
"Oh, and that always goes so well when you-" Buffy blinked in the moonlight and the light of a single bulb on the porch. "Spike, these are from the bank."
"Uh-huh. Your bank. Your bank's loan officer. Well, the junior one, not the pompous twit you spoke to."
Buffy rifled through the papers, flipping page after page back, eyes widening, jaw slowly opening.
"What is this?"
"It's a refinancing. Your mortgage. I was going for a loan, but turned out this was better, see?" His fumbling hands moved under hers and turned back to the front document. "They lowered your interest rate, saves you a few quid a month. An' now you don't have anything to pay off, exactly, nothing new anyway, because they just took the equity from the refinancing and converted it into a few grand and put it in your account. Technically it's still a loan, but it's just sort of like a few deferred mortgage payments, I think." He didn't breathe after he finished. He didn't breathe anyway, but now he felt his dead lungs actually constricting. "Well?"
Buffy's mind refused to comprehend fully. "The guy at the bank wouldn't give us a loan. We tried the home equity route."
"I know. This is a different guy. He owed a friend of a friend a favor and I- asked him to do the favor for you instead. Alright?" He instinctively tensed for a jab or a scream. He received neither. "Buffy, Luv, listen to me. No one got hurt. I got the loan officer's debt cancelled with a demon if he'd help you. An' in return all I did was off this evil, twitchy little git of a demon, a H'thra, about this big, and they're damn slimy, sneaky little things, and not nice, and-"
"Shut up!" Buffy snapped, shaking her head. "I don't- I don't understand."
"Well... I just thought this way you could get the loan. You had the equity, you just had a pissant loan officer the first round. An' if you still need a loan, instead of the refinancing and the number juggling they did- hell, Buffy, I don't know how to reverse it! I've never tried to do anything with high finances. Look, look, the guy also put a loan application in, for three thousand, the number you wanted originally, it's already approved, you just sign. In case you don't want to do the other bit, you just want a straight up loan, he'll give it to you." He tore the papers out of her hands and flipped both documents to the signature pages. "Here. Sign one. Sign both. I don't care. Sod it!"
"Spike, Spike calm down!" Buffy put her hands on his arms and looked in awe at his face, so sweetly confused and frustrated, then down to the papers he offered her. "This is too much. This is too much."
"I know! I know, but sometimes people need 'too much'. Sometimes people are 'too much'. We're not like the rest of the world, maybe we have bigger problems to fix." He put the papers down on the step at their feet and clutched her hands. "Please don't ask me to get 'em to undo it, I don't know how. Except I guess without your signature they're worthless so... whatever. I'd find another way, anyway, 'cause I'm gonna win, I'm gonna save you, a little bit at a time, every night, jus' like I promised, Buffy. Starting with whatever makes you unhappy, and that means this money hangin' over your head. If I have to play poker to get the cash, I will, but that means I'd need a huge amount of purebred cats on short notice for the ante -"
"Are you out of your mind?" Buffy stared. "Please don't be crazy. I- I need you. The rest of this place makes me crazy, but you don't. What do you mean 'cats'?"
"Don't ask, Slayer. Just tell me you'll accept help. This time at least. Ah ah." He preemptively shushed her. "It's my turn, and this is my play, my move. All I want is for you to feel better, an' if this does it, I-"
It was Buffy's turn to shush him, a shake of her head, a hand to his lips. "Thank you. Thank you, you don't even understand how-" She rubbed her head. "You don't understand."
His frantic, insistent tone faded to a quiet, steady one. "Maybe not entirely, but enough. It's simple, you don't need the worry. This helps take it away."
"It does." Buffy closed her eyes. "That's enough to pay down most of the debt, and pay Giles back."
"Yeah, it's a- it's a start."
Or an end. To the gnawing worry I'm going to lose our house and lose my sister... But this, this great day, this great surprise- on top of another great surprise... The badness was falling away. Falling, falling, falling. With her eyes closed, she fell forward, coming out of blackness, oddly enough finding her light by landing in something seemingly dark.
Spike caught her lips on his own, bringing his hand slowly up to tangle in her hair, those often dreamed of golden waves. Only she's lost so much brightness. Funny it's what I do, skulking about in the dark, that makes her shine again.
"Mmm, Spike." She whispered, moving closer, tongue moving in as well.
