Part 13
Turning her head and looking a little downward she could see Spike´s head resting next her leg, and felt the tight grip of his hand wrapped around hers. It felt good to feel him, because it made her aware that she could feel again. But looking at him, something was registering as wrong—off. Then it hit her. What the hell had he done to his hair? It occurred to her that his hair was no longer bleach blond, but now a light sandy golden brown, and loosely curled. 'What the hell?´ she thought, his hair waking her up more than anything else worrying whether she hadn´t woken up in some sort of alternative world.
He raised his head up, and shook it groggily, then smiled as he saw her awake, and fully aware of her surroundings, and staring at him strangely. "we made it back, didn´t we, luv?" he told her.
"Yeah, we did," she smiled back at him. "But what the hell did you do to your hair?" she asked, then freaked further as he put on his new wire rimmed glasses, and smiled shyly at her. Before he could answer, she was aware of Giles, and Willow talking excitedly, and feeling air pressure being removed as they opened the protective circle that she and Spike had been in.
"Buffy! You´re awake!" came Willow´s excited shout.
"Dear Lord. Thank God," Giles exclaimed in relief, sagging a little before catching himself as he saw she was bright eyed, and alert, with no seeming bad effects of her self induced trance, nor did Spike seem to suffering any aftereffects either. They both looked peaceful, and more comfortable with one another than they had ever been before was his first impression seeing how they were both looking at one another. There had been some sort of deep bonding formed between the two. He hoped that was a good thing.
"I´m back, I´m okay," Buffy reassured them looking their way, and pushing herself up to sit back against her pillows.
"You´re sure you´re both okay?" Giles asked coming over to them as Spike got up from the floor to make room for him by the bed.
She nodded absently as she caught a flash of bare muscled chest before Spike moved away looking for his discarded t-shirt to put it back on. The view was more impressive than she had remembered seeing before. She was disappointed when he did put his shirt back on. Then he bent down to help Willow gather up the ritual items off the floor.
Buffy turned her focus from Spike to Giles who was hovering anxiously next to the bed. "I feel fine, Giles, honest. Rested even, like I haven´t been for a long time. Sorry, I flipped out on everyone. I didn´t mean to. I just snapped after killing Ben, after he changed to Glory. I remember someone else there before the battle—was it you?´ she asked, trying to sort that part out. Her focus had been on Spike, and Glory once she had thought that Dawn and Giles had gone upstairs to safety, but there was an awareness of someone else—Angel? "Was it Angel?´ she asked puzzled, trying to sort out her memories.
"Yeah, it was me, Buffy," Angel said from the doorway, hanging back into the shadows of the hallway because the room was bathed in sunlight, and he couldn´t enter. That fact was bothering him a lot now because it was more than unnerving to him see Spike wander around unharmed, and obvious to the bright sunlight now.
At hearing Angel speak Spike looked over, and grinned. He couldn´t help, but rub it in just a little, especially since he knew Angel had been human, and had turned it down, and gave up his chance with Buffy and have a life with her. "He was there, luv. He just stayed out of the way while you, and I took care of things, but he did get clean up detail," he added, getting a glare from Angel.
"I didn´t know what was happening, and it happened so fast," Angel explained why he hadn't taken a more active role in the battle. And feeling guility that he hadn't.
"It´s okay. It´s over. She gone and everyone is safe," Buffy said, real relief in her voice as she did accept that Glory was gone, and no longer a threat to the world. She swung her legs over to the side of the bed, and stood up, just a bit shakily, then straightened shaking her head at everyone wanting to rush to her side, and help her. "I apologize to everyone for whatever I did—losing it, or whatever," she told them. "Things have been happening so fast, and furious, and Glory was the last straw I guess. I´ll be okay now. I just have to learn to take things slow, and easy, and ask for help, and not try doing it all myself," she told them all, looking to Spike especially, who nodded his reassurance she was doing fine.
