Title: Reunion 9/?
Author: Jamie
Email: JamieA1869@cs.com
Rating: PG so far
Spoilers: Up through season 6 (before Gone-was it Smashed or Wrecked?) for Buffy and season 3 (Daddy episode) for Angel.
Keywords: Spike/Buffy mostly, some Angel/Cordelia, I guess, crossover fic
Feedback: Please, please, please. Chocolate covered Spikey's all around? My second try at fanfic.
Distribution: Couple of mailing lists. FanFiction.Net, http://www.geocities.com/buffyafterdark/; You want it? Let me know.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon and Co. and no harm was meant in writing this piece. Only the idea is mine.
Summary: If the WB and UPN hadn't declared "mortal enemy" status, we would have seen how the characters in both shows would have reacted to what was happening in the other show. I wanted to know. I made it up.
PART NINE
"You've got to be kidding me," Angel said. It was said in a flat, emotionless voice. He met Buffy's gaze steadily. She thought she saw some flicker of emotion, but it was quickly masked behind the stubborn emptiness.
"No joke," Spike said.
Buffy spared a glance in his direction, shaking her head. She stepped closer to Angel and touched his arm. He jerked away and she dropped her hand, hurt. She clasped her hands in front of her, rubbing them together nervously. Thinking for a moment, she finally squared her shoulders determinedly.
"You weren't here, Angel," she said. He opened his mouth to protest but she held up one hand, stopping him. "Listen to what I have to say. You owe me that." He glanced at Spike with narrowed eyes before nodding. "I didn't believe it, either. I mean, hello? Big soulless demon here. Incapable of love."
"Pet..."
"No, Spike. I need to say this." She met his eyes head on, not wavering. He saw the strength there, the thing that drew him to her in the first place.
"'Kay, Slayer."
"I was disgusted by it. I *hated* the thought that he had this sick obsession with me. That's what I saw it as. Some pervy serial killer on parole, getting his jollies by following me around." She laughed humorlessly. "Oh, God, Angel. You should have seen it. His big declaration? The moment every girl dreams about since the moment she reads about Prince Charming? He chained me to the wall!"
"*What*?" Angel said, stunned.
"How many times I 'ave to apologize for that, luv?"
"You chained her up?" Angel demanded, held back only by Cordelia's hand on his elbow.
"He said he was sorry!" Dawn cried, moving to stand protectively in front of Spike.
"Dawnie, it's okay," Buffy said. She looked calmly at her little sister until Dawn backed away to stand against the wall. "He did apologize," she conceded, nodding at Spike. "Sometimes, I can almost see why he did it. I wouldn't listen to him." She narrowed her eyes at the smile tugging at the edges of Spike's mouth. "I said *sometimes*."
"Give a dog a bone..." he replied, shrugging.
Buffy rolled her eyes, giving up. "Anyway. That was it. The big love scene, chained to a wall next to Drusilla, the original looney toons. You can imagine how much fun that was lacking."
"Drusilla?" Cordelia asked. "When was this?"
"Last year," Willow said.
"She sure gets around, doesn't she?" She tucked Conner's blanket more firmly around him. Thankfully, he was still sleeping.
"Why did you chain Dru up?" Angel asked Spike, genuinely curious.
"Maybe 'cause you taught her to like it, huh, Angelus?" Spike said with a lecherous grin.
Angel growled and started to advance again.
"Angel, Spike, please," Buffy said, stepping between them. She turned to face Angel. "She was kind of a gift, I guess. To prove his love. He said he'd kill her for me."
Angel's eyes widened. "Kill Dru?"
"What of it, mate? Not like you didn't kill your sire for her." He leaned insolently against the wall. "'Sides, I wouldn't have really done it. Was tryin' to make a point." He made shapes on the floor with the toe of his boot, not looking at the others.
"In your own psycho killer way," Xander said.
"Shut up, whelp."
Xander just laughed at him.
