Chapter 9 A new man
Spike stood at the edge of the crater that was once known as Sunnydale while the others sat around the campfire or sat in the bus; they had yet to figure out what to do now. He heard some footsteps coming up behind him and turned to see Willow standing there, "So many people died in there." she said looking into the crater. "Yeah," he said also looking into it, "I didn't see who all died due to my whole near death experience." "I am really sorry about what I said, you know?" she said looking at him, "I was just really stressed." "I've had much worse said to me, love, no need to worry," he said still looking at the crater. "Still." she said but Spike cut her off. "It's ok." he said looking at her, "I know." She smiled and said, "I get why Buffy loves you so much, now." A half smile formed on his face, "Thanks, red." Buffy awoke the next morning to find Spike not there. She looked out the window and smiled. She walked out the bus door to see Spike standing there watching the sunrise. She walked up behind him and slipped her hand in his, "It's beautiful isn't it?" she asked. "It sure has been a while since I've seen one of those," he said quietly. "Feel any different?" she asked looking sideways at him. "It's hard to say." he answered looking at her, "I keep expecting to wake up, you know?" "Yeah," she said. "Don't worry," he said taking his hand away, "I know what comes next." "What do you mean?" she asked confused. "All is forgotten.you don't have to worry.I know the drill," he explained, "Nice things are said when the world's gonna end and then all is forgotten when it isn't." "What are you talking about? I." she said but he cut her off. "I don't need the bloody speech again," he said his voice rising just slightly, "I'm not a complete idiot. It's the same thing over and over, nice words are said but I've learned not to get my hopes up because every time you give me the same speech telling me it was a mistake." "But it wasn't." she said turning to face him, "I meant every word I said." He looked shocked, "Who are you and what have you done with Buffy?" "I've changed." she said looking serious, "You are walking proof that people can change.you inspired me to be true to myself and to follow my heart.and my heart has been screaming out something to me for a while now, only I didn't hear it." "What's that?" he asked tilting his head slightly to one side. "That I'm in love with you, Spike," she said and took a step toward him. "Are you sure about this?" he asked trying not to get hurt again. "I've never been more sure about anything in my life," she said looking into the beautiful blue eyes of the man she hadn't ever let herself really see before. She leaned in and so did he and they kissed gently at first. It was the most important kiss she'd ever had, and the most longed for by both of them. They pulled away slowly. "How about we go for a walk once we find a place to stay," she said quietly, "just you and me." "I would love that," he said softly. There was something different about him after that. Where there once was cold, emptiness in his eyes, there was now warmth and happiness. He was a new man.
The End.
Spike stood at the edge of the crater that was once known as Sunnydale while the others sat around the campfire or sat in the bus; they had yet to figure out what to do now. He heard some footsteps coming up behind him and turned to see Willow standing there, "So many people died in there." she said looking into the crater. "Yeah," he said also looking into it, "I didn't see who all died due to my whole near death experience." "I am really sorry about what I said, you know?" she said looking at him, "I was just really stressed." "I've had much worse said to me, love, no need to worry," he said still looking at the crater. "Still." she said but Spike cut her off. "It's ok." he said looking at her, "I know." She smiled and said, "I get why Buffy loves you so much, now." A half smile formed on his face, "Thanks, red." Buffy awoke the next morning to find Spike not there. She looked out the window and smiled. She walked out the bus door to see Spike standing there watching the sunrise. She walked up behind him and slipped her hand in his, "It's beautiful isn't it?" she asked. "It sure has been a while since I've seen one of those," he said quietly. "Feel any different?" she asked looking sideways at him. "It's hard to say." he answered looking at her, "I keep expecting to wake up, you know?" "Yeah," she said. "Don't worry," he said taking his hand away, "I know what comes next." "What do you mean?" she asked confused. "All is forgotten.you don't have to worry.I know the drill," he explained, "Nice things are said when the world's gonna end and then all is forgotten when it isn't." "What are you talking about? I." she said but he cut her off. "I don't need the bloody speech again," he said his voice rising just slightly, "I'm not a complete idiot. It's the same thing over and over, nice words are said but I've learned not to get my hopes up because every time you give me the same speech telling me it was a mistake." "But it wasn't." she said turning to face him, "I meant every word I said." He looked shocked, "Who are you and what have you done with Buffy?" "I've changed." she said looking serious, "You are walking proof that people can change.you inspired me to be true to myself and to follow my heart.and my heart has been screaming out something to me for a while now, only I didn't hear it." "What's that?" he asked tilting his head slightly to one side. "That I'm in love with you, Spike," she said and took a step toward him. "Are you sure about this?" he asked trying not to get hurt again. "I've never been more sure about anything in my life," she said looking into the beautiful blue eyes of the man she hadn't ever let herself really see before. She leaned in and so did he and they kissed gently at first. It was the most important kiss she'd ever had, and the most longed for by both of them. They pulled away slowly. "How about we go for a walk once we find a place to stay," she said quietly, "just you and me." "I would love that," he said softly. There was something different about him after that. Where there once was cold, emptiness in his eyes, there was now warmth and happiness. He was a new man.
The End.