"I´m sorry, Buffy. I should have been handling more things for you since your mother died. I thought you were more capable than I thought you were, and hadn´t really realized you weren´t up on everything," Giles apologized feeling that part of her collapse had been his fault as he had been letting her handle her mom´s affairs, and the household since she appeared to be able to.
"It okay, Giles, really. I let you think things were okay, and I could handle things because I didn´t want to look helpless, or stupid in your eyes. Everytime I did I call you I felt bad about calling on you because I felt like I should have been able to figure it out, or handle everything around here," she told him. "I also didn´t want to call on any of the guys either, and bug them because they have lives too," she added needing to explain to them why she had done what she had been doing and not calling or saying she needed help.
"Buffy, you know we would have helped. We got learn this grown up stuff too. I saw what you´ve been going through, and it´s made me change, and think. So has Xander too. We may not know all of this grownup household stuff, but we can try, and help you however we can," Willow told her, glad her friend was back to herself.
"And you could have called me," Angel said, dropping his two cents in.
"I know, but you have your own life, your own problems, and a lot of this I didn´t think you could have helped with. This is all human family type stuff, and you´ve been a vampire for a very long time. You didn´t have to deal with all this when you were human," she told him honestly, knowing he had killed his family, and just walked away afterwards, then pretended he was alive long enough to sell off their properties, and belongings, and clear out the family accounts for him, and Darla to live on. He had been a real bastard.
Angel looked down at the floor after that, not wanting to meet her eyes because there wasn´t much he could argue back against the truth. He had been a bastard both as a human, and as a newly turned vampire. He had taken his family killed them, and ran off with their assets. No, he hadn´t had to deal with death, human death, and the consequences, or had to pick up the pieces afterwards. That had never been his concern. He had always lived in the now, not thinking of what was going to happen for anyone. He was starting to see the long view of his actions, but it wasn´t easy, or automatic as it had always been for Spike who did think things out, and who could see hidden problems, and tried to solve them before they got really messy. "Yeah, you´re right," he admitted, and turned, and walked back downstairs without another word.
Buffy stared after him dumbly. Part of her was sorry she had been so honest for once with her former love, but another part of her was glad she had had the courage to tell him why. Before she would have called him back. This time she didn't.
"I think you hurt his feelings, Buffy," Willow said worriedly looking towards the door, and hearing the basement door slam.
Buffy shook her head, and sighed. "Probably, but it was the truth. I´ve always gone easy on him on a lot of things. I asked him to help when he came for the funeral, he said he´d help, but then he still walked away. On dealing with all of what I´ve had to with Mom he really wouldn´t have been any help. I have been very grateful for Giles, and all of you, but I´m afraid I overlooked someone who could have been helping too, if I had ever given him a chance to explain, and I had actually listened as well," she said looking over at Spike who was looking out the window, trying to stay out of the conversation, lost in his own thoughts. But he had been listening and turned meeting Buffy's eyes with pride that she had been able to stand up to Angel, and did want to include him in her life now.
Willow looked from her to the former vampire as did Giles. They both mouthed the words, not wanting to believe that Spike could have helped, or would have been of any use in Buffy dealing with her mother´s death.
He spoke up then knowing what was going through their minds. "Unlike the rest of Angelus´ group, I didn´t kill my family. My father died when I was around Buffy´s age. My older brother, and his wife were already dead, so we had my nephew already living with us. I had to take care of my mother, two sisters, and James, so yeah, I do know what she´s been going through. I did it all for six years until I ran into Dru, and got turned. Afterwards I still made sure they were taken care, and got my cousin to take over for me. Made everyone think I was living, off working somewhere until I thought it was safe for me to die after my Mum died, and my sisters were all married, and taken care of proper. Then I still kept track of my nieces, and nephews," he explained. "That´s something that isn´t in your bloody Watcher´s diaries, as I made sure no one knew who I had been before I was turned. Didn´t want anyone hurting them. For me family comes first. My bloody demon didn´t like it, but I did what had to be done for them."
Willow and Giles were both stunned by his confession since Willow didn´t know about the conversation last night, and that he was an Earl, with money once he got his paper work straightened out.