Buffy started to pace, ignoring them. "And this whole time, I just kept thinking, why me? What was wrong with me that I'd attract *him*?" She ran a hand through her hair. "He kept saying that it was natural. Two...people working together. It was natural for...*feelings* to develop." She paused in her pacing, looking first at Spike, then at Angel. "And I freaked out. I denied that it was even possible for him to love me, for him to love at all." Tears gathered in her eyes as she continued. "Because, if Spike could love me, without a soul...why-why couldn't you?"
Angel's face fell at her pain. "Oh, God, Buffy..." He stepped forward, wanting to touch her, wanting to give comfort.
She pulled back, blinking back tears. "Please, don't." The rest of the room faded away until it was just the two of them, staring into the pain-filled eyes of their lost love. "I just couldn't get past that, Angel. It wasn't possible. There was no way that Spike could love me if you couldn't. I refused to believe it at all." She reached up a hand and touched his cheek lightly. He closed his eyes, surrendering to her touch for a moment. She pulled her hand away and stepped back, turning to look at Spike.
His own eyes were filled with pain at the sight of the two of them in such a tender moment. But he gave her a little half smile in encouragement. She turned back to face Angel.
"But I couldn't deny it forever. It was there. We could all see it. He really loved me. He loved Dawn. And I think he even loved-" her voice hitched on a sob. She drew in a deep breath and continued. "My mom. He did so much to protect us all, to keep us alive. I can be pretty dense sometimes, but I'm not completely blind. He did all that out of love."
"Buffy, listen to me," Angel said. He shot a malevolent look in Spike's direction. "You don't know him. He lies. He's capable of faking. Using it to get behind your defenses. To earn your trust."
Conner interrupted with a hungry cry. Cordelia bounced him up and down and smiled half-heartedly at Angel. "I left his bottle out in the shop. I'll go feed him." At Angel's grateful nod, she left the room.
Buffy stared after her for a moment. "People can change, Angel. It's true for humans-why can't it be true of demons, too?" She gestured to the door. "Willow keeps telling me how Cordelia has changed. How these visions of hers have turned her into a better person. She even started changing before then. Joining the gang, loving Xander..."
She turned to look at Spike. "Spike's a demon. No soul boy. I understand that. We all do. But that chip...it's like Cordy's visions, in a way." She glanced around the room, looking at all of her friends. "The chip started it-forced it. And I'd like to think that we helped it along. All of us."
Willow stepped forward, looking questioningly to Buffy. At Buffy's nod, she spoke to Angel. "Buffy wasn't here this summer. She didn't see. When she...died, Spike was devastated, Angel. You could see it in his eyes. None of us thought he'd stay. Why stick around without Buffy? We thought that was the only reason he stayed in Sunnydale. 'Cause of Buffy. But she was gone and he stayed. He fought with us, he protected us." She smiled at Dawn. "He was Dawn's friend."
Cordelia came back into the room, a now content Conner snuggled in her arms. Angel gave her a small smile and turned back to Buffy.
"Buffy, I don't deny that Spike is attracted to you. That was clear enough from the beginning," Angel said. "Couldn't that be what this is about? Sex?"
Spike growled dangerously, glaring at Angel. "Watch what you say, wanker."
"As if. Buffy wouldn't touch the bleached wonder with a ten foot stake," Xander said, laughing.
"Xander!" Dawn cried, placing a hand on Spike's chest to keep him from advancing on the human.
Spike stopped and Dawn moved aside. He glared at Angel and thought a moment. "Don't need to prove anythin' to you, poofter," he decided, relaxing back against the wall.
Buffy met Spike's gaze and nodded once. "He's right, Angel. It doesn't matter if you believe it or not. It just is."
"Guys?" Cordelia said.
They all looked at her, still hovering by the door. Anya peered in the room behind her.
"What's up, Cordy?" Xander asked. He smiled at his fiancée over her shoulder.
"There's something about this vision that's been bothering me."
Buffy exchanged a nervous glance with Spike. He shrugged his shoulders and tilted up one corner of his mouth in a "to hell with it" gesture. Willow watched the two of them until Buffy finally met her gaze. She smiled at the slayer, hoping to transmit reassurance.
"What?" Angel asked, going over to take his son.
Cordelia handed Conner to his father and sighed, shaking out her aching arms. "He's getting fat," she commented.
"No, he's not," Angel said defensively. "He's getting strong."
