Homecoming pt. 15
Moonlight rippled across the water in the hotel pool. The night air was warm. There were only four occupants for the late night swim.
Giles and Anya swam in tandem, long strokes propelling them lap by lap. Buffy floated on her back in the shallow end, Spike supporting her from behind, his arms encircling her upper body. "Kick, baby," he entreated. "Use those beautiful legs."
"This feels so good," she sighed. "You feel so good."
"Yeah, well, thanks," he replied. "But you're here for the exercise. So kick." His urging was rewarded with the fluttering of her legs, not strong but a valiant attempt. He pulled her backwards and she smiled, feeling the movement of the water along her body. She looked so tiny in the one piece suit, air pockets forming in the now too generous fabric. "Good girl. Can you kick a little harder?"
"I'm getting tired. Can't I just float now?" She felt him release her body, and she bent her head back, just enough to stay on the surface by herself. "The stars are pretty."
He looked up at the night sky. "Almost as pretty as my girl." He looked down at her too thin face. At least she was strong enough to leave her room. He was alarmed to see bare patches of scalp through her wet hair, unnoticed when it was dry. If only he could convince her to see a doctor, but she had been adamant. Too expensive. He doubted that was her only concern.
"You're almost done, aren't you?" she asked. "Soon?"
"Xander's been working like a man possessed. Once he gets onto a project, he's like a dog with a bone, I reckon. Shouldn't be more than a few days. You'll love it. He's doin' a great job."
"Wow," she smiled. "Spike saying nice things about Xander. Next thing you know, Xander will be saying nice things about Spike. Shouldn't you be helping him more, though? You're with me so much of the time." Forgetting to concentrate on staying afloat, she started to dip beneath the surface. Spike caught her in his arms and turned her around to face him. She put her arms around his neck and stood in the water. "This feels nice too."
"Yes, it does." He kissed her gently then continued the story of the crypt. "He says I get in the way. He'd rather work with Clem. I just drop by when he's working, now and again, to make sure he doesn't do something sneaky, like put in a skylight."
Anya swam over and interrupted them. "Why don't you go have a good swim, Spike?" she asked. "Buffy and I can stay here and paddle around a bit. Besides, we can't talk about you while you're listening. Rupie says it isn't polite."
Spike laughed and swam off towards the deep end, where he and Giles began to race across the pool. The vampire soon gained on the ex-watcher. After a few laps, Giles jumped up on the concrete edge of the deep end and Spike joined him. "How is she, really?" Spike asked. "Shouldn't she be getting better quicker, Slayer strength and all? I still think she should see a doctor."
"I quite agree," Giles replied. "She's been eating a bit more, but a few boiled eggs and half a chicken sandwich aren't enough. I'm concerned, too, about Hank."
"What about her father?" Spike asked.
"He died of a heart attack. I had no idea there was a family history. I could arrange for medical attention for her, through the Council, free of charge, but she refuses."
Spike looked towards the shallow end, watching Anya support Buffy as the walked slowly through the water. "Why the hell is she being so stubborn?"
"You." Giles replied. "She's afraid the Council will find out about you. They'd never tolerate it. They'd have you eliminated."
"I can look after myself. I'm certainly not afraid of some Nancy boy watchers, no offense." He saw Buffy stumble, but Anya helped her up. "Nothing's more important than her health."
"And how would that fare if something happened to you?" Giles stood up and walked towards the diving board. "That would kill her."
"The crypt will be ready in a few days," Spike said, following Giles. "The change of scene will do her good. It has to."
Anya called across the water. "Spike, come here."
He dove into the water and quickly was by Buffy's side. "I'm so cold," his Slayer shivered. "Isn't the water cold?" Her teeth chattered.
Spike helped her up the stairs at the corner of the pool. He took a fluffy towel and started rubbing her down, warming her with the friction. "That's enough for tonight, then. I'm taking you inside." Wrapping her in another towel, he picked her up in his arms, carrying her like a child. "Good work, pet. You come out here again tomorrow, with Giles and Anya, when it's warmer." The change of scene would do her good. It had to.