"You managed to over ride your demon to do that?" Giles asked fascinated.
"It´s not that bloody hard. Any vampire could if they wanted to. Mine was a real prick, and had no common sense. Everytime I did things his way I damned near got myself killed. I just had a stronger will than it did. No big deal. When it came to my family, and making sure things were right for them, there wasn´t any way it could fight me. I wouldn´t let the wanker. The difference between Angelus. and me is that I did love my family, and they loved me. He and Darla never had that kind of love of family to begin with. Dru did, but she had gotten so driven out of her mind, and confused, she was like a child when we met. She was capable of love, but it was always her sire she wanted, not me. I was made to be her plaything. She always wanted her Daddy-- not me. I was always the poor second, but I stayed, and tried to convince myself she did love me. But she was always cheating on me, and going off with other demons. I was always her toy. It took you lot to really wake me up to that," he said looking back at them. and then quickly away again, so they wouldn´t see his bitter expression or tears.
"So you see I do know what, Buffy´s been going through, but I didn´t even want to try, and tell her that before this because I knew she wouldn´t want to hear it from a souless vampire."
"I see your point, Spike," Giles said uncomfortably, understanding a little more the motivations of the former vampire. "There seems to be much I do need to apologize to you about as well as rethink what vampires are capable of. You have been quite enlightening over the years."
"Thanks, Watcher. At least you are willing to listen and understand unlike some of your fellows. Shouldn´t the Nibblet be getting home from school soon?" Spike asked glancing down at his new watch and trying to change this painful subject.
"Right, Giles answered seeing that Spike was growing uncomfortable with the conversation. Now that he was reminded of the time, he was glad he could give the teenager good news instead of bad. He had finished gathering all the ritual items, and had them ready to take back downstairs.
"Dawn will be relieved I'm back," Buffy added, noticing that both Giles and Spike needed a save. "I appreciate that someone got me out of the clothes I was wearing, but I really need to take a shower, and change before Dawn gets home." Buffy told them looking down at her outfit as well as seeing herself in the mirror, and seeing how bad she looked.
Spike saw his cue to leave. He wanted to talk more with Buffy, but not with everyone hovering around her. Their talking could wait though, and he did need to get his life back from Angel before he left that evening. "And I need to go talk to Peaches, and see if he got the bank straightened out yet. I´ll see you downstairs, luv," he said looking over to Buffy, who nodded.
"Tell Angel I´ll talk to him after you two get through," she told him before he closed the door then disappeared.
"Understood," he replied, giving her a look, before he left for downstairs to talk to vampire.
Giles looked after him then back to Buffy. "I'll be going too. Are sure you're quite all right now, Buffy?" he asked concerned.
"Yes, better, than I have been for a long time. Spike did help me a lot. Now he understands why I have been so hard to get along with. What has happened to me over the years. He always did seem to know me better than myself, now he really does. It doesn't scare him like it did Angel, or Riley. And he does love me, really loves me, and I think I love him too," she confessed, blushed a little.
"I won't say yeah, or nay on this because this is your life, Buffy, but considering the newness of his 'life', and all that has happened, including this spell you just came out of all I can advise is caution," Giles told her tying to be sympatheic.
"I know, Giles. We both do. We have agreed to take this slow, and easy all the way around. He knows how badly I have been hurt. Surprisingly, Spike can be a gentleman, and not a total ass when he wants to. Even as a vampire he was always surprising me that way," she said thinking about how he had been with her on the back porch after she had found out about her mom. That an other times he had been kind before she had blew the moment.
"I see. Though I do wish you had let me know about these abnormalities in his behavior. Maybe I wouldn't have been so hard on him before," Giles told her.
"It was kind of personal at the time, and I thought he was trying to do a number on my head when it happened. Now I see it really was for real for him, and I was the one messing things up--not him. I didn't want to believe he did have feelings because it did go against all that I thought I knew."
"Well it seems I, and the Council have been very wrong in a lot of things about vampires. Angel taught me that, but Spike has been a very definite learning experience for us all. Well, I'd better get down there since Spike is dealing with Angel and I do need to check on how Anya is doing."