"Whatever." She turned to look at the others, pausing on Buffy. She thought a moment and continued, "The vision. There are some parts that are...different than the others."
"Different?" Xander asked.
"Is this necessary?" Buffy asked, a note of desperation in her voice. "I mean, we just established that Spike won't hurt me. Why beat the dead horse?" She glanced around the room for a clock. "Besides, it's late. I promised Dawn lunch!" She walked over to her sister, grabbed her wrist, and started toward the door.
"Buffy!" Dawn cried, pulling out of her grip. "You're hurting me!"
Buffy stopped and looked apologetically at her sister. "Sorry, Dawnie."
"I don't want lunch, anyway," Dawn said, rubbing her wrist.
Buffy stood there, looking back and forth between Spike and Angel, wishing she'd never woken up this morning.
"Go ahead, Cordelia," Angel said. Furrows appeared on his forehead as his gaze rested on the slayer.
"Yeah," she replied, watching Buffy with raised eyebrows. "Sometimes they-" she gestured toward Buffy and Spike "-sometimes they look different. Like...blissful?"
"Blissful?" Anya asked. "Why-"
Cordelia glanced back at her for a moment. "Almost like...they're having a really good time." She turned to face Buffy once again. She noticed that Buffy was looking at her feet, and her face had turned red. When she saw Spike staring at Buffy, something clicked. "Oh!" And then, wrinkling her nose, "Ew!"
"Ew?" Xander said, narrowing his eyes. "What's ew for?"
Buffy let her hair fall forward to cover her red face, still finding her boot very interesting. Spike looked worried as he watched her. Willow tried to hide a small smile as her suspicions were all but confirmed. Angel appeared completely perplexed, having no idea what was going on. Cordelia seemed at a loss as to what she should say. Anya had a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Oh!" Anya cried. "Blissful! Like during sex with Xander!"
"Oh, God," Buffy whispered to her feet.
"Cordy?" Angel asked, still confused.
Cordy shrugged and shot an apologetic glance in Buffy's direction. "Okay, yeah. Like they were having sex."
------------
TBC
Author: Jamie
Email: JamieA1869@cs.com
Rating: PG so far
Spoilers: Up through season 6 (before Gone-was it Smashed or Wrecked?) for Buffy and season 3 (Daddy episode) for Angel.
Keywords: Spike/Buffy mostly, some Angel/Cordelia, I guess, crossover fic
Feedback: Please, please, please. Chocolate covered Spikey's all around? My second try at fanfic.
Distribution: Couple of mailing lists. FanFiction.Net, http://www.geocities.com/buffyafterdark/; You want it? Let me know.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon and Co. and no harm was meant in writing this piece. Only the idea is mine.
Summary: If the WB and UPN hadn't declared "mortal enemy" status, we would have seen how the characters in both shows would have reacted to what was happening in the other show. I wanted to know. I made it up.
PART NINE
"You've got to be kidding me," Angel said. It was said in a flat, emotionless voice. He met Buffy's gaze steadily. She thought she saw some flicker of emotion, but it was quickly masked behind the stubborn emptiness.
"No joke," Spike said.
Buffy spared a glance in his direction, shaking her head. She stepped closer to Angel and touched his arm. He jerked away and she dropped her hand, hurt. She clasped her hands in front of her, rubbing them together nervously. Thinking for a moment, she finally squared her shoulders determinedly.
"You weren't here, Angel," she said. He opened his mouth to protest but she held up one hand, stopping him. "Listen to what I have to say. You owe me that." He glanced at Spike with narrowed eyes before nodding. "I didn't believe it, either. I mean, hello? Big soulless demon here. Incapable of love."
"Pet..."
"No, Spike. I need to say this." She met his eyes head on, not wavering. He saw the strength there, the thing that drew him to her in the first place.
"'Kay, Slayer."
"I was disgusted by it. I *hated* the thought that he had this sick obsession with me. That's what I saw it as. Some pervy serial killer on parole, getting his jollies by following me around." She laughed humorlessly. "Oh, God, Angel. You should have seen it. His big declaration? The moment every girl dreams about since the moment she reads about Prince Charming? He chained me to the wall!"
