Countdown: The Twenty Fourth
By ElsaF
Rating this part: PG
Spoilers: Up to Riley's departure in AYW, then we're AU. Summary: Buffy thinks things through
March 23, 2002
Buffy watched Riley and Sam rise into the sky. She glanced around at her friends and sister. They were all watching with the rapt attention of true believers privileged to be witnesses to a miracle.
So why did she feel she'd just been patted on the head? Riley had been *so* understanding. Too understanding -- the word was patronizing. Where did he get off with offering to kill her current significant other?
Why couldn't she say boyfriend? She'd said "I'm sleeping with Spike." Wouldn't it have been less embarrassing to say: "He's my boyfriend?"
Why couldn't she call him her boyfriend? Dumb question, probably because they'd just caught him with dangerous demon eggs in his bedroom. The Slayer -- the Warrior of the People -- couldn't have a dangerous criminal for a boyfriend, could she?
Buffy steeled herself. It was time to take action. She couldn't keep drifting this way. It was easy to be with Spike and not ask any questions about what he did when she wasn't around. Much too easy.
Time for action. She moved far enough away that the others couldn't hear what she was saying and pulled her phone out of her purse. She hit the memory dial for Tara's number and the witch's answering machine picked up.
"Tara, this is Buffy. I need to talk to you. Could you come by the Doublemeat tomorrow afternoon? Sorry to keep asking you to drop into the Seventh Circle of Hell, but I'm in enough trouble at work as it is. No way I can take another day off this week. If you can't make it, give me a call, otherwise, I'll expect you for my three o'clock break."
-------------
March 24, 2002
Buffy showed Tara to a seat in the break room and sat down across from her.
"I'm sorry to lay this on you." she began haltingly.
"It's OK, Buffy. I'm flattered that you want my advice."
"You're the only one I can talk to ."
"Because I'm the only one who knows about Spike."
"Yeah -- except not exactly. Riley knows now."
"Sooner or later, people are going to find out, Buffy." Tara said carefully. "I know coming out is difficult. Goddess, do I know. But after the shock, I think you'll find that it makes everything easier."
Buffy looked down at the table between them. "It's not so much the telling I'm worried about right now. It'll be hard -- but I think I can deal with it." She paused searching for the right words. "I don't know whether there's going to be anything to tell."
Tara waited for her to go on.
"I don't know what I feel about Spike. Oh, that's not a huge thing. I know I don't have to decide whether he's the love of my life just to be with him. Being together is how you find out of someone is the love of your life."
"But?"
"I think I've come to a point where I have to make up my mind about whether Spike is -- reliable."
"You think he's cheating on you?"
"No -- I really don't. I mean, Spike's a lot of things, but he's not faithful," Buffy said with a sigh. "No, it's not cheating on me I'm worried about. It's cheating -- in general.
"I guess what I'm worrying about is whether someone with my calling can be with someone who's -- not always on the right side of the law.
"I mean, something happened last night. I found out he was involved in something bad. Nothing came of it -- but how can I keep being with him if he's doing stuff like this when I'm not around?
"Like his crypt. He's been redecorating. You should see it -- Oriental rugs, candles, coffee tables, a microwave. Where's he getting the money to buy all this stuff? It's not like he has a job."
"I always sort of assumed Spike doesn't *buy* much of anything," Tara said, avoiding Buffy's eyes.
"Exactly."
"So, you want to break up with him because he steals? Have you asked him about it? I mean, I get the impression he'd do almost anything for you. Maybe he'd give up stealing."
"Or smoking, or insulting Xander. Yeah -- I think he would. But I wonder if I should. I mean, you're not supposed to get with a guy and then start remaking him into someone else -- at least that's what I've always thought. Shouldn't I be looking for a guy who is already somebody I can be with?"
Tara considered for a moment. "I think Spike has changed a lot since I first met him. Remember when my family tried to take me away? And he proved I wasn't a demon? He was really rude -- even though he was helping me. It was like he didn't know how to be nice -- which isn't such a stretch when you think about his history.
"But since then, he's been a lot nicer to me. And it seems to me that he's been learning how to get along with humans. Maybe you should give him a chance. Maybe he just needs a reason to take the next step."
"If it was just petty theft, I could do that," Buffy said quietly. "But what Riley showed me he was into -- it was a lot worse than stealing rugs."
"Buffy, have you considered." Tara stopped, looking for the right words. "When you broke up with Riley, wasn't it after Spike showed you he was visiting those . vampires?"
Buffy nodded.