"She's probably happy to have the store all to herself. I'll be down as soon as I get showered and changed," Buffy told him as he left for downstairs while Willow hung back wanting to talk to her.
"So it went okay—the spell?" Willow asked, uncertain.
Buffy smiled in reassurance to her friend. "Yeah, it did. It was jusy weird seeing Spike in my head. I thought it´d be you instead, or Giles. But actually Spike was the right one to talk me out of staying shut down. I just had to retreat from everything. Sorry to put you all through this. Hope I didn´t freak anyone out. Is Dawn okay?" she asked, figuring out from the conversations that Dawn had gotten off to school okay.
"Fine, Spike made her go to school since there wasn´t anything she could do except sit around, and watch you. He was afraid her being out again would mess you up since somehow he knew social services has been watching you,´ Willow explained sitting down on the bed as did Buffy to talk.
"He always knows what´s going on somehow. She didn´t argue?"
"A little—not really. He wouldn´t take no for an answer. He went with me when I took her school. Then we went to the mall, and he got new clothes, glasses, and had his hair done. Even gave me money to buy stuff for you too," she said, getting up and handing her a shopping bag.
"I had wondered about the new look. He did it all on his own? You didn't force him or something?" Buffy asked.
"Nope--all his own ideas, though I did help a little on the clothes so it wouldn't be all black on black. You like the hair?" Willow asked with a grin wanting to know her reaction to the new looks.
"Oh, yeah, once I got over the shock of no peroxide. He looks real good. I like the glasses too. Sort of young Giles, or Wesley. He doesn't look quite so intense now. More human, softer sort of. And the crosses he's wearing--that threw me too, but nice."
"He said he wanted to stay human, and he knows the vamps around are all going to know he's changed, and coming gunning for him, so he got protections just in case," Willow explained.
"Yeah, we had run ins with some of his ex buddies last night at Applebees, and then at the cemetery when we went to get his stuff from the crypt. We dusted some of them but a couple got away. The word is going to spread real quick. Luckily he has slayer strength and reflexes, still all it would take would be someone getting in a luckly hit and he's either revamped or toast," Buffy sighed. "And he does want to stay human."
"That is for real. Though he is still trying to remember how to be again. Anyway, you got to see what I got at the mall for you," Willow told her bounding up and grabbing the bags of stuff she had bought for her and handing them to her surprised friend.
"What´s this?" Buffy asked confused looking at the shopping bags.
"New stuff. Fun stuff. Spike told me to have fun, so I did. Open it. If you don´t like we can always take it all back," she told her.
"Okay, what´d you get me?" she asked her, turning her attention to the bag, and reaching in to pull out a short dress in shades of pinks, and purples swirled together, with long sleeves, and a low neck line. "Wow!" Buffy exclaimed liking it as she stood up at held it up against herself in front of her mirror.
"I got Dawnie one just like it except it has blue and green swirls," Willow grinned enjoying seeing her friend's expression and delight in having something new to wear.
"Fancy. I like lots. And there´s more?" Buffy said reaching into the bag. There were some shirts, a skirt, and a pair of jeans. "Practical stuff, I approve," she said giving her friend a hug picking out one of the new tops, a teal one to put on.
"I know how slayage does damage to your clothes, so I thought new clothes would help you feel better. I got myself some stuff, and Tara too. They were having great sales so I could get lots of stuff. Also thought with Glory gone we all might go the Bronze, and have an after Glory celebration—that is if you feel up to it?" Willow asked hopefully.
"Yeah, I do. Feeling lots, lots better now. Party at the Bronze sounds great. And you said Spike gave you the money. Where did he get money, and what was that talk about banks, and Angel?" she questioned.
Willow wasn´t sure whether to tell her, or let Spike tell her himself. "Maybe you should ask him for the details, but I got the impression he´s loaded—like really loaded. Angel has been holding it in trust for him. Angel handed him an envelope before we left this morning, and it was all full of lots of cash. And he spent lots too, good stuff, stuff you´ll like. I helped a little. The all black look is gone," Willow told her.
