Title: Troubles
Name: Joy
Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com
A/N: Picks up after Reality. BUT… this isn't a continuation of the story. The Buffy / Spike/ Dawn triangle is done. This is very much a Buffy/Spike piece….ANGST and Romance.
"I'm going to kill him!" Buffy shouted as she was about to storm down to the stairs to the basement.
"Buffy!" Dawn yelled blocking the door. "Don't! Please… He's already a basket case. Let him be until he calms down."
"You're not in this!"
"Like hell, I'm not!" the younger Summers she snapped. "You two have been at each other's throats for the last week. I'm sorry you're tired of waiting for him but get over it."
"He had no right to bust up my dinner!" Buffy fumed.
"Are you high? You've been telling Spike how much you love him and that you'll wait for him but then you go on a date!"
"It wasn't a date!" the slayer snapped.
"Guy eating partner, picked you up at the house, you went alone, and he paid… that sounds like a date to me!" Dawn said sarcastically. "Don't bitch at him cause you blew it… AGAIN! I don't even know why I trusted you with him… Now you aren't going anywhere near him."
Buffy stood shocked. She breathed out, "It wasn't at date… And even if it was he had no right to follow me and interrupt my dinner to find out what was going on."
"Did he make a scene?" Dawn asked flatly. "Did your date have any idea that it was anything other then a friend needing to know something?" Buffy looked at the floor. "That's what I thought…" the teenager said through gritted teeth. "Get away from the door and don't attempt to talk to him for a while… Just stay away."
"Dawn," Buffy said softly.
"Until you can give me an explanation for tonight…don't talk to me either." Dawn went down the stairs and locked the door.
Buffy leaned against the door and slid down it. "I was trying to get him a job he would like," she said softly.
Dawn found Spike pacing his bedroom with his cellular phone in his hand. "I'm sorry Charlie… Yeah… Thanks for the extension."
"What was that?" Dawn asked.
"Extension for my article for the paper… A little to homicidal to do anything," he said unsteadily. "Where are those anti-anxiety meds?"
Dawn had gotten Spike to see a shrink… The shrink was actually for the demon community. The doctor got vamped and the demon that set up shop in his skin was pretty mild demon so he just sort of switch cliental.
It was quite ironic… He had a client that thought she was a vampire. When he wouldn't believe her, she turned him. Needless to say they had a better working relationship after that.
Spike's attempt to live like a human in the doctor's opinion wasn't a wise one for his sanity. But since it was what Spike wanted, the doc had prescribed some medication to help Spike deal.
"Call Sam," Dawn instructed.
"Past business hours and he'll just tell me to move out again."
"Spike." They sat in silence for a moment before Spike called his doctor.
Dawn stormed upstairs to find Buffy crying on the kitchen floor. "He's taking his meds and calling Dr. Stadder. I hope you're happy," Dawn snapped.
"I was trying to get him a better writing job," Buffy sniffled. "He was so unhappy at the paper…I got a bunch of his stories together and met with an editor of a magazine. He could only meet at night… that's why I was being sneaky. I wanted it to be a surprise. I guess I should just face the fact in this family surprises are about as welcome as an apocalypse."
Dawn sighed and dragged her sister to her feet. "Where are we going?" the slayer groaned.
"To fix this before once again Sam tells Spike to leave us," the teen stated.
Spike had his phone yanked, Buffy thrust in his room and a pissed teen looking at him. "Alright children. Playtime is over… I don't know what was going on with you this week but I know what happened tonight so I will tell you to clear the air."
Spike and Buffy sat down on the bed. "Buffy had a meeting with a magazine editor to try to get you a better job, Spike. Spike was all set to tell you that he had been offered a job at a magazine and that is why he was so hurt when you cancelled your plans…. Now fix it. Talk. Kiss. Whatever. But fix it." Dawn left her pseudo parents to work out their differences.
There was a long period of silence. "I'm sorry… I should have told you about tonight," Buffy said quietly. "I just wanted it to be a surprise."
