Title: Goodbye Again (New Life- pt 16)
Author: Nimue
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Yes, please
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, Fox... Just Borrowing.
Summary: It's time. Buffy, however, has checked out of reality. Spike has to search for help and does not like where, or with whom, he finds it.
Goodbye Again
Spike stood next to his bed, running his hands nervously through his hair. Get her somewhere quickly. She must have said 'Giles and Willow' for a reason. Maybe her house. Car. Where's the sodding car. No clue. Even if I did, no idea where she left the keys. "Bugger," Spike muttered to himself, scooping her up and starting up the ladder. "Determined to give my new ticker a bloody run for its money on its first day."
Buffy was quiet now, out cold, her head tucked against his chest. Spike
decided that he could carry her there a lot faster than he'd find the car or get someone to come and retrieve them. Whatever he did, he needed to do it before she started howling again. Another sound like that was bound to terrify him right out of ever doing this to her again.
Ever again? Spike wondered if his newfound...modifications... meant that this *wasn't* their only shot at parenthood. That they could end up with a house full of kids. The picture of a legion of little blonde
three-year-olds with superhuman strength and questionable tempers passed
through his scattered mind. The Armies of Darkness would tremble at that sight. Let's see how we do with this one.
Buffy stirred in his arms, shifting uncomfortably and Spike stumbled to keep his balance and forward momentum. He picked up the pace, almost breaking into a jog, following the familiar off road path to Revello Drive. For a moment, he thought she might wake up, but she settled back into his arms, her head falling back against his chest. It never seemed this long a trek before. Then again, he'd never been carrying a very pregnant Buffy, a pumping heart, and an overly anxious mind with him in the past.
Finally, Spike caught sight of the familiar house. He'd almost missed it. It looked different in daylight. He jogged across the street and down the walkway, hopping up her front steps until he reached the door. Hope I haven't been disinvited, he thought as he mustered his strength and kicked the door open with a crash.
"Some help here," Spike called, walking into the entryway. Giles appeared from the dining room at the sound of the door. Xander and Dawn were in the living room playing a hearty game of Go Fish. Now they looked like fawns caught in high beams.
"Spike?" Dawn squeaked, popping up from her chair.
"Nibs," he answered nodding in her direction.
"What's wrong?" Giles asked, standing straight across from Spike, sliding his hands under Buffy to help support her. The Watcher saw a million expressions melting together on Spike's face. Terror, concern, love, sadness, elation. It was dizzying to look at him.
"Long story. Ends in howling. She said something was wrong. Giles and
Willow. Came here," Spike panted. Giles removed one hand from under Buffy and held it to her neck, feeling for her pulse.
"What's wrong with her?" Dawn asked, peering over Spike's arm.
Giles looked Spike in the eyes. "Did she say anything else?"
"The baby. Then she was out. Carried her here," Spike was close to tears again, but bit the inside of his lip and drove them back. No need to frighten the Niblet.
"If *anything* happens to her," Xander hissed.
"Harris," Spike snarled. He had neither the time nor the patience for the whelp right now.
"Spike, let's get her upstairs," Giles said. Spike was bounding up the
steps before Giles finished the thought. "Xander, stay with Dawn please."
The Watcher was off after Spike before the whining could commence.
"Willow?" Giles called as he reached the landing. "This way," he continued to Spike, gesturing towards Buffy's room.
"You think Red's a good choice for this, mate?" Spike asked. Last time he had seen the girl, she was ripping out internal organs and sending him to hell, after all.
"Only choice, I'm afraid," Giles responded. " I would not do this if we had another option." Willow appeared through the doorway to Buffy's room. She stopped dead, staring at Spike. Fear and torment swirled in her eyes. Spike had been ready to be overcome with anger at the sight of the witch, but instead he felt an incredible sadness. Pity.
"Willow, it's time," Giles said. "Are you ready?"
"Y..yes."
"Spike, take Buffy into her room, please."
Spike complied wordlessly, laying Buffy gently down on the bed. She moaned, grabbing his arm, but her eyes stayed shut tight. "It's OK, Love," he whispered, dropping to his knees beside the bed, holding her hand softly. "I'm here."
Willow came into the bedroom carrying a box and setting it down at the foot of the bed. Giles stood in the doorway. "You ready, Tara?" Willow asked.