"I remember something about him saying he had a title last night, but it made me mad because he hadn´t said anything before about it, and he had been hitting us all up for money for years. So it was for real then. He has money?´ Buffy asked her.
Willow shrugged, "I guess so. We didn't talk too much about it."
"Did he tell you he offered to marry me too last night to get my Dad off my back?" Buffy asked her.
"He proposed?´ Willow gasped shocked. He hadn´t said a word to her about this.
"Sort of not really. He just asked Giles if he thought that if I married him, then I would have the money, and be protected legally to fight my dad. He never said—'Buffy, will you marry me.´ I didn´t let him get that far because I was too shocked over the money, and then him thinking that marrying him would solve my problems with my Dad.
"So you turned him down?"
"Yeah, I think so, and he apologized for asking. Telling me to forget it because I didn´t love him, and it was a bad idea."
"I sense you are wishing you hadn´t gotten mad, and turned him down," Willow questioned, looking at her friend.
"Sort of—I don´t know. With him my feelings get all confused. Now more than ever since he´s human, and has a soul. And then he´s been all nice, and perfect, and I´m not dealing with the new Spike yet. Okay, I do like him. I liked him when he was still a vampire, but because he was a vampire I had to hate him. And it was getting real hard to hate him until he pulled that stunt with Drusilla. He drives me mad, Will. He always has. First there was Angel, and Spike showed up. I kept wishing he wasn´t a vampire, and attached to Dru. Then he helped save the world. Every time he showed up I was happy to see him, then he´d say, or do something to get me mad. Then there was your spell. It did a number to both of us, but when it was over we had to pretend like nothing had happened. I found out it was just as hard for him as it was for me. Since there was a few things going on that day you all didn´t know about. You guys got the PG version, " Buffy admitted to her friend.
"You and Spike got physical?" Willow asked, staring at her opened mouthed in shock.
Buffy blushed as she nodded her head. "Yeah real physical—and don´t you tell anyone—ever—especially Xander. He´d freak big time. We did it in the bathroom, and when we were out on patrol."
"Twice? You bonked him twice?" she asked her green eyes wide.
"Yeah, we did, and it was great. Almost too great. Then the spell was over, and we had be enemies again. That was the hardest to do, and we both knew what we were feeling for one another was wrong, and everyone was watching us. Then when I started going out with Riley that was when we really started fighting bad because he was so jealous. I never told Riley about Spike, and he kept his mouth shut too. I always thought Riley suspected there was something between me, and Spike. And I guess there was. I just couldn´t let myself love him because then I´d be admitting I couldn't be normal, or have a normal relationship," Buffy sighed looking down at her clasped hands in her lap.
"It all makes sense now—finally," Willow said having put a lot of the two's weird behavior into perspective now that she hasn't had before. "You, and him fighting all the time, the insults, the barbs, especially the sexual ones, all of it. I saw it, but I didn´t want to see it. Then there was your reaction when you found out Harmony was sleeping with Spike—you were jealous, and I couldn´t figure it out—even though you were trying to make out it wasn´t bothering you, when it really was."
"You saw that too? Riley did as well. Even asked me about it but I denied it—like I denied everything to do with Spike for sanity purposes."
"So—since Riley has he tried anything?" Willow asked.
"No, perfect gentleman, even when he had me chained up. Though last night we kissed, and it got real heated real fast, but nothing happened because Dawn, and Giles were here. He may be human, but he´s still him. Maybe better," she blushed.
"So now that he is human, is something going to happen?"
"Maybe, I don´t know. I told him I want to take everything slow. His changing is a lot to deal with, everything is a lot to deal with. But we have been talking, really talking both last night, and when he was in my head. I don´t have any secrets now—that´s for sure. I can talk to him in ways I couldn't talk to Angel, or Riley. I guess I was could. He knows me better than I know myself. He´s always tried to tell me the truth whether I wanted to hear it or not. And he isn´t going leave me—I finally get that. Nothing is going to make him leave, or quit loving me," Buffy told her.
