One Day at a Time
Disclaimer: I own nothing. No Buffy, no Spike, no nothing.
*****
"There you are." A quiet, soothing voice spoke to him.
Spike looked around his hotel room. There, in the shadow of the curtains he saw a petite, young woman. She walked towards him, speaking slowly.
"It took me a while to find you." She moved even closer to him, placing her hand over his cheek.
Her skin was soft and warm. She smelled so familiar, so distinct. There was only one person he had ever known to smell so beautiful, yet he wasn't sure. It couldn't possibly be her. She couldn't have followed him. He had made it so clear to her that she needed to stay with her family. He watched as she moved forward a bit, the moonlight revealing her face.
"Buffy?" He whispered in shock. "No, I told you . . . " He trailed off.
"It's okay. I wanted to be with you. So I fell asleep, and I found you." She whispered to him.
"How did you-" He was cut off.
"Shhhh. No words." She sat on his bed and ran her hands through his hair. "Just hold me."
Spike immediately sat up and wrapped his arms around the woman he loved. He stroked her hair and was calmed by the soothing sound of her heartbeat.
"God I've missed you." He told her.
She lifted her head from his should and took his face in her hands. She kissed him gently. She parted from him, but he pulled her back into a deep kiss. Their tongues battled fiercely, and after what seemed hours they both parted.
"I've missed you too. I need you to know . . . that I love you." She told him.
"I know you do, luv."
"No, I love you . . . so much. More than anyone. Being away from you is going to be hard, but if we can meet like this . . . "
"Everynight, pet. I wouldn't miss it for the world. " He kissed her again and they laid together for a while.
"I've gotta go now." She whispered.
He groaned a little bit, but reluctantly gave up. "I love you." They kissed again, then she was gone, and he was left feeling empty once again.
*****
Spike woke up almost as if someone had thrown cold water on top of him. He looked next to him, not knowing what to expect. He was disappointed when he found no one there. His dream was so real though, and he knew it hadn't been only just a dream. That was her, or part of her. He remembered every minute of it, and dreams were not that real.
"Soddin' spirits." He said to himself as he got out of bed. But even if it was only a spirit, he didn't care. It had been the most amazing thing. She was really there; they were holding each other. He was happy for the first time since he had left. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all. He had already dusted one out of the four of those Nepsus fellows and destroyed their power source. Things were looking up.
*****
Things were looking up. Buffy had had another one of her dreams with Spike. She didn't know where she had been exactly. And like she had said, it had taken her a while to find him. If things kept going at this rate, she would be okay. She just had to take it one day at a time.
"What's goin' on?" Buffy asked as she walked into the living room where Xander, Willow, and Dawn were currently present.
"Just watchin' some afternoon infomercials." Willow told her.
"Yeah?" Buffy asked curiously as she entered the room.
"Yeah. This one is cool: The Tire Pump 2002. " Xander told Buffy. "Pumps air into a tire and removes it in less than a minute. Neatio."
Buffy flinched a bit and tears grew in the back of her eyes as she remembered the night she had slept on the couch with Spike. He had gushed over that stupid piece of machinery like a little child. She shook the tears away quickly and did something she never though she would do.
"Can you write that number down for me?"
*****
Buffy slowly opened the door to Spike's crypt. She hadn't been there since he left. It was emptier than usual. Although the whole Spike-not-living- there situation might have had an impact on that. His chair was still placed a few feet in front of the TV. She heard a slight humming coming from on side of the crypt. She walked towards the sound and stopped in front of his refrigerator. It was still there. His refrigerator was still there and it was on. She opened the door but found no blood. Instead she found bottles of water and Cherry Coke. She opened the door to the freezer and found, just like Dawn had said a while back, a few frozen dinners.
She shut the door and moved over towards the cabinets. They were full. Full of cereals, chips, and other human foods. There were a few cups, plates, and bowls left behind. The intensity of the situation didn't hit her for a few minutes. He had done this for her. All for her. She never had really thought much of the food he kept around for her, but this now she understood. He thought they would be together until the day she died. He had fixed his crypt so neat and he had stocked up on food for her. He must have considered this her home as well as his. It was the smallest, weirdest but sweetest gesture of his love for her and how strong it was. But, why was this all still here? She couldn't figure it out. He had kept his fridge running. Why? He was gone. No one was living here; no one would be com-
"I'll be damned." She whispered to herself.
He knew she would be coming. He must have. Why else would he do this? She laughed to herself a bit and ran her fingers through her hair. How did he know her so well?
