Chapter Notes:
Hi! This is the final chapter of this fic and I have to tell you I am so happy that I have finally got the chance to post it. I am really thankful to all the people who supported this story. Thank you for your patience and for reading my story. I am grateful. Special thanks to djellibabe for her awsome beta work and continued support on this fic. I could never have finished this without her! Again, thank you and enjoy!
(O.O)
He was no longer certain what he was going to do now that the battle was over. Quite a contrast to his thoughts from the night before, where he had planned to take the Slayer and her sister with him to Paris or somewhere far away for the vacation he had promised them after they won the fight with the First. Now though, he just didn't think it was a good idea to take Buffy or Dawn away with him. Not when they were all still feeling the loss of their home and everything they ever knew, then add the fact that there were now a total of twenty-something Slayers with them instead of two, chaos had found it's way into everyone's heads. Most especially Buffy's.
After Red's question about what they were supposed to do, which he had heard all the way within the cover of the bus, his Slayer had gone all General Mode. She immediately herald her troops to their next locations, which was the nearest hospital for the injured and the closest inn for the tired fighters, and then designated everyone to a necessary task to aid their group. The entire day, they had spent buying new clothes and food for everyone and getting settled into the motel. He remembered the Watcher spending most of his time on the phone calling his "associates" and informing them of the outcome of the battle. He even remembered rolling his eyes when he heard the old man tell whoever was on the other end of the line about the major mojo Red and Amy did to turn the Potentials they had with them into Slayers. It was typical that the old man would be more fixated on the fact that they now had more than one sacred weapon at their disposal.
It was a very Watcher thing of him to do.
But putting Giles' actions aside, he was more troubled with his Slayer's behavior. Her General Mode aside, he knew that there was something bothering his girl. Of course, it hadn't been hard for him to suss out what it was considering he was there when tall dark and broody made his own version of vampire flambé before their eyes. He knew that his old man's death was affecting the Slayer more than she was letting on. In fact he was certain she was really affected by it and was simply waiting for everyone to settle in before she can start mourning the damn bastard.
And it was because of this that he really had no idea how to proceed with his Slayer or if she was still his to begin with.
Angel's death had easily thrown the monkey wrench into the relationship they had slowly built over the last few days, and it gave him all the more reason to be angry at the damned bastard.
"You just couldn't of offed yourself without screwing my unlife along the way, could you?" he asked looking at the ceiling above. He knew that the other vampire couldn't hear him or maybe he could? He really wasn't certain where redeemed vampires went. Do they go to heaven? Were they forgiven for all the death and mayhem they had caused in their existence? He really wasn't certain.
He shook his head trying to vanish the complicated thoughts. He already had enough problems worrying about his relationship with Buffy, there really wasn't any sense adding the whole theological problems along with it.
"Buffy," he uttered, thinking back to the woman of his dreams.
They had promised each other that they would explore whatever they had after the battle was over, but would she still want to in the state she was in now? Grieving for his Grandsire? Would he want her to explore it with him while she was like that?
He knew the answer the moment the question came to his mind.
No, I don't want her like that. He thought with a sad look of his handsome features.
He didn't want the Slayer coming to him to help her get over the pain of losing her Great First Love. He did that for her the year before, making her feel something to forget the pain of losing heaven, and it really didn't end well for him. So now, he wasn't willing to do it again. He just didn't think he had the heart or the strength to live through that experience the second time around.
"So what now, Spike ol' boy?" he asked himself as he stared absentmindedly at his motel room's ceiling.
He knew that the best solution for this was to take his team and leave the group while he still could. That way he wouldn't have to make the hard decision of whether to accept her kind of relationship or hurt her by rejecting what she wanted. It was easy.
But it was also a very cowardly thing to do.
And he was nothing like a coward.
So he would stay, as long as he could, and wait for the girl to come to him. Then he would tell her his answer. What it was would probably depend on how their conversation would go, but he was hoping that he would have enough strength to resist her this time around. If he didn't-well, he could still rely on his friends to come and take him away from the Slayer if ever they saw that their relationship would hurt him. He knew that they had his back, something he was really grateful for.
With such feelings in his heart, he began to calm down and finally allow his exhausted body to get the rest it deserved.
His eyes were on the verge of closing shut when a soft knock on the door echoed around his room.
He immediately sat up, all thoughts of sleep thrown out the window. He knew who was on the other side of the door, what he didn't know was what he was gonna do with the person. He knew he would have to eventually face her but he hadn't expected that it would be this soon!
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The sound was stronger this time, telling him that his girl didn't appreciate being kept waiting. He still wasn't certain what to do, but he didn't think it was wise to keep the Slayer hanging outside his room. So with great reluctance, he walked towards the door and opened it.
"Evening, Slayer," he greeted, forcing himself to sound as casual as possible.
"Good evening, Spike. Mind if I come in?" she asked with a timid voice.
As much as he would have liked to deny the girl's entry, he didn't. Not when he remembered how much of a rarity it was in the past where the girl would politely ask him entry to his own home. So without hesitation, he widened the door and allowed her in.
He watched her inspect his room, scanning the place in a jovial manner that he wouldn't have expected her to have, considering what she had lost earlier that day. He closed the door, while his eyes never left her as she slowly sat on his bed.
"You know, your bed is softer than the one Dawn and I have in our room. Why is that?" she asked surprising him a bit.
"Dunno, luv. Must be because the guy on the front desk pro'ly had a crush on yours truly. Saw the bloke checking out my ass as I walked passed him," he answered jokingly.