"Even I kind of got that too. He loves you. More than maybe Angel, or Riley did, and that was without having a soul, now that he does….I think he´d be good for you. You have my approval," Willow said giving her a hug.
"Thanks, Wills, that means a lot. Giles is softening too. It´s just Xander, and Angel. Hopefully, they´ll come around."
"Maybe…" Willow said, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Buffy are you in there?" came Dawn´s voice.
"Yeah, come in," Buffy yelled, and the door flew open. Dawn looked totally relieved to see her sister up and back to herself.
"You´re you again. Giles told me when I came in. I had to come in, and see for myself. So the spell thingie worked?" she asked coming over to the bed, and giving Buffy a hug.
"Yeph, Spike got me to come back. Wasn´t going to leave until I did. Have you seen him yet?" Buffy asked.
"Nope. He, and Angel are still downstairs. Arguing it sounded like. Giles is staying out of it. Actually he told to me to tell you he was going to run home, and then go by the shop. He needed to take care of some things. He´ll call you in a bit," Dawn told her.
"So you haven´t seen the new Spike?" Willow asked, with a smile.
"New Spike? Besides being human, what has he done to himself now?" Dawn asked suspiciously, looking at the two giggling women.
"No more bleach blonde hair for one, and he´s got glasses," Buffy told her sister who was shocked.
"No way! He's changed his hair, and has glasses? I mean I knew he needed them. Caught him once with a pair on. He can´t read anything without holding it away from him, or he squints. Glasses for real? I saw all the shopping bags in the living room, and wondered what was up, but before I could look in them Giles told me you were up here, and okay."
"He looks like Giles, except younger, and way better looking," Willow giggled, and Buffy looked at her shocked giving her a light punch in her arm.
"Willow, he does not. You think he´s good looking?"
"Yeah, wishing I was not gay here, but wouldn´t do me any good as you are all he can see. That´s real obvious. I saw it way before, but I didn´t want to see it, but now that I see it I can not just see it, you know?"
"Told you," Dawn smirked at her sister who was looking back and forth between the two smug girls. "He loves you—accept, deal with it. Don´t ignore him any more," Dawn told Buffy. "Anyway, I´m going to my room. Need to do some homework just in case anything is going on tonight," she added looking back, and forth at them mysteriously, then picking up her book bag she left.
"Think she knows about tonight?" Buffy asked puzzled.
Willow shrugged. "Dunno, maybe. Except usually after some big victory we all want to go do something, so maybe she was thinking that was going to happen. I´m going to go, and check on Tara. I told her I´d call at the shop, and let Anya know what was happening. I´ll see if everyone does want to go Bronzing tonight, and what time. Then I´ll call you, and let you know," Willow told her getting up. "But I am so glad it´s all over, and you´re okay. You are okay aren´t you?"
"Yeah, I think I am finally. Just let me know if, and when we´re meeting. I´ll see if Angel wants to come too, or if he´s going back or what."
"Almost forgot he was still here," Willow said remembering, at little embarrassed she had forgot. "Talk to you later," she added as she left, closing the door behind her.
Buffy changed out of clothes Willow, and Tara had dressed her in earlier, then quickly went, and took a shower and washed her hair. Coming back to her room she put on one of the new tops, and a pair of jeans. She pulled her hair back in a simple pony tail, and threw a little makeup on. Before she went downstairs she put the new clothes away in her closet all except for the new pink dress that she left hanging out. She was hoping that they could all go out tonight. Everyone needed a break from all the worry and hell they had all gone through for months on her, and Dawn´s behalf.
She also hoped that the two men hadn´t killed each other. She didn´t hear any fighting as she went down to the ground level. She wasn´t sure whether this was a good or bad thing. She found them both sitting in her dining room with papers laid out on the table. Spike was reading over some documents it looked like while Angel was sitting back in his chair looking bored, and miserable. They both looked up at her approach with welcoming smiles.