"Does it strike you as a coincidence that you're thinking about breaking up with Spike after Riley showed you something he's into? I mean, not that coincidences don't happen."
Buffy's eyes widened. "You think that Riley set him up?"
Tara shrugged. "How would I know?"
"Oh, God. That makes it even harder. How can I be sure?"
"Have you talked to Spike about it?"
"He'd probably lie."
Tara gave Buffy a sad look. "Isn't that what you said after Glory tortured him?"
Tears were welling up in Buffy's eyes. "I know. But how can I be sure?"
"Nobody's ever sure," Tara said gently. "Loving is about taking chances."
"I'm sorry, Tara. I'm asking too much. I know you can't tell me whether I can trust Spike."
"Maybe I can help."
"A truth spell? Could you put a truth spell on him?"
Tara frowned. "That would be wrong, Buffy -- unless he agreed to it. And I think he'd be pretty hurt that you wanted to do that. He might agree if you asked, but I don't think it would be because he was OK with it."
Buffy nodded and avoided Tara's eyes.
"No, this is something for you. It's not like a truth spell. It's just something that will allow you to see what's in your own mind."
"Can't I see that already?"
"There are all sorts of bits and pieces in your mind. When you decide what you're going to do next, you pick and choose from all the bits of information you have and come up with what you think is going to happen. But you never use all the information you have, and there are all sorts of biases and prejudices that make you trust this information more than that, and affect what conclusion you come to."
"Is this magic, or Psychology 314?"
Tara smiled shyly. "A little of both, I guess. Think of it as a truth spell that makes you tell yourself the truth. It will give you a vision based on all the information you have. It's not really a vision of the future. Things happen that there's no way you could know about -- like someone coming to town you've never met before. It won't tell you anything you don't already know. But it will remove all your prejudices about the things you already know."
"It won't tell me whether Spike's likely to tell me the truth."
"You're predisposed to think he's going to lie," Tara said carefully. "And maybe, based on experience, that's true. But maybe you think that way because it's hard for you to think vampires have a choice about whether or not to lie. The spell will remove that predisposition, and you'll be able to evaluate how many times Spike has lied and how many times he's told the truth -- or something like that. It's not really that technical. We're talking about a living mind, not a computer."
"When could you do it?"
"Right now. It doesn't take any supplies or anything. And I don't have to look it up. I use it a lot -- on myself."
"What do I have to do?"
Tara got up and came around behind Buffy's chair. She put her hands on either side of Buffy's head, about an inch away from her hair.
"Should I close my eyes?"
"No, look at the far wall an focus on one thing."
Buffy glanced at the depressing vomit-green paint and looked for something to focus on. The calendar -- March 24 -- the month just big enough for her to read over the number 24, that filled most of the square of white paper. She concentrated on the number. Twenty-four. she heard Tara chanting softly.
Twenty four. The 24th of March. Today is March 24.
-----------
The calendar said it was March 24. She was in her own kitchen looking at a calendar with pictures of puppies. She was sitting at the table looking at the calendar. She shook her head. She was supposed to be doing something. What was it?
The microwave dinged and she turned to see what was in it. A coffee mug. She took it out and stared at the dark red liquid. Blood -- of course. This vision was supposed to be about Spike -- so it only makes sense that he's here. She heard footsteps and turned.
He crossed the kitchen and took the mug. "Thanks, pet. Just right," he said with a smile, taking a deep drink.
She watched him drink, wondering what she should do.
He was wearing dark trousers and a gray turtleneck sweater. His platinum hair was in soft curls, but still cut short. Buffy wondered where his ubiquitous black jeans and T-shirt had gone. He noticed her stare and gave her a questioning look.
"Something stuck in my teeth? Fly open?"
"Um. no."
"Something the matter?"
She shook her head.
"We'd better get going then. Reservation is at 7."
"Reservation?"
"You OK, love?"
"I think so. Just having a . senior moment. Where are we going again?"
Spike looked concerned. "Are you sure you're all right?"
"Just tell me where we're going."
"Where we always go on March 24th. Bernardi's. Anniversary. hello?"
"Our anniversary?"
"You had someone else in mind?"
"I'm sorry. Just a little confused, I guess. How many years has it been?"
"Look, Buffy, you're beginning to worry me. If you don't feel up to it, we can stay in tonight."
"Just tell me how many years!" Buffy snapped.
"Twenty," he replied, holding up his hands in a sign of surrender.
"Sorry."
"Should I call and cancel?" Spike asked carefully.