He was in heaven. Strange, new sort of bliss that just- He frowned suddenly. "Damn." He ended their interaction abruptly.
Buffy drew herself up in surprise. " What?"
He was irate, but too bloody happy at the same time to showcase it properly. He leaned forward and peered into her eyes. "I feel like you're winnin' every single round! You said you were no good at this, this was gonna be my easy win." His frown petered out and he chuckled. "Not that I'm complaining."
The funny thing was- yet another funny thing, and not in the "ha ha" way but in the "isn't it ironic" way, was that she wanted him to win. She actually thought, no matter what he said about her making him happy, he was winning hands down. Oh God. Hands. Down. Her body ached suddenly, the iciness of this world was colder than his skin, and the kind of safety he gave her, this former enemy, was more security than any of her friends right now.
She licked her lips, tasting him, and giving herself enough moisture to actually move her suddenly freezing mouth. "M-maybe we'd better play another way? The old way?"
Spike dark brows arched and he looked almost hurt. "What, with sadnesses?" He exclaimed.
"No, with happinesses." She looked at their joined hands, resting on their knees now, "I meant we could do that game, though. With the shot glass? And -the alcohol?"
The vampire cocked his head slowly, studying her. "Okay."
His quizzical gaze made her blush. What am I talking about, what am I saying? I just want to have a night and we can... play the game. The alcohol is yuck, but for real, he'll see he's the winner because he's going to be the one doing all the drinking.
If we could have a night like that first night we played... I want that, those things we did. Talk. Nothing you can't say, nothing you can't feel, nothing you have to hide. Make each other happy. Maybe a new kind of happy.
"Okay. On Halloween? I mean, tomorrow, wow, that's tomorrow." She shook her head at her jumbled suggestion. "Your place, after patrol?"
He couldn't think straight, couldn't believe she might be suggesting... Oh don't think too hard, mate. "Right. Tomorrow night. Although- no patrol. Maybe we could-" he paused, then dove, "go someplace else. If you want?"
The flash of panic and self-doubt in her eyes tipped him off before she could even squeak out, "Like a da-"
"No! Just someplace that you could relax. Might be a laugh, the two of us gettin' to do somethin' 'fun'." His eyes shifted to the side, taking in her reaction from the corner of his eye. She no longer looked scared shitless. "Nothing too loud or too bright." He reassured.
Buffy nodded slowly. "What'd you have in mind?"
Dammit. Had he thought that far? Yes, but it was a long time ago, when he'd let himself have happy dreams, more selfish ones. "You used to love the Bronze."
"I don't want to go to the Bronze." She said so hastily it might have been rude. It was rude, but she knew Spike wouldn't be judging her outbursts.
He improvised. "I figured maybe we'd go- out of town? Not far, just the next town over, a night off the Hellmouth if you-"
"I love that idea!" She clutched his arm eagerly. Anywhere not on the Hellmouth is my kind of place! "Let's go. Take me."
Take me? Spike's mouth dried out and his loins woke. Take her. Oh yes, he loved that idea. Or he used to. He'd dreamt of it. Hard, fast, ripping, pounding, two bodies together, two supernatural beings trying to knock the other down. He didn't want it anymore. No. Give yourself to me. That's what he wanted now.
"We could find a club. Have a drink, have a dance?"
"I'll see if Dawn minds, and if Tara and Willow will be okay if I'm- late. I still should help at the store during the day, since I have off and they're planning to be so busy."
"Of course. I'll help, too."
"You will?"
"What else am I gonna do? It's my day off too." He winked. "Besides, love watchin' Demon Gal in action, an' I'll be near my favorite people." He grinned at her.
"Great."
"Great."
"Thank you. For the basement. The loan, or the refinancing..." Buffy shook her head, overwhelmed. "Wow. You're quite the champ." She ran her fingers lightly over his lapels.
"You're worth championing." He found his usual suavity stumbling under her touch. "And you keep passin' your turns and then sneakin' 'em anyway." He reminded her warningly.
"Well, you win for like- a whole handful of rounds for all this." Buffy gestured vaguely behind them at the house.
"Yeah, but all you have to do is kiss me an' we're tied up again." He groused sarcastically.
"So... I shouldn't kiss you anymore tonight?" She rose, backing away playfully. Come get me. Catch me. Touch me. Save me.