Spike hadn't seen the good witch sitting in the corner. His mind flashed to the night in the cemetery when she came to him and gave him the warning. They had something in common now. They had both crossed over and came back at someone else's hand. "I'm ready," Tara whispered, standing up slowly.
"Ready for? Shouldn't we take her to hospital?" Spike asked, turning to Giles, feeling steadily more uneasy by the moment.
"Spike, I will explain everything but we need to go now," Giles answered.
"Wait a bloody minute!" Spike stood up, spinning toward the Watcher.
"Bugger off, mate! I'm not leaving her again. I told her I'd stay with
her." Giles could see Spike's eyes start to swim and hear his voice start to crack.
Tara began to walk toward the Vampire. "Spike?" she whispered, laying her hand gently on his forearm. A tear escaped from his eye as he turned to look at her. He brushed it off in frustration with the back of his hand. "Please let Giles explain. We *have* to do this, alright? You know I wouldn't do this if we had a choice." Willow's head dropped, realizing the implications of Tara's statement. "If we don't do it this way, she and the baby could die. I know that would kill you too, Spike. I know you love them. So please, trust me, OK?"
"Die?" Spike asked, his beautiful eyes shimmering and watery. He turned back to Buffy, looking at her, touching her hand, feeling her soft skin.
"We won't let that happen. But you have to behave. You have to trust me and go. I will come and get you when it's safe. Giles can explain
everything."
"I... I can't just leave her," Spike whispered, never taking his eyes off Buffy's face. He was brushing her hair from her cheeks.
"Sometimes you have to let go for a while."
The words stung his ears.
"I *promised* her."
"I know," Tara answered, resting her hand on his shoulder.
"She'll be afraid when she wakes up."
"We'll be here. We'll tell her you're nearby."
"Don't let her die," Spike pleaded, finally breaking down. "Please." He leaned down and kissed Buffy's lips softly. She tasted like vanilla and tears.
"I won't. *We* won't. But you have to go," Tara whispered, putting her arm around Spike and pulling him slowly away from the bed. Giles stepped up behind them and gingerly took the Vampire's arm and pulled him slowly into the hallway.
The last thing Spike saw was Tara's face disappearing behind the door, and the sound of a 'click'.
To be contd.
Author: Nimue
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Yes, please
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, Fox... Just Borrowing.
Summary: It's time. Buffy, however, has checked out of reality. Spike has to search for help and does not like where, or with whom, he finds it.
Goodbye Again
Spike stood next to his bed, running his hands nervously through his hair. Get her somewhere quickly. She must have said 'Giles and Willow' for a reason. Maybe her house. Car. Where's the sodding car. No clue. Even if I did, no idea where she left the keys. "Bugger," Spike muttered to himself, scooping her up and starting up the ladder. "Determined to give my new ticker a bloody run for its money on its first day."
Buffy was quiet now, out cold, her head tucked against his chest. Spike
decided that he could carry her there a lot faster than he'd find the car or get someone to come and retrieve them. Whatever he did, he needed to do it before she started howling again. Another sound like that was bound to terrify him right out of ever doing this to her again.
Ever again? Spike wondered if his newfound...modifications... meant that this *wasn't* their only shot at parenthood. That they could end up with a house full of kids. The picture of a legion of little blonde
three-year-olds with superhuman strength and questionable tempers passed
through his scattered mind. The Armies of Darkness would tremble at that sight. Let's see how we do with this one.
Buffy stirred in his arms, shifting uncomfortably and Spike stumbled to keep his balance and forward momentum. He picked up the pace, almost breaking into a jog, following the familiar off road path to Revello Drive. For a moment, he thought she might wake up, but she settled back into his arms, her head falling back against his chest. It never seemed this long a trek before. Then again, he'd never been carrying a very pregnant Buffy, a pumping heart, and an overly anxious mind with him in the past.
Finally, Spike caught sight of the familiar house. He'd almost missed it. It looked different in daylight. He jogged across the street and down the walkway, hopping up her front steps until he reached the door. Hope I haven't been disinvited, he thought as he mustered his strength and kicked the door open with a crash.
"Some help here," Spike called, walking into the entryway. Giles appeared from the dining room at the sound of the door. Xander and Dawn were in the living room playing a hearty game of Go Fish. Now they looked like fawns caught in high beams.
"Spike?" Dawn squeaked, popping up from her chair.