"*What*?" Angel said, stunned.
"How many times I 'ave to apologize for that, luv?"
"You chained her up?" Angel demanded, held back only by Cordelia's hand on his elbow.
"He said he was sorry!" Dawn cried, moving to stand protectively in front of Spike.
"Dawnie, it's okay," Buffy said. She looked calmly at her little sister until Dawn backed away to stand against the wall. "He did apologize," she conceded, nodding at Spike. "Sometimes, I can almost see why he did it. I wouldn't listen to him." She narrowed her eyes at the smile tugging at the edges of Spike's mouth. "I said *sometimes*."
"Give a dog a bone..." he replied, shrugging.
Buffy rolled her eyes, giving up. "Anyway. That was it. The big love scene, chained to a wall next to Drusilla, the original looney toons. You can imagine how much fun that was lacking."
"Drusilla?" Cordelia asked. "When was this?"
"Last year," Willow said.
"She sure gets around, doesn't she?" She tucked Conner's blanket more firmly around him. Thankfully, he was still sleeping.
"Why did you chain Dru up?" Angel asked Spike, genuinely curious.
"Maybe 'cause you taught her to like it, huh, Angelus?" Spike said with a lecherous grin.
Angel growled and started to advance again.
"Angel, Spike, please," Buffy said, stepping between them. She turned to face Angel. "She was kind of a gift, I guess. To prove his love. He said he'd kill her for me."
Angel's eyes widened. "Kill Dru?"
"What of it, mate? Not like you didn't kill your sire for her." He leaned insolently against the wall. "'Sides, I wouldn't have really done it. Was tryin' to make a point." He made shapes on the floor with the toe of his boot, not looking at the others.
"In your own psycho killer way," Xander said.
"Shut up, whelp."
Xander just laughed at him.
Buffy started to pace, ignoring them. "And this whole time, I just kept thinking, why me? What was wrong with me that I'd attract *him*?" She ran a hand through her hair. "He kept saying that it was natural. Two...people working together. It was natural for...*feelings* to develop." She paused in her pacing, looking first at Spike, then at Angel. "And I freaked out. I denied that it was even possible for him to love me, for him to love at all." Tears gathered in her eyes as she continued. "Because, if Spike could love me, without a soul...why-why couldn't you?"
Angel's face fell at her pain. "Oh, God, Buffy..." He stepped forward, wanting to touch her, wanting to give comfort.
She pulled back, blinking back tears. "Please, don't." The rest of the room faded away until it was just the two of them, staring into the pain-filled eyes of their lost love. "I just couldn't get past that, Angel. It wasn't possible. There was no way that Spike could love me if you couldn't. I refused to believe it at all." She reached up a hand and touched his cheek lightly. He closed his eyes, surrendering to her touch for a moment. She pulled her hand away and stepped back, turning to look at Spike.
His own eyes were filled with pain at the sight of the two of them in such a tender moment. But he gave her a little half smile in encouragement. She turned back to face Angel.
"But I couldn't deny it forever. It was there. We could all see it. He really loved me. He loved Dawn. And I think he even loved-" her voice hitched on a sob. She drew in a deep breath and continued. "My mom. He did so much to protect us all, to keep us alive. I can be pretty dense sometimes, but I'm not completely blind. He did all that out of love."
"Buffy, listen to me," Angel said. He shot a malevolent look in Spike's direction. "You don't know him. He lies. He's capable of faking. Using it to get behind your defenses. To earn your trust."
Conner interrupted with a hungry cry. Cordelia bounced him up and down and smiled half-heartedly at Angel. "I left his bottle out in the shop. I'll go feed him." At Angel's grateful nod, she left the room.
Buffy stared after her for a moment. "People can change, Angel. It's true for humans-why can't it be true of demons, too?" She gestured to the door. "Willow keeps telling me how Cordelia has changed. How these visions of hers have turned her into a better person. She even started changing before then. Joining the gang, loving Xander..."
She turned to look at Spike. "Spike's a demon. No soul boy. I understand that. We all do. But that chip...it's like Cordy's visions, in a way." She glanced around the room, looking at all of her friends. "The chip started it-forced it. And I'd like to think that we helped it along. All of us."