"I should have been more trusting," Spike whispered.
There was more silence. "You got the job…that's great. We…We could still go out to celebrate," the slayer said biting her lip.
"Thanks pet but no… I…"
"Tell me what's going on please… for the last week things have been weird and I don't know why," she stated bringing her hand to his to hold it.
Spike stood up and went to the window. "Let's forget about tonight and got out tomorrow… I just feel like being alone."
"You're closing yourself off again… Is Sam getting to you?"
The vampire sighed, "No… While we were talking tonight we reached an understanding. He won't be telling me to leave anymore."
"Then what is it?" Buffy asked. "You and Dawn are fine. Work is better. The sibling formation project of you and Tara seems to be a rousing success. I'm the only one you're pulling away from… I can't even touch you even a little anymore without you acting like I have leprosy."
Spike continued to stare out at the night sky. "It's hard ya know… to be close sometimes. Right now is one of those times… I promise it will get better."
"How can you be so sure? How do you know that when its over you just won't want to be near me at all?" Buffy asked in a whisper. The vampire turned around and she noticed for the first time how tired he looked. "Spike, are you sick?" she asked rising to her feet.
He let her touch his face with concern. "I love you," he whispered.
She got scared, "I love you too…now tell me what's wrong!"
"It hurts." His voice was a whisper.
"What hurts?"
"Us."
Buffy pulled back like she had been struck. Her brow furrowed together. "What did I do Spike? We were doing so well… We were dating…slowly… I thought we were happy."
Spike wrinkled his brow, "You haven't done anything luv." He kissed her forehead and pulled her to himself.
"Then why am I at arms length?"
Dawn came down the stairs suddenly. "Spike… Buffy, can I talk to him alone?"
"Sure," the slayer said confusedly.
When Buffy was up the stairs Dawn looked at Spike and he broke down. She hugged him. "I didn't realize…if I had…" Spike just held her tighter. "Talk to her Spike. She'll understand."
"I just need to get through this."
"Let her help."
Spike shook his head. "She's faced so much…why remind her."
"Because you're losing it, holding all this stuff inside… The demon gets stronger when you do that," Dawn stated.
They faced off for a minute, Spike's tension rising. "Ask her to spend tomorrow with you… 6 pm to 6 pm," Dawn insisted.
Spike ground his teeth. "I need to kill something!" he announced and without another word left the house.
"Where the hell is he going?" Buffy asked.
"To kill something… Go after him… And if he asks to spend time with you in the next two days, don't say no," Dawn stated simply.
Spike had killed two fledging vampires by the time Buffy arrived at the cemetery. It was raw power and hatred he was using. There was no duty in the fight. All Spike was out for was a large 'spot of violence'. Buffy just watched. These were the nights the demon had to be appeased. Spike was a vampire tonight… a killer. She had those nights too.
After two more dustings and major hand to hand combat, Spike was panting and somewhat exhausted. He turned and saw her standing. Spike wanted to hide. He didn't look at her when he said; "I'm going to stay at my crypt tonight."
"No… You're coming home where you belong, even if you have to be totally drunk to be there. You will not be staying in the crypt," Buffy announced.
He ground his teeth working his jaw several times glaring at her.
"Dawn suggested we spend some time together in the next few days… I'd be up for it… name the time and I'm there," Buffy said clearly.
"I… Fine…" he growled. "You stay with me from six pm tomorrow night until six pm the next."
Buffy looked at him weirdly. "Sure… Come on… Lets go home."
Spike grabbed her by the shoulders, "I mean it. Every minute of that period with me… No shower alone, no sleeping alone. Just with me."
Now Buffy was concerned. "Are you dying or something?"
His tension melted away because he had to laugh at the thought. "No pet… No I'm not." He sighed and closed his eyes. "Just promise me."
"You've got me," she stated.
"Okay… Home we go."
"I'm going to understand what this is all about tomorrow right?" Buffy snipped.
"Yes sweetness you will."
"Okay then."
TBC…