*****
She made her way down the ladder and to his bed. Obviously it was too big to pack, but the sheets weren't. Yet they were still there. She lay down under the sheets and closed her eyes, letting a small tear fall on the pillow. A few minutes passed and her one tear grew into two, and two into twenty. Soon she found herself sobbing.
The room suddenly grew cold and she felt a feeling of relief flow through her. She lifted her head, but there was no one there. She lay back down for a while, continuing to cry.
"Don't cry, pet." Buffy jumped at the sound of the voice, but smiled when she realized who it was.
"I told you not to sneak up on me." She smiled.
"Since when have I ever listened to you?" Spike smirked.
"Since you became whipped." She smirked back.
"You sure do think a lot of yourself don't you, Slayer?" He asked. She just laughed and sat up a bit.
Spike sat down next to her, taking in her beauty. He wiped the salty tears off her face and kissed her softly.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"For what, pet?" Spike asked as he stroked her hair.
"This." She said as she looked around his crypt.
"Well, I never did like those sheets anyway."
"No, t-that's not what I mean, Spike. Thank you for giving me a-a way to . . . remember you." She said softly.
"Remember me? Pet, I'm not dead y-"
"Shhhhh. Let's not do this." Buffy looked at him with tears in his eyes and his heart sank.
"Alright." He reached out and wrapped his arms around her. Her body melted into his and they lay down on the bed together. It was silent for a while. A comfortable, content silence.
"I got you a present." Buffy told Spike.
"Oh yeah? And what would that be?" He asked.
"You'll have to wait and see."
"Buff-" he started but decided to stop. "Okay." He smiled.
Buffy rolled over to face him. She brushed her lips softly against his and smiled.
"Please come back to me, Spike. Please." She whispered. Then everything was silent. There was no one there but her. Alone . . . and empty.
She slowly got out of bed and made her way towards the ladder. Before leaving, she took something from inside Spike's nightstand. She made her way up the ladder and towards his front door. As she reached the door she turned and took one last look around his crypt.
"Goodbye, William. I'll always love you." she whispered. And with that, she turned and left his crypt.
*****
Sorry for the wait. I had a very sick, long, exhausting week. But thank you for waiting! The next chapter should be up very soon.
Remember . . . I live for feedback!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. No Buffy, no Spike, no nothing.
*****
"There you are." A quiet, soothing voice spoke to him.
Spike looked around his hotel room. There, in the shadow of the curtains he saw a petite, young woman. She walked towards him, speaking slowly.
"It took me a while to find you." She moved even closer to him, placing her hand over his cheek.
Her skin was soft and warm. She smelled so familiar, so distinct. There was only one person he had ever known to smell so beautiful, yet he wasn't sure. It couldn't possibly be her. She couldn't have followed him. He had made it so clear to her that she needed to stay with her family. He watched as she moved forward a bit, the moonlight revealing her face.
"Buffy?" He whispered in shock. "No, I told you . . . " He trailed off.
"It's okay. I wanted to be with you. So I fell asleep, and I found you." She whispered to him.
"How did you-" He was cut off.
"Shhhh. No words." She sat on his bed and ran her hands through his hair. "Just hold me."
Spike immediately sat up and wrapped his arms around the woman he loved. He stroked her hair and was calmed by the soothing sound of her heartbeat.
"God I've missed you." He told her.
She lifted her head from his should and took his face in her hands. She kissed him gently. She parted from him, but he pulled her back into a deep kiss. Their tongues battled fiercely, and after what seemed hours they both parted.
"I've missed you too. I need you to know . . . that I love you." She told him.
"I know you do, luv."
"No, I love you . . . so much. More than anyone. Being away from you is going to be hard, but if we can meet like this . . . "
"Everynight, pet. I wouldn't miss it for the world. " He kissed her again and they laid together for a while.
"I've gotta go now." She whispered.
He groaned a little bit, but reluctantly gave up. "I love you." They kissed again, then she was gone, and he was left feeling empty once again.
*****
Spike woke up almost as if someone had thrown cold water on top of him. He looked next to him, not knowing what to expect. He was disappointed when he found no one there. His dream was so real though, and he knew it hadn't been only just a dream. That was her, or part of her. He remembered every minute of it, and dreams were not that real.
"Soddin' spirits." He said to himself as he got out of bed. But even if it was only a spirit, he didn't care. It had been the most amazing thing. She was really there; they were holding each other. He was happy for the first time since he had left. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all. He had already dusted one out of the four of those Nepsus fellows and destroyed their power source. Things were looking up.