Willow stepped forward, looking questioningly to Buffy. At Buffy's nod, she spoke to Angel. "Buffy wasn't here this summer. She didn't see. When she...died, Spike was devastated, Angel. You could see it in his eyes. None of us thought he'd stay. Why stick around without Buffy? We thought that was the only reason he stayed in Sunnydale. 'Cause of Buffy. But she was gone and he stayed. He fought with us, he protected us." She smiled at Dawn. "He was Dawn's friend."
Cordelia came back into the room, a now content Conner snuggled in her arms. Angel gave her a small smile and turned back to Buffy.
"Buffy, I don't deny that Spike is attracted to you. That was clear enough from the beginning," Angel said. "Couldn't that be what this is about? Sex?"
Spike growled dangerously, glaring at Angel. "Watch what you say, wanker."
"As if. Buffy wouldn't touch the bleached wonder with a ten foot stake," Xander said, laughing.
"Xander!" Dawn cried, placing a hand on Spike's chest to keep him from advancing on the human.
Spike stopped and Dawn moved aside. He glared at Angel and thought a moment. "Don't need to prove anythin' to you, poofter," he decided, relaxing back against the wall.
Buffy met Spike's gaze and nodded once. "He's right, Angel. It doesn't matter if you believe it or not. It just is."
"Guys?" Cordelia said.
They all looked at her, still hovering by the door. Anya peered in the room behind her.
"What's up, Cordy?" Xander asked. He smiled at his fiancée over her shoulder.
"There's something about this vision that's been bothering me."
Buffy exchanged a nervous glance with Spike. He shrugged his shoulders and tilted up one corner of his mouth in a "to hell with it" gesture. Willow watched the two of them until Buffy finally met her gaze. She smiled at the slayer, hoping to transmit reassurance.
"What?" Angel asked, going over to take his son.
Cordelia handed Conner to his father and sighed, shaking out her aching arms. "He's getting fat," she commented.
"No, he's not," Angel said defensively. "He's getting strong."
"Whatever." She turned to look at the others, pausing on Buffy. She thought a moment and continued, "The vision. There are some parts that are...different than the others."
"Different?" Xander asked.
"Is this necessary?" Buffy asked, a note of desperation in her voice. "I mean, we just established that Spike won't hurt me. Why beat the dead horse?" She glanced around the room for a clock. "Besides, it's late. I promised Dawn lunch!" She walked over to her sister, grabbed her wrist, and started toward the door.
"Buffy!" Dawn cried, pulling out of her grip. "You're hurting me!"
Buffy stopped and looked apologetically at her sister. "Sorry, Dawnie."
"I don't want lunch, anyway," Dawn said, rubbing her wrist.
Buffy stood there, looking back and forth between Spike and Angel, wishing she'd never woken up this morning.
"Go ahead, Cordelia," Angel said. Furrows appeared on his forehead as his gaze rested on the slayer.
"Yeah," she replied, watching Buffy with raised eyebrows. "Sometimes they-" she gestured toward Buffy and Spike "-sometimes they look different. Like...blissful?"
"Blissful?" Anya asked. "Why-"
Cordelia glanced back at her for a moment. "Almost like...they're having a really good time." She turned to face Buffy once again. She noticed that Buffy was looking at her feet, and her face had turned red. When she saw Spike staring at Buffy, something clicked. "Oh!" And then, wrinkling her nose, "Ew!"
"Ew?" Xander said, narrowing his eyes. "What's ew for?"
Buffy let her hair fall forward to cover her red face, still finding her boot very interesting. Spike looked worried as he watched her. Willow tried to hide a small smile as her suspicions were all but confirmed. Angel appeared completely perplexed, having no idea what was going on. Cordelia seemed at a loss as to what she should say. Anya had a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Oh!" Anya cried. "Blissful! Like during sex with Xander!"
"Oh, God," Buffy whispered to her feet.
"Cordy?" Angel asked, still confused.
Cordy shrugged and shot an apologetic glance in Buffy's direction. "Okay, yeah. Like they were having sex."
------------
TBC