Title: Is Anyone in Control Here??
Summary: Uh oh… Confrontation time… All hell just might break loose…..
Spoilers: Post "As You Were"; "Hell's Bells" and "Normal Again" didn't happen and won't.
Pairing: Who do you think?
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: You know the deal. Even though I wish I owned Spike, I own nothing. All belongs to Joss. I just play.
A few minutes earlier
Well, here I am, Buffy thought. Here goes nothing. She knocked on the door.
"Be right there," Cecelia called out. She wasn't expecting anyone tonight, so she was wondering who it could be. She opened the door to see a young woman on the other side. She smiled. "You must be Buffy. William has said much about you."
Why does that worry me, Buffy thought. "Yeah…. Um… Is he around? I need to talk to him."
"He stepped out to pick up a few things, but he should be back any minute. Come in."
*****
"Luv, I'm back," she heard Spike call.
"We're in the living room," Cecelia replied.
"Tonight I'm going to teach you how to do a Blowjob right and proper," Buffy heard him say. She stiffened and tried to control the urge to tell the girl sitting in front of her that she didn't need instructions.
"Got all the right ingredients," he continued to say. Ingredients? What the hell is going on here? 9 and ½ Weeks?
Cecelia looked at Buffy from the corner of her eye. She swore she just heard the small blonde girl growl….. She's jealous? Why is she….. Her eyes widened as realization hit her. Oh my. She thinks William and me… She bit the inside of her lip to keep a giggle from escaping.
"And I bought a bottle of wine for dinner. Manischewiz. It's sweet, so I thought you'd like it. They had it in white and red, but I picked the red, of course. Almost blood like." He paused for a second. "Wait… did you say 'we'? Please tell me you didn't pick up another stray cat. You know how those things hate me."
Cecelia finally had to laugh. "No it's not a stray cat."
"Good! My unlife is safe and sound," he said with a grin, entering the living room.
His smile faded as he saw Buffy. The bottle slipped out of his hand and crashed to the floor.
"William, we have company," Cecelia said, a smile still on her face.
Spike rubbed his temples with his fingertips. Why won't she let me get on without her? Why is she insisting on making my life miserable? "What do you want," he said rudely.
"We need to talk."
"I don't have anything to say to you."
"Fine. I'll talk, you listen."
He silently crossed him arms. Buffy took a deep breath. "I know you're not going to believe me at first…." She trailed off as she watched him turn around and walk back to the dining room. Continuing her speech, she followed him. "But this is very hard for me to say. I've come to realize a few things over the past few weeks. It's taking a lot for me to admit that I might have been wrong about several things and people…." Buffy paused again as Spike grabbed the bottle of Southern Comfort and walked back into the living room. She was starting to get annoyed. "And with the help of my friends and family," she said following him again, "I've come to learn some things about myself… God, Spike," she exclaimed as he plopped down on the couch looking bored. "Will you please listen to me when I'm talking to you?!"
"Why should I," he said coldly, "when you never listened to me? Not once did you ever want to hear me out."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, most recently, there was this little incident dealing with some Suvolte demon eggs. Instead of letting me explain, you and Cardboard proceed to beat on me and blow up my home. That jog your memory?"
"I'm listening now," she said quietly.
"It's a little fucking late for that." He turned on the TV. "We're done here. You can leave now."
Wait a minute. He was dismissing her?? Big mistake. She wasn't annoyed anymore. Now she was downright angry.
"We are not even close to being done," Buffy said striding over to the TV and shutting it off. "While were getting on each other's faults, what happened to 'I'll never leave you' huh?"
"I changed my mind," he said frostily.
"Oh yeah? What about Dawn? What about protecting her till the end of the world?"
"Why does she need me when she's got the biggest bitch in the world for an older sister?"
Ignoring that comment, she took a deep breath to try and calm herself. "Spike, I didn't come here to fight."
He snorted. "That's a first."
"Why do you have to be such an insensitive prick all the damn time?"
"This is why I left in the first place. Prick. Demon. Soulless monster. To get away from you and your insults. Why are you even here," Spike said, getting up. "No more good vamps to screw in Sunnydale?"
That was the final straw. Buffy had enough. She drew back her arm to slap him, but a small, strong hand around her wrist stopped her.
They both turned to look at Cecelia. They had completely forgotten about her in their ranting and ravings. And she was pissed.
"Let go of me," she said through her teeth.
Ignoring her, Cecelia turned to Spike. "William, you deserved that slap. You are being uncooperative and rude. And you," she said turning to Buffy, "I will have no violence here."
"Cecelia, this has nothing to do with you," he said.
"Excuse you? EXCUSE YOU," she said, voice raised. "This is my apartment. I am letting you stay here. I have been your shoulder to cry on. I've been nothing but supportive to you and this is how you repay me? By starting a brawl in my house and saying it has nothing to do with me?" She was livid. At least Buffy had the courtesy to look ashamed. "Now, William," she said lowering her voice, "Go to your room. I'll be there in a few minutes to speak to you."
"Cecelia, I am not a child—"
"Now."
He turned and left. Buffy couldn't believe that this woman, who wasn't much bigger than herself, just sent William the Bloody to his room. If she wasn't so angry, she'd laugh.
"Okay," she said, releasing her death grip on Buffy's wrist, "You. Sit." She sat immediately. For some reason, she didn't think it was wise to mess with Cecelia.
"First thing's first. I've heard quite a few stories about you and my William. If you ever raise your hands at him in anger again, I will kill you myself. Is that understood?"
Buffy just stared at her with a look of disbelief on her face.
"I take that as a yes?" She nodded.
"Good. Now, my dear. Let's chat."
End Part 10
TBC
* Ugh. The first version I wrote of this chapter didn't sit right with me, so I did a rewrite. Hope its okay! *