When Buffy and Riley were out of sight, the three vampires let their faces shift back to normal. Drusilla turned to face Tabitha, and suddenly a wide smile appeared on her pale face. "Wildflower!" she smiled at Tabitha, and hummed to herself happily. Spike stared, but Drusilla didn't notice. "Where have you been, little one?" she scolded softly, "mummy's been very worried for you! Bad manners to run away." She turned to Spike and ran her fingertips over his chest. "You left her, but my little Wildflower returned to us," she told him, as she placed her palm flat on his chest, "to you," she corrected. Suddenly she yanked her hand back as if she had been burnt. "Because of me!" Her hands shook and she began to whimper.
"Dru-" Spike reached out instinctively to comfort her, but she backed away.
When she began to speak again her voice shook and her eyes were wide and pleading. "Our family… I wished you to come back, so it could be as it was!" Spike stared silently at the two women before him. Drusilla watched him, her lip quivering like a little girl. Tabitha hadn't moved from her spot, but she stared hard at Spike's face, trying to read something through all the confusion in his eyes.
Drusilla approached Tabitha and held the girl's face in her hands. Spike tensed up, not sure of what Dru was up to, until she leaned back and looked over her shoulder at him. "She needs you," she informed him. She pulled a confused Tabitha to her and stroked the girl's hair, staring off into space. "Daddy's all she's allowed, anymore," she said to no one in particular.
Suddenly she grabbed Tabitha by the neck and threw her at Spike. "You have her, Spike!" she shouted as he caught Tabitha and helped her to her feet. "If she wants someone who calls himself a demon, but can't even hurt a child!" The sting of that last insult was obvious in Spike's eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Xander paced nervously through the room. Giles sat on a stool, fiddling with his glasses, and Willow sat cross-legged on the couch, wringing her hands nervously and biting her lip. The door banged open again, and Willow and Giles stood up. Buffy dragged Riley in and they all helped her sit him up on the couch.
"Good Lord, Buffy," Giles looked at her, "what happened out there?"
She looked annoyed for a moment. "Surprise attack." She looked back at Riley, concerned, as they all stared at her, shocked.
Willow looked up from where he was gently examining the back of Riley's head. "He might have a concussion," she sounded worried and a bit surprised. "What did he get hit with?"
Buffy sighed and sat down on the floor in front of the couch. "A really crappy plan."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spike and Tabitha both stood where Drusilla had left them when she stalked angrily off. After a long moment, Tabitha scrunched her eyebrows together and turned to Spike. "You knew!" she accused him.
He turned to her, confused. "Pardon?"
"Remember the other day, when I was…" Spike raised his eyebrows at her. She went on, "…I dreamed about …the day I died. I saw everything that happened. I remember now. I remember you." She paused. "I remember her, too," Tabitha gazed in the direction Drusilla had gone, "however she said it!" she chuckled, then her face grew serious again. "She remembers me." Spike still didn't say anything. "You're my sire." Tabitha hesitated, still not used to that concept. "Why didn't you just tell me?"
It was a moment before he spoke. "I didn't know." Tabitha glared at him, disbelieving.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
People wandered about the grass, some talking, some just standing around. The sun had just set over the large field, but the music still played in the background. It was New York, 1969 -Woodstock.
Drusilla looked around in awe at everyone milling around. She began to sway a little with the music, her eyes sparkling with the lights from the stage, her bright yellow dress twirling slightly. Spike stepped up behind her and put his arms around her waist. She sighed happily. "Spike, look at this whole meadow! All full of wildflowers… will you pick me some, Spike? Hmm?"
He gazed at her a moment, then grinned. "Whatever ones you want."
Drusilla clapped her hands happily. "We'll gather a whole bouquet!" She glanced over the crowd, her mouth slightly open. Then she spotted a girl in a green dress dancing alone by a cluster of tents. "Oooh, Spike, there," Drusilla focused in on the girl.
Spike followed her gaze, curious.
As they neared the girl, Drusilla got excited. "She's quite a pretty little wildflower," she rambled on.
Spike's stomach rumbled, and he almost wished Dru had picked somebody bigger for their first meal of the night. He watched as the girl danced slowly to the music, turning slowly until she faced them. Her eyes looked a little glazed, and it took her a moment to notice Spike standing there. Drusilla squeezed her fingers into Spike's shoulder eagerly, and he reached out and shoved the girl hard. She fell on her back. He felt his face vamp out, and waited for her to look up at him. When she raised her eyes, he did not see fright, or apprehension- she smiled at him, and giggled. Intrigued, he kneeled on the ground in front of her and touched her face. Her eyes closed, he could feel her pulse quicken, but not from fear. He bent his head to her neck, and drank slowly. She flinched at first, but did not resist. Instead of draining her, he let her fall back on the grass.