"We've been married for twenty years," Buffy said slowly, trying to understand what was happening. She'd expected something fairly surreal as a vision. But this felt as real as -- standing in her own kitchen and talking to Spike -- except for the 20 years into the future thing.
"Married?" Spike said with a surprised laugh.
"We're not married?"
"Has somebody put a spell on you?" Spike asked, frowning.
"No. well, yes. sort of. It's hard to explain."
"No, pet. We're not married. I've asked you many times. You always turn me down."
"Why?"
"You tell me. The offer's always been open."
"Spike -- I need to ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"How do you earn your living?"
He blinked. "Come again?"
"What do you do?"
"I don't think I understand the question."
Buffy turned away from him. "No. You can't answer that, can you?"
"I'm not trying to hide anything, if that's what you mean."
"No, I didn't mean that. I mean, you can't answer that -- because I don't know the answer. You can only tell me things I already know."
Spike was silent.
"So, if I want to know what I know, I just have to ask you the right questions."
"If you say so."
"What are we celebrating?"
"Our anniversary."
"Of what?"
"Of the first time you said ." Spike didn't finish the sentence. He stood there looking at her expectantly.
"Oh God. I'm so afraid to admit it, that I can't even say it to myself."
"It will be all right, Buffy. Believe me. You don't have to be afraid."
"I have to say it. You can't say that I said it until I actually say it."
"I'm not sure what you're on about, pet. But you're probably right."
"Were you planning to sell those Suvolte eggs on the black market?"
"Buffy! How can you think I would do something like that?"
"You didn't answer the question."
"How can I? You haven't asked it yet."
"What do you mean I haven't asked. oh. You're right. I haven't. This isn't real. It feels real. But you're just me talking to myself. This isn't going to do any good at all."
"Isn't it?"
"I'm not going to learn anything I don't already know."
"And what do you know?"
"You tell me."
"You know that I'll never leave you. You know that I'll do anything necessary to stay near you. You know that if you ask me, I'll change the nature of the universe to make it better for you. You know that I love you."
Buffy felt a lump forming in her throat. "If I know all that, why can't I say I ."
"It doesn't matter, pet. I'll wait as long as it takes."
"Will you?"
"You know I will."
"March 24. Today. I must believe I'm going to tell you today."
"Or next year," Spike said with a smirk.
"Or the year after that."
Buffy looked at Spike -- those beautiful blue eyes. She could get lost in those eyes. It should be easy to say it -- to a man with those eyes. But .
------------------
She felt Tara's hand on her shoulder. The calendar came back into focus. The big 24 printed on white paper. No puppies on the calendar. No kitchen. No Spike.
"I think your break is ending," Tara said uncertainly.
"Oh. yeah. I only get 15 minutes."
"Did it help?"
Buffy closed her eyes and thought for a moment.
"Maybe. I don't know, yet. There's something else I have to do."
"I'd better go now."
"Yeah. Thanks. I really appreciate your help. I mean, it's good having someone I can talk to."
Tara smiled. "Any time, Buffy."
Buffy sighed. Two more hours of foisting texturized vegetable protein disguised as meat on an unsuspecting public.
-------------------
When Buffy came down the ladder, Spike was standing in the middle of his ruined bedroom.
"I thought you'd be off snogging the soldier boy," he said bitterly.
"He's gone."
"So, you come for a bit of cold comfort? The bed's a bit blown up, but then, that was never our."
"I'm not here to."
"Oh, then this is worse. This is you telling me."
"No. It's not. This is me asking you what the frigging hell you thought you were up to."
Spike looked at her in surprise.
"And if I told you, would you believe me? The enormous Boy Scout told you I'm an international arms dealer. And he never tells a fib, right?"
"Leave Riley out of it. Riley is history. He's a mistake I made way back when. I want to hear what you say. You're going to tell me what was going on here and I'm going to believe whatever you tell me, because if I can't believe you, I have no business being with you at all."
"That's it? I tell you and you believe me?"
"That's the idea."
"Who are you and what have you done with my Buffy?"
"I'm not laughing, Spike. I'm serious. I want to know what was going on here."
Spike frowned.
"I don't think you're going to like this story, pet."
"I don't care. Spill."
Spike took a deep breath. "All right. I run into this guy at Willy's. He asks me if I want to pick up a quick $500."
Buffy listened, her face set in a mask of displeasure. He went on for some time and in some detail. He was right. She didn't like it much. But it wasn't as bad as Riley implied.
March 24th, she thought with resignation.
