Summary/Disclaimer: See Prologue
*****
Chapter 7
Buffy spent two more days in the hospital. The Scoobies visited her, although they came by separately, not in a large group.
She was given more exorcises to regain strength in her leg and the doctors were very impressed at her progress. When Buffy wasn't doing exorcises she spent her time talking with Spike. They were becoming closer than they ever had before.
Buffy was thrilled at being let out of the hospital. Being stuck in there was driving her mad. Spike was just as glad that Buffy was being let out. He had spent just as much time there as she had, not even needing to leave the hospital to get food, all he did was sneak down to the blood bank to steal a bag or two of O neg.
Not soon enough for both of them, a doctor came into Buffy's room and told her that if she had some help at home then the hospital was happy to discharge her. Spike told the doctor that he was staying with Buffy and that Dawn would be there to help. This seemed to please the doctor as he arranged for Buffy to be discharged the next morning.
*****
"So Spike, you now live with me do you?" Spike looked up at Buffy. She was getting ready to spend her last night in the hospital and he was sat on the chair he had been sleeping on for the last few days. He was just about to try and defend himself when he saw the flicker of humour in Buffy's eyes. He smiled at her.
"Told you I'd help you luv, not gonna stop just because you're at home. Anyway, didn't hear you contradicting me."
"I need to get home Spike, at this point I would let Glory live with me if I got to go home!"
Spike laughed, hard. Not because he thought the joke was that funny, but because he was happy that Buffy was back to making jokes.
"Are you really going to move in?"
"Told you I was pet, now get to sleep, big morning tomorrow."
*****
"Yay! Home!"
Spike had to smile at Buffy's childlike enthusiasm, though in truth he was just as happy to be here as she was. Dawn was also excited to have here sister home.
"Welcome back Buffy! You must be happy to be home, no more hospital food!" Her sister's words caused a look of absolute joy on Buffy's face.
"Real food! And no more evil nurses making me do those exorcises when I'm really tired." She winked at Dawn to let her know she was trying to wind Spike up. Of course he fell for it.
"Oh no you don't Slayer! You know what they said, do those exorcises and you'll get out of that chair." Buffy and Dawn burst into giggles.
"Relax Spike, I'm just making with the funny. I want to get out of this thing as soon as I can. Anyway, I know you wouldn't let me slack off."
"Bloody right I won't! You'll get the best care you could ask for!" Dawn saw an opportunity to tease the vampire.
"Does that mean that you're her nurse? Maybe we can get you a uniform!" She could hardly stand she was laughing so much. Spike growled at his girls but then realised Buffy wasn't laughing. She had a strange look on her face and he didn't know what she was thinking, it was almost the way she used to look at him during their relationship, a look of...desire?
Dawn's words had caused Buffy to imagine Spike in a nurses uniform and her mind had run away with the thought. Currently she was imagining a scenario where they were playing doctors and nurses. Her thoughts were shattered by Spike himself.
"Buffy? You in there? Not going back to zoning out on us are you?"
"What? No, no. I'm fine, just glad to be home."
Spike didn't believe her but let the subject drop. She had had to deal with a lot, she was allowed to be a bit preoccupied.
Spike told Buffy his plans to have a stair lift fitted so she could get up- and downstairs without him having to carry her. When Buffy insisted that they could never afford such a thing Spike reassured her that he had some money stashed away and that he would pay for it. After some convincing Buffy had agreed and Spike said they would look for one the next day.
*****
Buffy, Dawn and Spike spent the rest of the day together, mainly watching TV and talking. Buffy wanted to go outside but with Spike not being able to come with her she hadn't said anything. She wasn't going to let him go to all this trouble over her just to leave him inside on his own.
This struck Buffy as odd, that she would care if Spike's feelings were hurt. Before the attack she wouldn't have. But then, this wasn't the same Spike. Before the accident she had only allowed herself to see his failures and flaws. Over the last few days she had got to know the real Spike and was confused as to what she felt about him. When she looked over at the vampire she saw that he was joking with Dawn.
'She accepts him,' she thought. 'She knows what he is and it doesn't matter to her. And he would die to protect her. That's one of the things I lov........HOLY SHIT!!!' She suddenly realised what she was feeling for Spike. It was love. She was in love with him.
*****
It was only 11PM when Buffy decided she needed to go to sleep. Usually she stayed up much later but coming home from the hospital had really drained her.
Spike carried her upstairs and into her room. He placed her gently down and turned to leave when Buffy spoke up.
"Spike wait." He turned back to look at her. "Come sit down." He didn't know what was going on so he did as he was told. Buffy took a deep breath, looked at her sheets down and started to speak before she lost her nerve.
"Spike, you've always told me the truth, even when I didn't want to hear it. I'm sorry but I can't say the same. I've misled you."
'Oh God!' Spike thought, 'She really does blame me for this and now she is gonna tell me to piss off!' Buffy Didn't seethe look of panic on Spike's face so she continued with her speech.
"That first night in the hospital when you asked why I wanted you to help I told you it was because you never leave. That was wrong. I didn't mean to lie to you but that's not the reason. You are not here and I'm not letting you help be just because you've never left me. You're here because..." She looked him right in the eye, "I love you Spike."
TBC
AN: Finally out of the hospital! So what do you think? Buffy has confessed her love! What will happen next? Come back tomorrow and find out!
