Summary/Disclaimer: See Prologue
*****
Chapter 13
Buffy let out a cry of frustration as she once again landed on her backside. Spike had been training with her for half an hour and it was the fifth time she had fallen. Spike held his hand out to help her up.
"We've been over this Slayer, you can't fight like you used to anymore. I know you used to like to kick and flip about in a fight but you've got to adapt now, use your fists more. I know you can, you used them on me enough bloody times."
The words were meant as encouragement but they caused a flood of memories to rush through Buffy. She saw herself sat astride Spike in the alley near the police station, mercilessly beating him, added to that what seemed like hundreds of punches to the face for no real reason. Unable to support herself she once again fell back, tears streaming down her face. Spike was instantly kneeling next to her, arms wrapped around her protectively. She buried her face in his chest as she continued to cry.
"Shh. Hey luv, what's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"You're sorry? For what?" Spike tilted his head to the side as he looked at her questioningly.
"You're right, I used them on you. All the time I beat you, just because I felt like it, or I could or for no reason at all." She looked up at Spike, hoping he could see the truth of what she was about to say in her eyes. "That stops now Spike. I love you, I'm not going to treat you like that anymore. I'm not going to treat you like a thing." She saw him open his mouth and she knew that he was going to point out that he was indeed a 'thing'. She knew that she had said and beat it into him so many times that even he believed that now. She placed a finger on his lips, silencing him.
"No. You're not a thing, you're a man. You're a good man William. Nobody else would have put up with the way I've been treating you and then helped me when I was injured. You did, and it just proves that you're not a monster, not anymore." Her tears were joined by Spike's as he heard words he had only dreamed he would hear from Buffy.
"I told you once that I was drowning in you, that I couldn't get enough of you. Well it works both ways Buffy, I love you, that means you get all of me. I can't help but stay by your side, no matter what. You're stuck with me Summers." Buffy moved her hand to the back of his neck and pulled him down for a passionate kiss.
"Good."
*****
Everyone was gathered in the magic Box. There was no big threat, no meeting about the end of the world, it just seemed natural to be there. Willow and Tara sat side by side holding each other's hand, Anya and Xander sat as far apart as Anya could manage while Buffy sat on Spike's lap. Dawn sat beside Spike trying not to grin like mad at the display her sister and best friend were putting on.
The rest of the gang were trying not to stare at Buffy and Spike. While they had said they would support Buffy, it was still too new to see her and Spike being so close without insults or fists being thrown.
Buffy suddenly let out a yawn and stretched her arms out. Spike rubbed her shoulders for her.
"Tired pet?"
"Yeah, the training really took it out of me." Tara looked at her with one eyebrow raised. "What? We were really training! Spike's helping me learn how to fight again. I even managed to knock him down," she said proudly.
"That you did pet. I think it's about time I made good on the other half of my promise."
"You mean."
"Yep, I'm taking you to LA."
TBC
AN: As I said in my last update of Flee, now that Christmas/New Year and worries about Uni have been sorted out I can get back to my fics.
This chapter was pretty hard to write, especially Buffy's speech. Please tell me what you think.
*****
Chapter 13
Buffy let out a cry of frustration as she once again landed on her backside. Spike had been training with her for half an hour and it was the fifth time she had fallen. Spike held his hand out to help her up.
"We've been over this Slayer, you can't fight like you used to anymore. I know you used to like to kick and flip about in a fight but you've got to adapt now, use your fists more. I know you can, you used them on me enough bloody times."
The words were meant as encouragement but they caused a flood of memories to rush through Buffy. She saw herself sat astride Spike in the alley near the police station, mercilessly beating him, added to that what seemed like hundreds of punches to the face for no real reason. Unable to support herself she once again fell back, tears streaming down her face. Spike was instantly kneeling next to her, arms wrapped around her protectively. She buried her face in his chest as she continued to cry.
"Shh. Hey luv, what's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"You're sorry? For what?" Spike tilted his head to the side as he looked at her questioningly.
"You're right, I used them on you. All the time I beat you, just because I felt like it, or I could or for no reason at all." She looked up at Spike, hoping he could see the truth of what she was about to say in her eyes. "That stops now Spike. I love you, I'm not going to treat you like that anymore. I'm not going to treat you like a thing." She saw him open his mouth and she knew that he was going to point out that he was indeed a 'thing'. She knew that she had said and beat it into him so many times that even he believed that now. She placed a finger on his lips, silencing him.
"No. You're not a thing, you're a man. You're a good man William. Nobody else would have put up with the way I've been treating you and then helped me when I was injured. You did, and it just proves that you're not a monster, not anymore." Her tears were joined by Spike's as he heard words he had only dreamed he would hear from Buffy.
"I told you once that I was drowning in you, that I couldn't get enough of you. Well it works both ways Buffy, I love you, that means you get all of me. I can't help but stay by your side, no matter what. You're stuck with me Summers." Buffy moved her hand to the back of his neck and pulled him down for a passionate kiss.
"Good."
*****
Everyone was gathered in the magic Box. There was no big threat, no meeting about the end of the world, it just seemed natural to be there. Willow and Tara sat side by side holding each other's hand, Anya and Xander sat as far apart as Anya could manage while Buffy sat on Spike's lap. Dawn sat beside Spike trying not to grin like mad at the display her sister and best friend were putting on.
The rest of the gang were trying not to stare at Buffy and Spike. While they had said they would support Buffy, it was still too new to see her and Spike being so close without insults or fists being thrown.
Buffy suddenly let out a yawn and stretched her arms out. Spike rubbed her shoulders for her.
"Tired pet?"
"Yeah, the training really took it out of me." Tara looked at her with one eyebrow raised. "What? We were really training! Spike's helping me learn how to fight again. I even managed to knock him down," she said proudly.
"That you did pet. I think it's about time I made good on the other half of my promise."
"You mean."
"Yep, I'm taking you to LA."
TBC
AN: As I said in my last update of Flee, now that Christmas/New Year and worries about Uni have been sorted out I can get back to my fics.
This chapter was pretty hard to write, especially Buffy's speech. Please tell me what you think.