Maybe next year.
By ElsaF
Rating this part: PG
Spoilers: Up to Riley's departure in AYW, then we're AU. Summary: Buffy thinks things through
March 23, 2002
Buffy watched Riley and Sam rise into the sky. She glanced around at her friends and sister. They were all watching with the rapt attention of true believers privileged to be witnesses to a miracle.
So why did she feel she'd just been patted on the head? Riley had been *so* understanding. Too understanding -- the word was patronizing. Where did he get off with offering to kill her current significant other?
Why couldn't she say boyfriend? She'd said "I'm sleeping with Spike." Wouldn't it have been less embarrassing to say: "He's my boyfriend?"
Why couldn't she call him her boyfriend? Dumb question, probably because they'd just caught him with dangerous demon eggs in his bedroom. The Slayer -- the Warrior of the People -- couldn't have a dangerous criminal for a boyfriend, could she?
Buffy steeled herself. It was time to take action. She couldn't keep drifting this way. It was easy to be with Spike and not ask any questions about what he did when she wasn't around. Much too easy.
Time for action. She moved far enough away that the others couldn't hear what she was saying and pulled her phone out of her purse. She hit the memory dial for Tara's number and the witch's answering machine picked up.
"Tara, this is Buffy. I need to talk to you. Could you come by the Doublemeat tomorrow afternoon? Sorry to keep asking you to drop into the Seventh Circle of Hell, but I'm in enough trouble at work as it is. No way I can take another day off this week. If you can't make it, give me a call, otherwise, I'll expect you for my three o'clock break."
-------------
March 24, 2002
Buffy showed Tara to a seat in the break room and sat down across from her.
"I'm sorry to lay this on you." she began haltingly.
"It's OK, Buffy. I'm flattered that you want my advice."
"You're the only one I can talk to ."
"Because I'm the only one who knows about Spike."
"Yeah -- except not exactly. Riley knows now."
"Sooner or later, people are going to find out, Buffy." Tara said carefully. "I know coming out is difficult. Goddess, do I know. But after the shock, I think you'll find that it makes everything easier."
Buffy looked down at the table between them. "It's not so much the telling I'm worried about right now. It'll be hard -- but I think I can deal with it." She paused searching for the right words. "I don't know whether there's going to be anything to tell."
Tara waited for her to go on.
"I don't know what I feel about Spike. Oh, that's not a huge thing. I know I don't have to decide whether he's the love of my life just to be with him. Being together is how you find out of someone is the love of your life."
"But?"
"I think I've come to a point where I have to make up my mind about whether Spike is -- reliable."
"You think he's cheating on you?"
"No -- I really don't. I mean, Spike's a lot of things, but he's not faithful," Buffy said with a sigh. "No, it's not cheating on me I'm worried about. It's cheating -- in general.
"I guess what I'm worrying about is whether someone with my calling can be with someone who's -- not always on the right side of the law.
"I mean, something happened last night. I found out he was involved in something bad. Nothing came of it -- but how can I keep being with him if he's doing stuff like this when I'm not around?
"Like his crypt. He's been redecorating. You should see it -- Oriental rugs, candles, coffee tables, a microwave. Where's he getting the money to buy all this stuff? It's not like he has a job."
"I always sort of assumed Spike doesn't *buy* much of anything," Tara said, avoiding Buffy's eyes.
"Exactly."
"So, you want to break up with him because he steals? Have you asked him about it? I mean, I get the impression he'd do almost anything for you. Maybe he'd give up stealing."
"Or smoking, or insulting Xander. Yeah -- I think he would. But I wonder if I should. I mean, you're not supposed to get with a guy and then start remaking him into someone else -- at least that's what I've always thought. Shouldn't I be looking for a guy who is already somebody I can be with?"
Tara considered for a moment. "I think Spike has changed a lot since I first met him. Remember when my family tried to take me away? And he proved I wasn't a demon? He was really rude -- even though he was helping me. It was like he didn't know how to be nice -- which isn't such a stretch when you think about his history.
"But since then, he's been a lot nicer to me. And it seems to me that he's been learning how to get along with humans. Maybe you should give him a chance. Maybe he just needs a reason to take the next step."
"If it was just petty theft, I could do that," Buffy said quietly. "But what Riley showed me he was into -- it was a lot worse than stealing rugs."
"Buffy, have you considered." Tara stopped, looking for the right words. "When you broke up with Riley, wasn't it after Spike showed you he was visiting those . vampires?"
Buffy nodded.