"You guys doing okay?" she asked. "I see you both are still intact, and not bleeding at least," she smiled, unsure whether she was interrupting anything or not.
"We´re fine, luv. I´m just going over some of the paper work I have to sign to get my estate back in my name again, and reestablish my identity," Spike told her, looking over his glasses at her.
Buffy had to suppress a giggle because he did look a lot like Giles when he did that. But way cuter—she amended to herself.—a whole lot, and sexy too. She had never thought about guys wearing glasses as sexy, but somehow, Spike was, or it was just him period. Then what he had said clicked into her mind. "Estate? What estate? Huh?" she looked at him confused.
"Property, or I should say properties. That´s where a lot of the money I will shortly have back comes from—properties scattered across Europe, and other places we picked up in our travels as investments. I´m just trying decide which ones I´m going to let Angel keep since he´s done such a good job managing them," Spike replied, and looked over to Angel, who was now in brood mode. "At least I am letting you keep some of them. I could take them all back. So cheer up, and knock off the brooding."
"I´ve got lots to brood about, William," he said meaningfully, not looking at Buffy.
"And I thought we agreed not to discuss that further, Angelus," Spike shot back, emphasizing his ex-sire´s name if he was going to use his name like that in that tone.
Buffy arched an eyebrow, curious, but deciding not to pry as whatever it was concerned her to be sure, and she didn´t want them to be fighting over her. She had had enough male testosterone battles over herself, thank you. "Okay, not asking. Don´t want to know. Willow suggested we have a end of Glory party at the Bronze tonight—anyone up for that?" she asked changing the subject.
"I´m in. Are you sure you´re feeling up to something like that, pet?´ Spike asked her seriously, the concern evident in his voice, and the way he looked her up, and down.
"Yeah, I think we all need it. And Angel you´re invited too, unless you´ve got to get back to LA real quick," she inquired, not missing Spike´s frown, and Angel´s smirky grin back at him.
"I was going to leave as soon as the sun went down, but a couple of hours won´t matter. Things are pretty quiet on the home front," he told her.
"Great. I was thinking we could all go around seven—eight, but I´ve got to call it quits after ten because Dawn still has school tomorrow. Maybe eat there? I still haven´t had a chance to do grocery shopping, and the pickings are pretty slim in the kitchen," Buffy added.
"Sounds good too me. If you want I could take you shopping tomorrow. I know you´re not driving yet. And my car does run," he offered.
"Okay, Giles really hates going to store with me," she agreed. "You going over to Giles´ place tonight?"
"No, thought I´d give him a break, and get a room somewhere. Tomorrow I´m going to start looking for a place, a real place to live in."
"There´s always the mansion," Angel offered, and Spike shot him a nasty look as did Buffy too.
"Not on a bloody bet, mate. That place is all bloody yours. That one I am giving to you. Too many soddin´ bad memories. And if you do run into my ex you don´t tell her I´ve turned human. I don´t want to see her—ever. She´s your problem, and you deal with her," Spike told him angerily, not mincing words.
"Fine—got it. You about through?" Angel asked flinching back from his anger. He glared then sat back in his chair with his arms folded across his chest.
"Almost. You have your lawyers put in the changes I want, and it´s a done deal," Spike told him, making himself calm down, and be reasonable, especially in front of Buffy.
"No, problem. You get them back either tomorrow, or the next day. Will that be soon enough?" Angel asked.
"Yeah, it's good enough," Spike agreed, signing some papers then handing them to Angel. "I need this to be done soon as possible, so if I need to move quickly, I can," Spike told him, glancing at Buffy then back. Angel nodded grimly understanding more what was happening in Buffy's life, and knowing that Spike would make sure that Buffy, and Dawn were protected, and taken care of.
"So you're getting an apartment, house, something?" Buffy asked, trying to figure out what Spike was up to.
"A room for now, until I find a place. Even though Rupert said I could stay with him. I feel the need to be alone, sort some stuff out," he told her.