Drusilla stepped up behind him. "Oh, can I keep her?" He looked at the girl thoughtfully. "Please?" Dru insisted.
He brought his wrist to his sharp teeth and bit just hard enough to draw blood. He leaned over the girl and brought his wrist to her lips. She clutched on to his arm as she drank, and he closed his eyes. He could hear the girl's pulse beginning to slow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun was beginning to rise far on the other side of the field. Drusilla had pulled the unconscious girl into one of the nearby tents early in the evening. She sat on the ground; the girl lay next to her on the grass. Spike had passed out just outside the tent. Drusilla stroked the girl's head. She had taken time to braid a few more flowers into the girl's hair during the night.
The flap of the tent pulled back and Drusilla looked up to see a man with short, frizzy hair and blurry eyes look in at them. She smiled at him, then reached down and stroked the girl's forehead. "She's looking, climbing," Dru informed the man, as the girl began to stir. She raised her head again, and looked at the man with her yellow eyes, "she's coming to play with us." His eyes grew wide and he hurriedly turned away, as Drusilla leapt up after him.
After Dru caught the man and drained him, she stood up to find Spike. He was sitting up, holding his head. The first thing he noticed was the sunbeams coming across the field. He stood up and grabbed Drusilla's arm. "Sorry baby, we gotta go."
She tried to pull away, but he was stronger, and he dragged her away from where the sun was peeking over the side of the hill. They soon found themselves in a large muddy parking lot. Spike hurried down a row, pulling on the door handles. Finally, he yanked open the door of a shiny black Desoto at the very end of the line. He pushed Drusilla into the passenger seat, then got in and slammed the door.
As they drove away, she slapped him hard. "You left my Wildflower!" she accused. He stared at her, but she turned her face away, and pouted for the rest of the drive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy walked down the sidewalk outside a cemetery, lost in thought. She rounded a corner and bumped into a tall man. "Oh, sorry," she began, then froze. It was Angel. She blinked a few times, and swallowed hard. "Wh- what are you doing here?" she whispered.
He didn't answer, just gazed at her softly. She took a step toward him, cautiously. Their eyes locked. He slowly reached out and touched her face. "Buffy."
They drew nearer to each other, their eyes closed, and finally, their lips met in a long, soft kiss. He stroked the side of her face, and they seemed to melt into each other. She ended the kiss first, but they kept their eyes closed, their faces close together. She opened her mouth. "I love you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy's eyes flew open and she gasped for air. She glanced around, realizing where she was, and sat up. Riley lay on his back in the bed, still sleeping, with the covers tucked up around him. His head was wrapped in white gauze. She tilted her head to the side, and stared at him. Finally she lay back down again on top of the sheets, facing toward Riley. She lowered her eyes and fiddled with the edge of the pillow, as a thousand emotions passed through her eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-THE END-
"Dru-" Spike reached out instinctively to comfort her, but she backed away.
When she began to speak again her voice shook and her eyes were wide and pleading. "Our family… I wished you to come back, so it could be as it was!" Spike stared silently at the two women before him. Drusilla watched him, her lip quivering like a little girl. Tabitha hadn't moved from her spot, but she stared hard at Spike's face, trying to read something through all the confusion in his eyes.
Drusilla approached Tabitha and held the girl's face in her hands. Spike tensed up, not sure of what Dru was up to, until she leaned back and looked over her shoulder at him. "She needs you," she informed him. She pulled a confused Tabitha to her and stroked the girl's hair, staring off into space. "Daddy's all she's allowed, anymore," she said to no one in particular.
Suddenly she grabbed Tabitha by the neck and threw her at Spike. "You have her, Spike!" she shouted as he caught Tabitha and helped her to her feet. "If she wants someone who calls himself a demon, but can't even hurt a child!" The sting of that last insult was obvious in Spike's eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Xander paced nervously through the room. Giles sat on a stool, fiddling with his glasses, and Willow sat cross-legged on the couch, wringing her hands nervously and biting her lip. The door banged open again, and Willow and Giles stood up. Buffy dragged Riley in and they all helped her sit him up on the couch.
"Good Lord, Buffy," Giles looked at her, "what happened out there?"
She looked annoyed for a moment. "Surprise attack." She looked back at Riley, concerned, as they all stared at her, shocked.
Willow looked up from where he was gently examining the back of Riley's head. "He might have a concussion," she sounded worried and a bit surprised. "What did he get hit with?"
Buffy sighed and sat down on the floor in front of the couch. "A really crappy plan."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spike and Tabitha both stood where Drusilla had left them when she stalked angrily off. After a long moment, Tabitha scrunched her eyebrows together and turned to Spike. "You knew!" she accused him.
He turned to her, confused. "Pardon?"