"Does it strike you as a coincidence that you're thinking about breaking up with Spike after Riley showed you something he's into? I mean, not that coincidences don't happen."
Buffy's eyes widened. "You think that Riley set him up?"
Tara shrugged. "How would I know?"
"Oh, God. That makes it even harder. How can I be sure?"
"Have you talked to Spike about it?"
"He'd probably lie."
Tara gave Buffy a sad look. "Isn't that what you said after Glory tortured him?"
Tears were welling up in Buffy's eyes. "I know. But how can I be sure?"
"Nobody's ever sure," Tara said gently. "Loving is about taking chances."
"I'm sorry, Tara. I'm asking too much. I know you can't tell me whether I can trust Spike."
"Maybe I can help."
"A truth spell? Could you put a truth spell on him?"
Tara frowned. "That would be wrong, Buffy -- unless he agreed to it. And I think he'd be pretty hurt that you wanted to do that. He might agree if you asked, but I don't think it would be because he was OK with it."
Buffy nodded and avoided Tara's eyes.
"No, this is something for you. It's not like a truth spell. It's just something that will allow you to see what's in your own mind."
"Can't I see that already?"
"There are all sorts of bits and pieces in your mind. When you decide what you're going to do next, you pick and choose from all the bits of information you have and come up with what you think is going to happen. But you never use all the information you have, and there are all sorts of biases and prejudices that make you trust this information more than that, and affect what conclusion you come to."
"Is this magic, or Psychology 314?"
Tara smiled shyly. "A little of both, I guess. Think of it as a truth spell that makes you tell yourself the truth. It will give you a vision based on all the information you have. It's not really a vision of the future. Things happen that there's no way you could know about -- like someone coming to town you've never met before. It won't tell you anything you don't already know. But it will remove all your prejudices about the things you already know."
"It won't tell me whether Spike's likely to tell me the truth."
"You're predisposed to think he's going to lie," Tara said carefully. "And maybe, based on experience, that's true. But maybe you think that way because it's hard for you to think vampires have a choice about whether or not to lie. The spell will remove that predisposition, and you'll be able to evaluate how many times Spike has lied and how many times he's told the truth -- or something like that. It's not really that technical. We're talking about a living mind, not a computer."
"When could you do it?"
"Right now. It doesn't take any supplies or anything. And I don't have to look it up. I use it a lot -- on myself."
"What do I have to do?"
Tara got up and came around behind Buffy's chair. She put her hands on either side of Buffy's head, about an inch away from her hair.
"Should I close my eyes?"
"No, look at the far wall an focus on one thing."
Buffy glanced at the depressing vomit-green paint and looked for something to focus on. The calendar -- March 24 -- the month just big enough for her to read over the number 24, that filled most of the square of white paper. She concentrated on the number. Twenty-four. she heard Tara chanting softly.
Twenty four. The 24th of March. Today is March 24.
-----------
The calendar said it was March 24. She was in her own kitchen looking at a calendar with pictures of puppies. She was sitting at the table looking at the calendar. She shook her head. She was supposed to be doing something. What was it?
The microwave dinged and she turned to see what was in it. A coffee mug. She took it out and stared at the dark red liquid. Blood -- of course. This vision was supposed to be about Spike -- so it only makes sense that he's here. She heard footsteps and turned.
He crossed the kitchen and took the mug. "Thanks, pet. Just right," he said with a smile, taking a deep drink.
She watched him drink, wondering what she should do.
He was wearing dark trousers and a gray turtleneck sweater. His platinum hair was in soft curls, but still cut short. Buffy wondered where his ubiquitous black jeans and T-shirt had gone. He noticed her stare and gave her a questioning look.
"Something stuck in my teeth? Fly open?"
"Um. no."
"Something the matter?"
She shook her head.
"We'd better get going then. Reservation is at 7."
"Reservation?"
"You OK, love?"
"I think so. Just having a . senior moment. Where are we going again?"
Spike looked concerned. "Are you sure you're all right?"
"Just tell me where we're going."
"Where we always go on March 24th. Bernardi's. Anniversary. hello?"
"Our anniversary?"
"You had someone else in mind?"
"I'm sorry. Just a little confused, I guess. How many years has it been?"
"Look, Buffy, you're beginning to worry me. If you don't feel up to it, we can stay in tonight."
"Just tell me how many years!" Buffy snapped.
"Twenty," he replied, holding up his hands in a sign of surrender.
"Sorry."
"Should I call and cancel?" Spike asked carefully.