Review please!
*****
Chapter 7
Buffy spent two more days in the hospital. The Scoobies visited her, although they came by separately, not in a large group.
She was given more exorcises to regain strength in her leg and the doctors were very impressed at her progress. When Buffy wasn't doing exorcises she spent her time talking with Spike. They were becoming closer than they ever had before.
Buffy was thrilled at being let out of the hospital. Being stuck in there was driving her mad. Spike was just as glad that Buffy was being let out. He had spent just as much time there as she had, not even needing to leave the hospital to get food, all he did was sneak down to the blood bank to steal a bag or two of O neg.
Not soon enough for both of them, a doctor came into Buffy's room and told her that if she had some help at home then the hospital was happy to discharge her. Spike told the doctor that he was staying with Buffy and that Dawn would be there to help. This seemed to please the doctor as he arranged for Buffy to be discharged the next morning.
*****
"So Spike, you now live with me do you?" Spike looked up at Buffy. She was getting ready to spend her last night in the hospital and he was sat on the chair he had been sleeping on for the last few days. He was just about to try and defend himself when he saw the flicker of humour in Buffy's eyes. He smiled at her.
"Told you I'd help you luv, not gonna stop just because you're at home. Anyway, didn't hear you contradicting me."
"I need to get home Spike, at this point I would let Glory live with me if I got to go home!"
Spike laughed, hard. Not because he thought the joke was that funny, but because he was happy that Buffy was back to making jokes.
"Are you really going to move in?"
"Told you I was pet, now get to sleep, big morning tomorrow."
*****
"Yay! Home!"
Spike had to smile at Buffy's childlike enthusiasm, though in truth he was just as happy to be here as she was. Dawn was also excited to have here sister home.
"Welcome back Buffy! You must be happy to be home, no more hospital food!" Her sister's words caused a look of absolute joy on Buffy's face.
"Real food! And no more evil nurses making me do those exorcises when I'm really tired." She winked at Dawn to let her know she was trying to wind Spike up. Of course he fell for it.
"Oh no you don't Slayer! You know what they said, do those exorcises and you'll get out of that chair." Buffy and Dawn burst into giggles.
"Relax Spike, I'm just making with the funny. I want to get out of this thing as soon as I can. Anyway, I know you wouldn't let me slack off."
"Bloody right I won't! You'll get the best care you could ask for!" Dawn saw an opportunity to tease the vampire.
"Does that mean that you're her nurse? Maybe we can get you a uniform!" She could hardly stand she was laughing so much. Spike growled at his girls but then realised Buffy wasn't laughing. She had a strange look on her face and he didn't know what she was thinking, it was almost the way she used to look at him during their relationship, a look of...desire?
Dawn's words had caused Buffy to imagine Spike in a nurses uniform and her mind had run away with the thought. Currently she was imagining a scenario where they were playing doctors and nurses. Her thoughts were shattered by Spike himself.
"Buffy? You in there? Not going back to zoning out on us are you?"
"What? No, no. I'm fine, just glad to be home."
Spike didn't believe her but let the subject drop. She had had to deal with a lot, she was allowed to be a bit preoccupied.
Spike told Buffy his plans to have a stair lift fitted so she could get up- and downstairs without him having to carry her. When Buffy insisted that they could never afford such a thing Spike reassured her that he had some money stashed away and that he would pay for it. After some convincing Buffy had agreed and Spike said they would look for one the next day.
*****
Buffy, Dawn and Spike spent the rest of the day together, mainly watching TV and talking. Buffy wanted to go outside but with Spike not being able to come with her she hadn't said anything. She wasn't going to let him go to all this trouble over her just to leave him inside on his own.
This struck Buffy as odd, that she would care if Spike's feelings were hurt. Before the attack she wouldn't have. But then, this wasn't the same Spike. Before the accident she had only allowed herself to see his failures and flaws. Over the last few days she had got to know the real Spike and was confused as to what she felt about him. When she looked over at the vampire she saw that he was joking with Dawn.
'She accepts him,' she thought. 'She knows what he is and it doesn't matter to her. And he would die to protect her. That's one of the things I lov........HOLY SHIT!!!' She suddenly realised what she was feeling for Spike. It was love. She was in love with him.
*****
It was only 11PM when Buffy decided she needed to go to sleep. Usually she stayed up much later but coming home from the hospital had really drained her.
Spike carried her upstairs and into her room. He placed her gently down and turned to leave when Buffy spoke up.
"Spike wait." He turned back to look at her. "Come sit down." He didn't know what was going on so he did as he was told. Buffy took a deep breath, looked at her sheets down and started to speak before she lost her nerve.
"Spike, you've always told me the truth, even when I didn't want to hear it. I'm sorry but I can't say the same. I've misled you."
'Oh God!' Spike thought, 'She really does blame me for this and now she is gonna tell me to piss off!' Buffy Didn't seethe look of panic on Spike's face so she continued with her speech.
"That first night in the hospital when you asked why I wanted you to help I told you it was because you never leave. That was wrong. I didn't mean to lie to you but that's not the reason. You are not here and I'm not letting you help be just because you've never left me. You're here because..." She looked him right in the eye, "I love you Spike."
TBC
AN: Finally out of the hospital! So what do you think? Buffy has confessed her love! What will happen next? Come back tomorrow and find out!
Review please!