It earned it him short laugh from the Slayer, which made him feel slightly better.
"So I guess we should let you be the one to pay then once we all check out. Maybe he'll give us a discount?" she said teasingly.
"Maybe," he answered with a smile as he sat next to her.
The two stared at each other, a smile etched on their lips. A few moments later though, the smile began to disappear and a serious look appeared on both their faces.
"Spike-" Buffy began, but he cut her off, knowing if she spoke first, he was doomed to fall for her trap yet again.
"I don't want us to be together just so you can get over Angel, Buffy," he told her. The way her eyes widened made him realize that he was right with his assumption that she was indeed planning on getting on with him because of his Grandsire's death. So with a stronger tone, he continued, "I know that you know that I love you. 'Told you that I never could manage to stop loving you. But I don't think I can do it, luv. I don't think I can be someone you just want to be with just because you want to get over the pain of my Grandsire's death. Don't get me wrong, I'm willing to help you get past your grief, but I don't want to use sex or put myself in that sort of position anymore. I saw what happens when I let your grief handle our relationship, pet, and it tore me apart. I'm not having it, Buffy." He looked away from her, not wanting to see whatever hurt expression she might give him that could change his mind.
Of course he immediately turned back to him when he heard a short laugh come out from her lips.
"What the bloody hell are you laughing about?!" he asked angrily. Stupid bint! He goes out his way to express his concerns and she ends up laughing at his plight? Who the hell does she think she is?!
He opened his mouth to tell her this, but all words left him when he felt her lips gentle touch his.
She cupped his cheek as she ended the kiss and stared adoringly into his blue eyes.
"Has anyone ever told you how much of an insecure vampire you are?" she asked him.
"You'd be the first to actually say that, pet," he answered still looking confused at the sudden turn of events.
"Well, guess I'll say it better then to get inside that thick head of yours. My reasons for wanting to be with you haven't changed, Spike. I meant what I said back in Sunnydale, I want to explore this thing happening between us. So you can stop worrying about it."
"What about Angel? Aren't you sad he's gone?"
A sad look did come into her features but it quickly returned to the loving look she was still directing at him.
"I won't lie and say that I'm not sorry that he's gone. There is still a part of me that cares for him after all." Her loving expression slowly shifted as her thoughts drifted to what his Grandsire had done. It was going a little bit closer to anger in his book. He jumped a bit when she suddenly stood up and started pacing his room. "But I'm not gonna deny either the fact that his little stunt nearly killed everyone today. We were just lucky that we all got out of Sunnydale alive. He's also the reason we no longer have a home to come back to. So the majority of my feelings for Angel goes towards total anger at his stupidity. We had a perfect plan! But he just had to ruin it so he can end up the hero of us all! What the hell was he thinking?!" his Slayer ranted angrily.
Walking up towards his Slayer, he added, "Probably something along the lines of if I can't have Buffy using my poofy self then maybe she'll love me again if I died a hero," teasingly in a badly imitating voice of his Grandsire.
Any anger she felt melted away at his attempt to replicate the souled vampire's voice, as laughter replaced it immediately.
"You are so bad!" she told him, lightly slapping his chest.
A few chuckles escaped his lips as he said his reply to her, "You know I've always been bad."
When their laughter ended, Buffy then continued her little speech.
"I'm serious though, Spike. I want to try us out, not because I lost Angel or any other stupid excuses you would think of, but because I really want to give us shot. So if you're still interested?" Her voice sounded a little shaky at that last part, indicating to the vampire that she was afraid that he might actually be the one who would back out.
Not wanting to worry his girl any longer. He took her in his arms and stared down into her beautiful emerald colored eyes.
"I am very interested, luv," he told her.
"Good," she answered before kissing his lips for the second time that night.
(O.O)
Somewhere within the higher plan, two beings watched the two with big smiles on their faces.
Sighs. I always love happy endings. Destiny told her brother.
It's not the end yet, sister dear. You and I both know this. There are more trials that our two heroes have to face. Her brother reminded her.
Oh, Fate, you can be such a spoilsport sometimes. She pouted.
Enough. I suggest you start acting your age, sister, this is not the time for games. Fate told his sister. The Wolf, the Ram and the Deer are about to make their move into their plain. It does not help that the Champion who we selected to stop them is now their prisoner. I knew we should've done something to stop the events of the crystal's activation.
It was his choice to use the crystal, brother. And you and I both know that we neither have the power to control the will of those in the mortal realm. She reminded him.
Still. We should have done something. Now the world is on the brink of destruction yet again, and our Champions have just finished fighting one war. I highly doubt that they would willingly participate in another.
I beg to differ, Fate. You and I selected these two for a reason, and that is because they never know when to stop fighting. Let us give them a short time to rest, then once we see that they have rested enough, we shall call upon their assistance yet again.
You are right, sister, they do not know when to quit. Very well, they shall be given time to rest. And when the time is right, they shall be asked to return to battle once more.
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The End...
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For now...
(O.O)
Chapter End Notes:
And that was that! I finished another fic!
Although,I decided to give this story an open ending since I am planning on writing a companion piece to it but more focused on Spike and his team. Just a series of One-shots of their adventures and probably a bunch of them would include Buffy and what happened in the aftermath of this fic. I haven't yet decided, because I am more focused on finishing up on my other stories, like my "Tales of the Unknown Champions" and also my "Therapy Series".
Anyway, thanks again people for supporting this fic. I truly appreciate it. I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Let me know your thoughts by reviewing.. I love reading reviews after all. Again thank you and have a nice day!