*****
Things were looking up. Buffy had had another one of her dreams with Spike. She didn't know where she had been exactly. And like she had said, it had taken her a while to find him. If things kept going at this rate, she would be okay. She just had to take it one day at a time.
"What's goin' on?" Buffy asked as she walked into the living room where Xander, Willow, and Dawn were currently present.
"Just watchin' some afternoon infomercials." Willow told her.
"Yeah?" Buffy asked curiously as she entered the room.
"Yeah. This one is cool: The Tire Pump 2002. " Xander told Buffy. "Pumps air into a tire and removes it in less than a minute. Neatio."
Buffy flinched a bit and tears grew in the back of her eyes as she remembered the night she had slept on the couch with Spike. He had gushed over that stupid piece of machinery like a little child. She shook the tears away quickly and did something she never though she would do.
"Can you write that number down for me?"
*****
Buffy slowly opened the door to Spike's crypt. She hadn't been there since he left. It was emptier than usual. Although the whole Spike-not-living- there situation might have had an impact on that. His chair was still placed a few feet in front of the TV. She heard a slight humming coming from on side of the crypt. She walked towards the sound and stopped in front of his refrigerator. It was still there. His refrigerator was still there and it was on. She opened the door but found no blood. Instead she found bottles of water and Cherry Coke. She opened the door to the freezer and found, just like Dawn had said a while back, a few frozen dinners.
She shut the door and moved over towards the cabinets. They were full. Full of cereals, chips, and other human foods. There were a few cups, plates, and bowls left behind. The intensity of the situation didn't hit her for a few minutes. He had done this for her. All for her. She never had really thought much of the food he kept around for her, but this now she understood. He thought they would be together until the day she died. He had fixed his crypt so neat and he had stocked up on food for her. He must have considered this her home as well as his. It was the smallest, weirdest but sweetest gesture of his love for her and how strong it was. But, why was this all still here? She couldn't figure it out. He had kept his fridge running. Why? He was gone. No one was living here; no one would be com-
"I'll be damned." She whispered to herself.
He knew she would be coming. He must have. Why else would he do this? She laughed to herself a bit and ran her fingers through her hair. How did he know her so well?
*****
She made her way down the ladder and to his bed. Obviously it was too big to pack, but the sheets weren't. Yet they were still there. She lay down under the sheets and closed her eyes, letting a small tear fall on the pillow. A few minutes passed and her one tear grew into two, and two into twenty. Soon she found herself sobbing.
The room suddenly grew cold and she felt a feeling of relief flow through her. She lifted her head, but there was no one there. She lay back down for a while, continuing to cry.
"Don't cry, pet." Buffy jumped at the sound of the voice, but smiled when she realized who it was.
"I told you not to sneak up on me." She smiled.
"Since when have I ever listened to you?" Spike smirked.
"Since you became whipped." She smirked back.
"You sure do think a lot of yourself don't you, Slayer?" He asked. She just laughed and sat up a bit.
Spike sat down next to her, taking in her beauty. He wiped the salty tears off her face and kissed her softly.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"For what, pet?" Spike asked as he stroked her hair.
"This." She said as she looked around his crypt.
"Well, I never did like those sheets anyway."
"No, t-that's not what I mean, Spike. Thank you for giving me a-a way to . . . remember you." She said softly.
"Remember me? Pet, I'm not dead y-"
"Shhhhh. Let's not do this." Buffy looked at him with tears in his eyes and his heart sank.
"Alright." He reached out and wrapped his arms around her. Her body melted into his and they lay down on the bed together. It was silent for a while. A comfortable, content silence.
"I got you a present." Buffy told Spike.
"Oh yeah? And what would that be?" He asked.
"You'll have to wait and see."
"Buff-" he started but decided to stop. "Okay." He smiled.
Buffy rolled over to face him. She brushed her lips softly against his and smiled.
"Please come back to me, Spike. Please." She whispered. Then everything was silent. There was no one there but her. Alone . . . and empty.
She slowly got out of bed and made her way towards the ladder. Before leaving, she took something from inside Spike's nightstand. She made her way up the ladder and towards his front door. As she reached the door she turned and took one last look around his crypt.
"Goodbye, William. I'll always love you." she whispered. And with that, she turned and left his crypt.
*****
Sorry for the wait. I had a very sick, long, exhausting week. But thank you for waiting! The next chapter should be up very soon.
Remember . . . I live for feedback!