Moonlight rippled across the water in the hotel pool. The night air was warm. There were only four occupants for the late night swim.
Giles and Anya swam in tandem, long strokes propelling them lap by lap. Buffy floated on her back in the shallow end, Spike supporting her from behind, his arms encircling her upper body. "Kick, baby," he entreated. "Use those beautiful legs."
"This feels so good," she sighed. "You feel so good."
"Yeah, well, thanks," he replied. "But you're here for the exercise. So kick." His urging was rewarded with the fluttering of her legs, not strong but a valiant attempt. He pulled her backwards and she smiled, feeling the movement of the water along her body. She looked so tiny in the one piece suit, air pockets forming in the now too generous fabric. "Good girl. Can you kick a little harder?"
"I'm getting tired. Can't I just float now?" She felt him release her body, and she bent her head back, just enough to stay on the surface by herself. "The stars are pretty."
He looked up at the night sky. "Almost as pretty as my girl." He looked down at her too thin face. At least she was strong enough to leave her room. He was alarmed to see bare patches of scalp through her wet hair, unnoticed when it was dry. If only he could convince her to see a doctor, but she had been adamant. Too expensive. He doubted that was her only concern.
"You're almost done, aren't you?" she asked. "Soon?"
"Xander's been working like a man possessed. Once he gets onto a project, he's like a dog with a bone, I reckon. Shouldn't be more than a few days. You'll love it. He's doin' a great job."
"Wow," she smiled. "Spike saying nice things about Xander. Next thing you know, Xander will be saying nice things about Spike. Shouldn't you be helping him more, though? You're with me so much of the time." Forgetting to concentrate on staying afloat, she started to dip beneath the surface. Spike caught her in his arms and turned her around to face him. She put her arms around his neck and stood in the water. "This feels nice too."
"Yes, it does." He kissed her gently then continued the story of the crypt. "He says I get in the way. He'd rather work with Clem. I just drop by when he's working, now and again, to make sure he doesn't do something sneaky, like put in a skylight."
Anya swam over and interrupted them. "Why don't you go have a good swim, Spike?" she asked. "Buffy and I can stay here and paddle around a bit. Besides, we can't talk about you while you're listening. Rupie says it isn't polite."
Spike laughed and swam off towards the deep end, where he and Giles began to race across the pool. The vampire soon gained on the ex-watcher. After a few laps, Giles jumped up on the concrete edge of the deep end and Spike joined him. "How is she, really?" Spike asked. "Shouldn't she be getting better quicker, Slayer strength and all? I still think she should see a doctor."
"I quite agree," Giles replied. "She's been eating a bit more, but a few boiled eggs and half a chicken sandwich aren't enough. I'm concerned, too, about Hank."
"What about her father?" Spike asked.
"He died of a heart attack. I had no idea there was a family history. I could arrange for medical attention for her, through the Council, free of charge, but she refuses."
Spike looked towards the shallow end, watching Anya support Buffy as the walked slowly through the water. "Why the hell is she being so stubborn?"
"You." Giles replied. "She's afraid the Council will find out about you. They'd never tolerate it. They'd have you eliminated."
"I can look after myself. I'm certainly not afraid of some Nancy boy watchers, no offense." He saw Buffy stumble, but Anya helped her up. "Nothing's more important than her health."
"And how would that fare if something happened to you?" Giles stood up and walked towards the diving board. "That would kill her."
"The crypt will be ready in a few days," Spike said, following Giles. "The change of scene will do her good. It has to."
Anya called across the water. "Spike, come here."
He dove into the water and quickly was by Buffy's side. "I'm so cold," his Slayer shivered. "Isn't the water cold?" Her teeth chattered.
Spike helped her up the stairs at the corner of the pool. He took a fluffy towel and started rubbing her down, warming her with the friction. "That's enough for tonight, then. I'm taking you inside." Wrapping her in another towel, he picked her up in his arms, carrying her like a child. "Good work, pet. You come out here again tomorrow, with Giles and Anya, when it's warmer." The change of scene would do her good. It had to.