"Nibs," he answered nodding in her direction.
"What's wrong?" Giles asked, standing straight across from Spike, sliding his hands under Buffy to help support her. The Watcher saw a million expressions melting together on Spike's face. Terror, concern, love, sadness, elation. It was dizzying to look at him.
"Long story. Ends in howling. She said something was wrong. Giles and
Willow. Came here," Spike panted. Giles removed one hand from under Buffy and held it to her neck, feeling for her pulse.
"What's wrong with her?" Dawn asked, peering over Spike's arm.
Giles looked Spike in the eyes. "Did she say anything else?"
"The baby. Then she was out. Carried her here," Spike was close to tears again, but bit the inside of his lip and drove them back. No need to frighten the Niblet.
"If *anything* happens to her," Xander hissed.
"Harris," Spike snarled. He had neither the time nor the patience for the whelp right now.
"Spike, let's get her upstairs," Giles said. Spike was bounding up the
steps before Giles finished the thought. "Xander, stay with Dawn please."
The Watcher was off after Spike before the whining could commence.
"Willow?" Giles called as he reached the landing. "This way," he continued to Spike, gesturing towards Buffy's room.
"You think Red's a good choice for this, mate?" Spike asked. Last time he had seen the girl, she was ripping out internal organs and sending him to hell, after all.
"Only choice, I'm afraid," Giles responded. " I would not do this if we had another option." Willow appeared through the doorway to Buffy's room. She stopped dead, staring at Spike. Fear and torment swirled in her eyes. Spike had been ready to be overcome with anger at the sight of the witch, but instead he felt an incredible sadness. Pity.
"Willow, it's time," Giles said. "Are you ready?"
"Y..yes."
"Spike, take Buffy into her room, please."
Spike complied wordlessly, laying Buffy gently down on the bed. She moaned, grabbing his arm, but her eyes stayed shut tight. "It's OK, Love," he whispered, dropping to his knees beside the bed, holding her hand softly. "I'm here."
Willow came into the bedroom carrying a box and setting it down at the foot of the bed. Giles stood in the doorway. "You ready, Tara?" Willow asked.
Spike hadn't seen the good witch sitting in the corner. His mind flashed to the night in the cemetery when she came to him and gave him the warning. They had something in common now. They had both crossed over and came back at someone else's hand. "I'm ready," Tara whispered, standing up slowly.
"Ready for? Shouldn't we take her to hospital?" Spike asked, turning to Giles, feeling steadily more uneasy by the moment.
"Spike, I will explain everything but we need to go now," Giles answered.
"Wait a bloody minute!" Spike stood up, spinning toward the Watcher.
"Bugger off, mate! I'm not leaving her again. I told her I'd stay with
her." Giles could see Spike's eyes start to swim and hear his voice start to crack.
Tara began to walk toward the Vampire. "Spike?" she whispered, laying her hand gently on his forearm. A tear escaped from his eye as he turned to look at her. He brushed it off in frustration with the back of his hand. "Please let Giles explain. We *have* to do this, alright? You know I wouldn't do this if we had a choice." Willow's head dropped, realizing the implications of Tara's statement. "If we don't do it this way, she and the baby could die. I know that would kill you too, Spike. I know you love them. So please, trust me, OK?"
"Die?" Spike asked, his beautiful eyes shimmering and watery. He turned back to Buffy, looking at her, touching her hand, feeling her soft skin.
"We won't let that happen. But you have to behave. You have to trust me and go. I will come and get you when it's safe. Giles can explain
everything."
"I... I can't just leave her," Spike whispered, never taking his eyes off Buffy's face. He was brushing her hair from her cheeks.
"Sometimes you have to let go for a while."
The words stung his ears.
"I *promised* her."
"I know," Tara answered, resting her hand on his shoulder.
"She'll be afraid when she wakes up."
"We'll be here. We'll tell her you're nearby."
"Don't let her die," Spike pleaded, finally breaking down. "Please." He leaned down and kissed Buffy's lips softly. She tasted like vanilla and tears.
"I won't. *We* won't. But you have to go," Tara whispered, putting her arm around Spike and pulling him slowly away from the bed. Giles stepped up behind them and gingerly took the Vampire's arm and pulled him slowly into the hallway.
The last thing Spike saw was Tara's face disappearing behind the door, and the sound of a 'click'.
To be contd.