"We've been married for twenty years," Buffy said slowly, trying to understand what was happening. She'd expected something fairly surreal as a vision. But this felt as real as -- standing in her own kitchen and talking to Spike -- except for the 20 years into the future thing.
"Married?" Spike said with a surprised laugh.
"We're not married?"
"Has somebody put a spell on you?" Spike asked, frowning.
"No. well, yes. sort of. It's hard to explain."
"No, pet. We're not married. I've asked you many times. You always turn me down."
"Why?"
"You tell me. The offer's always been open."
"Spike -- I need to ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"How do you earn your living?"
He blinked. "Come again?"
"What do you do?"
"I don't think I understand the question."
Buffy turned away from him. "No. You can't answer that, can you?"
"I'm not trying to hide anything, if that's what you mean."
"No, I didn't mean that. I mean, you can't answer that -- because I don't know the answer. You can only tell me things I already know."
Spike was silent.
"So, if I want to know what I know, I just have to ask you the right questions."
"If you say so."
"What are we celebrating?"
"Our anniversary."
"Of what?"
"Of the first time you said ." Spike didn't finish the sentence. He stood there looking at her expectantly.
"Oh God. I'm so afraid to admit it, that I can't even say it to myself."
"It will be all right, Buffy. Believe me. You don't have to be afraid."
"I have to say it. You can't say that I said it until I actually say it."
"I'm not sure what you're on about, pet. But you're probably right."
"Were you planning to sell those Suvolte eggs on the black market?"
"Buffy! How can you think I would do something like that?"
"You didn't answer the question."
"How can I? You haven't asked it yet."
"What do you mean I haven't asked. oh. You're right. I haven't. This isn't real. It feels real. But you're just me talking to myself. This isn't going to do any good at all."
"Isn't it?"
"I'm not going to learn anything I don't already know."
"And what do you know?"
"You tell me."
"You know that I'll never leave you. You know that I'll do anything necessary to stay near you. You know that if you ask me, I'll change the nature of the universe to make it better for you. You know that I love you."
Buffy felt a lump forming in her throat. "If I know all that, why can't I say I ."
"It doesn't matter, pet. I'll wait as long as it takes."
"Will you?"
"You know I will."
"March 24. Today. I must believe I'm going to tell you today."
"Or next year," Spike said with a smirk.
"Or the year after that."
Buffy looked at Spike -- those beautiful blue eyes. She could get lost in those eyes. It should be easy to say it -- to a man with those eyes. But .
------------------
She felt Tara's hand on her shoulder. The calendar came back into focus. The big 24 printed on white paper. No puppies on the calendar. No kitchen. No Spike.
"I think your break is ending," Tara said uncertainly.
"Oh. yeah. I only get 15 minutes."
"Did it help?"
Buffy closed her eyes and thought for a moment.
"Maybe. I don't know, yet. There's something else I have to do."
"I'd better go now."
"Yeah. Thanks. I really appreciate your help. I mean, it's good having someone I can talk to."
Tara smiled. "Any time, Buffy."
Buffy sighed. Two more hours of foisting texturized vegetable protein disguised as meat on an unsuspecting public.
-------------------
When Buffy came down the ladder, Spike was standing in the middle of his ruined bedroom.
"I thought you'd be off snogging the soldier boy," he said bitterly.
"He's gone."
"So, you come for a bit of cold comfort? The bed's a bit blown up, but then, that was never our."
"I'm not here to."
"Oh, then this is worse. This is you telling me."
"No. It's not. This is me asking you what the frigging hell you thought you were up to."
Spike looked at her in surprise.
"And if I told you, would you believe me? The enormous Boy Scout told you I'm an international arms dealer. And he never tells a fib, right?"
"Leave Riley out of it. Riley is history. He's a mistake I made way back when. I want to hear what you say. You're going to tell me what was going on here and I'm going to believe whatever you tell me, because if I can't believe you, I have no business being with you at all."
"That's it? I tell you and you believe me?"
"That's the idea."
"Who are you and what have you done with my Buffy?"
"I'm not laughing, Spike. I'm serious. I want to know what was going on here."
Spike frowned.
"I don't think you're going to like this story, pet."
"I don't care. Spill."
Spike took a deep breath. "All right. I run into this guy at Willy's. He asks me if I want to pick up a quick $500."
Buffy listened, her face set in a mask of displeasure. He went on for some time and in some detail. He was right. She didn't like it much. But it wasn't as bad as Riley implied.
March 24th, she thought with resignation.
Maybe next year.