"Remember the other day, when I was…" Spike raised his eyebrows at her. She went on, "…I dreamed about …the day I died. I saw everything that happened. I remember now. I remember you." She paused. "I remember her, too," Tabitha gazed in the direction Drusilla had gone, "however she said it!" she chuckled, then her face grew serious again. "She remembers me." Spike still didn't say anything. "You're my sire." Tabitha hesitated, still not used to that concept. "Why didn't you just tell me?"
It was a moment before he spoke. "I didn't know." Tabitha glared at him, disbelieving.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
People wandered about the grass, some talking, some just standing around. The sun had just set over the large field, but the music still played in the background. It was New York, 1969 -Woodstock.
Drusilla looked around in awe at everyone milling around. She began to sway a little with the music, her eyes sparkling with the lights from the stage, her bright yellow dress twirling slightly. Spike stepped up behind her and put his arms around her waist. She sighed happily. "Spike, look at this whole meadow! All full of wildflowers… will you pick me some, Spike? Hmm?"
He gazed at her a moment, then grinned. "Whatever ones you want."
Drusilla clapped her hands happily. "We'll gather a whole bouquet!" She glanced over the crowd, her mouth slightly open. Then she spotted a girl in a green dress dancing alone by a cluster of tents. "Oooh, Spike, there," Drusilla focused in on the girl.
Spike followed her gaze, curious.
As they neared the girl, Drusilla got excited. "She's quite a pretty little wildflower," she rambled on.
Spike's stomach rumbled, and he almost wished Dru had picked somebody bigger for their first meal of the night. He watched as the girl danced slowly to the music, turning slowly until she faced them. Her eyes looked a little glazed, and it took her a moment to notice Spike standing there. Drusilla squeezed her fingers into Spike's shoulder eagerly, and he reached out and shoved the girl hard. She fell on her back. He felt his face vamp out, and waited for her to look up at him. When she raised her eyes, he did not see fright, or apprehension- she smiled at him, and giggled. Intrigued, he kneeled on the ground in front of her and touched her face. Her eyes closed, he could feel her pulse quicken, but not from fear. He bent his head to her neck, and drank slowly. She flinched at first, but did not resist. Instead of draining her, he let her fall back on the grass.
Drusilla stepped up behind him. "Oh, can I keep her?" He looked at the girl thoughtfully. "Please?" Dru insisted.
He brought his wrist to his sharp teeth and bit just hard enough to draw blood. He leaned over the girl and brought his wrist to her lips. She clutched on to his arm as she drank, and he closed his eyes. He could hear the girl's pulse beginning to slow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun was beginning to rise far on the other side of the field. Drusilla had pulled the unconscious girl into one of the nearby tents early in the evening. She sat on the ground; the girl lay next to her on the grass. Spike had passed out just outside the tent. Drusilla stroked the girl's head. She had taken time to braid a few more flowers into the girl's hair during the night.
The flap of the tent pulled back and Drusilla looked up to see a man with short, frizzy hair and blurry eyes look in at them. She smiled at him, then reached down and stroked the girl's forehead. "She's looking, climbing," Dru informed the man, as the girl began to stir. She raised her head again, and looked at the man with her yellow eyes, "she's coming to play with us." His eyes grew wide and he hurriedly turned away, as Drusilla leapt up after him.
After Dru caught the man and drained him, she stood up to find Spike. He was sitting up, holding his head. The first thing he noticed was the sunbeams coming across the field. He stood up and grabbed Drusilla's arm. "Sorry baby, we gotta go."
She tried to pull away, but he was stronger, and he dragged her away from where the sun was peeking over the side of the hill. They soon found themselves in a large muddy parking lot. Spike hurried down a row, pulling on the door handles. Finally, he yanked open the door of a shiny black Desoto at the very end of the line. He pushed Drusilla into the passenger seat, then got in and slammed the door.
As they drove away, she slapped him hard. "You left my Wildflower!" she accused. He stared at her, but she turned her face away, and pouted for the rest of the drive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy walked down the sidewalk outside a cemetery, lost in thought. She rounded a corner and bumped into a tall man. "Oh, sorry," she began, then froze. It was Angel. She blinked a few times, and swallowed hard. "Wh- what are you doing here?" she whispered.
He didn't answer, just gazed at her softly. She took a step toward him, cautiously. Their eyes locked. He slowly reached out and touched her face. "Buffy."
They drew nearer to each other, their eyes closed, and finally, their lips met in a long, soft kiss. He stroked the side of her face, and they seemed to melt into each other. She ended the kiss first, but they kept their eyes closed, their faces close together. She opened her mouth. "I love you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy's eyes flew open and she gasped for air. She glanced around, realizing where she was, and sat up. Riley lay on his back in the bed, still sleeping, with the covers tucked up around him. His head was wrapped in white gauze. She tilted her head to the side, and stared at him. Finally she lay back down again on top of the sheets, facing toward Riley. She lowered her eyes and fiddled with the edge of the pillow, as a thousand emotions passed through her eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-THE END-