"Oh no. No, no, it just means I have to be a little more crafty." He rose and stepped, swayed with her, letting his hands lay lightly on her hips.
She moved herself hesitantly closer, even though the distance was less than a foot. Step, shift, step- touching. Pelvis to hips, a few inches away from being perfectly even. She swallowed. Memories of unwanted dreams teased her. Hands, bodies, hardness, softness... Her face flooded with hot blood.
Spike's nostrils flared briefly. He could hear the tidal wave of blood, heading to her cheeks, and down south. He could smell something faint, unfamiliar, but known. Oh Christ, she can't be. Not for me. That's too much to hope for.
So why does she tremble when I press my hands in a bit? "You hurt, Slayer?" He looked in her eyes, and steadied her waist.
"No. Just ache..." She hadn't meant to admit that. But that was Spike for you. The sneaky vampire confessor, making you blurt out your innermost secrets and things you'd never say if they weren't said to him.
He refused to groan out loud. He could tell her that he knew a hundred ways to relieve the ache, ways just for her, ways that were nice and soft and he'd never ask for anything back.
But that's too much to offer. At least tonight. You make her think too hard, you'll put the weight of the world right back on her shoulders. "Well then. Let me give you a kiss an' make it better?"
Buffy had waited the second between her confession and his words with a confused buzz in her stomach. Did she want him to ease that ache? Did she want to clarify it, ask for something more, run away and let it die out on its own? As it was, his simplistic words made her grin playfully. "That sounds good to me."
His head bent, hers tilted up, and they embraced, standing out, under the oak on the edge of the backyard.
Kiss turned into kisses plural, several, long, each one deeper, more prolonged. "I wish I could take all the pain away for you." Spike whispered, drawing back, letting her breathe.
Words churned and spun inside her, and then fell out. "You take away so much. You know- I- wow. This is going to sound weird, but you know what helps? I don't have to do anything but be here to make you happy. I don't have to lie, I don't have to pretend, I don't even have to cope, do anything special in front of you... and you still say I win. Weird. The first thing I ever won in this town without fighting for it."
"You don't see how hard you're fighting, Slayer. That's part of what makes you the good guy, miraculous, unbeatable. You just remember that."
"Then keep reminding me?" She asked in a small voice.
"As long as you'll let me. An' probably after you want me to stop." He teased, running his thumb under her upturned chin.
"I don't think I'll ever want that." She smiled faintly.
"Then I'll keep doin' it, an' make more memories with you, like we said last night." Spike nuzzled his forehead to hers. "Alright?"
"I love it."
Both parties flinched, the three words said so perilously, wonderfully close to three other words, in one case studiously avoided, in one case rabidly pursued.
Buffy's heart felt like it was pounding in her ears. Don't say things like that. Not until you mean it for sure. Never hurt someone, never hurt yourself, with those words. At least until you're sure.
"I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, at the shop." Spike tried to give her breathing room, painful as it was, as exultant as he was in his head.
"Right. Um." She didn't let him pull away completely. "Um. Walk you home?" Oh dear God. Am I really that ditzy? Yeah. Maybe.
"No... 'cause I'll insist on walking you back. Then-"
"Right, back and forth, all night." They shared a strained giggle.
"But I don't have to leave right away."
"Good. I don't want you to." Should I add something? Yet? Right now? Hm. Nope.
Spike's eyes narrowed. "Hey. No fair musclin' in on my turn, Slayer."
"I'm not!"
"You are. Again. Puffin' me up with all those sweet words an' big smiles. Now stop it."
"How am I supposed to stop it when you made me all happy, huh?" She poked him in the ribs.
"Good point." He muttered thoughtfully.
"You're weird." She rolled her eyes.
He tucked her hand in his and began to stroll them around the back of the tree. "You can't really talk about that, Luv."
"Hey!"
"Right, sorry. Don't want to incur your wrath, break my streak here." He pushed her gently against the bark of the tall tree and leaned against her, eyes closing, lips lowering. "Let me see if I can strengthen my lead a little..."
She smiled into the kiss, smiled until something in his mouth and hands seemed to remove all the stress and tension right out of her, leaving one big mass of clingy, want-y feelings, and a feel good sigh that seemed to go straight down to her toes.
Mmmm. Oh God... give him the trophy now.
To be continued...