"Ohh," Buffy said, restraining herself from offerring him crash space in her house, especially since he wanted to be alone, and more importantly because Angel was watching, and listening. "That's cool. I'm going to go call the shop, and see what everyone is up to," she said her voice several degrees cooler before she left at high speed for the kitchen.
Spike looked after her frowning, and trying to figure out what was going on her head. His first choice would be staying here. But he really didn't want to ask, or throw them both into temptation after he had promised to take it slow.
Angel had watched amused, not having really had a chance to observe the two's interactions before except as mortal enemies, and even that had been an odd experience.
'What?" Spike asked him, becoming aware of Angel laughing at him. "What's so bloody funny?"
"You two. Not that it's any of my business, but I do think she's upset about the idea of you wanting to stay by yourself in a hotel somewhere. Staying with the Watcher would have been one thing, but alone now that you are human is something else," Angel commented.
Spike sighed, and nodded."I was trying to be a bloody gentleman, and not impose upon anyone. Rupert wants to do a bloody report on me--I know it. I'm just not in the mood for a bunch of soddin' questions about my bloody past now that he knows the truth. Yeah, I'd like to straighten up the facts with the Council about vampires, but not yet. Then he's also acting all fatherly about Buffy. He always has, but now it's worse," he added, taking a drink of his coke.
"Been there with him, and that was before he knew I was a vampire. Now you're a vampire that's turned into a man, that he thinks he knows, sniffing around his daughter, so to speak," Angel told him, sipping his blood.
"Yeah, tell me about it. He told me off when I was a vampire, now he's really unnerved. Though he really wasn't that thrilled with Riley when he started coming around. He tolerated him because of Buffy, but I don't think he shed a tear when soldier boy left. I do know I am not looking forward to meeting Buffy's real dad. That man has really hurt the girl--a lot, and Dawn too. Rup and I are going to have a hard time being civil to the blighter when he shows--if he shows after all," Spike said grimly. "So you think I pissed Buffy off?" Spike asked coming back to the original subject.
"A little. Most of it is confusion. And when she gets confused she gets pissed, or goes cold on you. Maybe you two need to talk," Angel suggested.
Spike cocked an eyebrow surprised. "You backing down from her?"
"Yeah, I am. What we had isn't there any more. We've both moved on. We realized it after the funeral. Already I knew there was someone in her life, and not Riley, someone new, but she wasn't sure of her feelings. I think it was you, even then. She wasn't ready to accept her feelings, or yours. She had to deal with her mom, Dawn and her whole life being totally changed by her mom's death. Then there was the danger of Glory, and her just being a slayer with all the resposibilities that come with it. You have been here for her all this time. I see that now after talking with everyone. You haven't walked away no matter how bad, or messy it got. You could have after Dru, but you didn't. I think she does want you, but she's not sure how to tell you, and reacts by closing off. Then you two have developed responses to one another that are going to take some time to undo. It is not going to be easy having a relationship with her--believe me she is not easy to deal with," Angel said.
"I know. She drives me up the bloody wall most of the time. So you're letting me have a go with her," Spike asked still surprised that the vampire was backing off.
"I think you'll be good for her in ways I never could be."
"All right, I'll try talking with her, and see what's on her mind," he said standing up and picking up his drink to empty in the trash as an excuse for being in the kitchen. "You coming to the Bronze tonight?" he asked before he started to leave.
"Probably not. This is your time, Will. You don't need me hanging around making both of you uncomfortable. I still have cases to work on, and Dru and Darla to track down before they cause too many problems. Soon as the sun goes down I'm heading back and I'll take the garbage with me, and get rid of it," Angel told him reminding him of the bodies still in the back yard.
"If you're sure, mate," Spike asked.
"Yeah, best for everyone all around. Go to her," he told him, and Spike nodded, relieved and grateful that he now did have Angel's permission to pursue Buffy. They may not be sire, and childe any longer physically, but the emotional and mental ties were still there. Finally peace had been made between them and with a light heart, Spike left the vampire sitting alone at the table. After a minute, Angel got himself up, and went back down to the basement to rest some more before sundown, and to think.
End Part 13
TBC