CHAPTER 6 - PLANNING AHEAD
Buffy woke up slowly, between wakefulness and the edge of sleep. She felt like she'd had some sort of pleasant dream, although she couldn't quite remember it. At least it hadn't been the heart pounding nightmares, which jerked her, awake every couple of hours; ones that she'd had every night for almost five months.
Slowly she became aware that she was nestled between a pillow and...Spike's neck. She felt her arms around his neck and felt both a sense of relief and also embarrassment. Embarrassment that she always sought him out for comfort of one kind or another. He deserved more. Much more.
She kept seeking him out, time and time again. Why? She knew the answer, at least the part she was willing to admit to; it seemed like the only person who had the slightest idea of what she was going through was Spike. How long had it been this way? She couldn't even remember when it had become clear to her; that he and he alone understood her, knew her, cared for her, and of course, still loved her; all of her. Didn't he?
She became aware that one of his arms was around her back, while the other was? She reached up and felt his hand holding the icebag on her head.
Slowly she lifted her head up from his shoulder, moving her arm out from behind his neck as she did so, and looked at him.
"Have you been holding that icebag on my head the whole time?" she asked, glad to have the icebag as icebreaker.
"Yeah, you had quite a bump, thought it be best," he answered.
She reached under the icebag, "Seems a lot smaller now. Thank you," she said, smiling a little at him.
"Didn't mind," Spike said, smiling back.
"You feeling better now, Buffy?"
"Seem to be. I'm not dizzy anymore or wonky, so that's an improvement."
"Buffy?"
"What?"
"Do you trust me?" Spike asked, looking serious all of a sudden.
"Well, considering that I'm lying here on your bed, after all we've been through, I think you can take that as a yes," she answered, trying to fathom what he wanted from her.
"Good. Then I want you to do something. For me. For you, too. Mostly for you," Spike said.
Buffy had no idea where this was leading, "What?"
"I want you to go away with me. Overnight," Spike said, then hurried on, "It's not far, it's a place, it's...it's a place I own, up in the mountains. About 2 hours from here."
"Own?" Buffy asked, raising her eyebrows in stunned disbelief.
"Yes. Own. For about 50 years. Nobody knows about it except for Clem."
"Clem?" Buffy asked, absentmindedly, still not believing what she was hearing.
"Buffy!"
"How can I? The girls, The First..." Buffy stammered.
Spike sat up, pulling her with him.
"How are you going to fight right now, Buffy? You're exhausted, you're hurt. Last night you let two amateur vampires almost kill you. If I hadn't come out..." Spike said, shaking his head at the memory.
"I knew it wasn't Faryl demons," Buffy said with a wry smile. "Still, it was just an off night; I, I...was thinking about something," she added lamely.
"You know I'm right," Spike insisted, "you may feel better, but you still aren't in any shape to fight any nasties right now, small or large."
"I know," she said quietly. "Still, Giles. Willow. Giles! Even if I wanted to go or thought that I should, Giles would have a holy cow!" Buffy said.
"Oh, I see," Spike said, turning away.
"Spike, don't be like that, I...I just can't."
"No, you mean you won't," Spike said, turning back towards her, "I don't care if Giles doesn't like me or even hates me. I care more that you still think you can't do something for yourself; not if it will displease him. Even if he's wrong. Even if I'm right."
"It's not that, I..."
"It's not? Then what is it?"
"What about The First? What if I'm gone and he comes or sends the Harbingers? What if he knows I'm gone?" she asked, her voice quietly pleading with him to understand.
"We'll bring a cell phone," Spike said, then added, "bloody stupid things, but still, you'd be able to keep in touch."
"It's two hours away, though. What if they couldn't call in time?" Buffy asked.
"WILLOW!" Spike yelled.
"Spike!"
"What is it?" Willow asked, hurrying down the stairs.
"Want to ask you something. Say Buffy was to go away for a day, for overnight," Spike started out, "do you think that it would be safe for her to do so?"
"You going away, Buffy?" Willow asked, turning towards Buffy.
Buffy just shrugged her shoulders.
"Willow, Buffy's worried about what would happen if she was needed. I already mentioned the cell phone to her," Spike said, "anything else you can think of that might ease her mind?"
"Where you going?" Willow asked Buffy.
Buffy shrugged again, looking at Spike.
"Can't tell you exactly, a few hours away."
"You're going, too?" Willow asked, eyes getting large.
"Well, yeah, that was the plan." Spike said, snarking a bit at her.
"Hey! No snark, Spike," Willow said, "I just asked, didn't mean..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Could see it in your expression. Big Bad taking Buffy away," Spike said with some bitterness.
"No, it's just," Willow said, "well, surprising is all. Actually, I think it's, well, romantic."
"For Christ's sakes! Not talking romance here, witch! Talking Buffy needing a break from all this! You want a strong slayer or a slayer that's falling apart? When's the last time Buffy's been out of Sunnydale?" Spike asked.
Buffy and Willow just looked at each other.
"Buffy went to L.A. for the summer before senior year, in 1998," Willow offered.
"That doesn't count. I was working," Buffy said, then added, "I haven't been out of Sunnydale overnight since then, really not since I came here."
"Fuck Slayer! That's a bloody long time to have your nose to the grindstone," Spike said, then looking at her, he added softly, "and it's killing you."
"Well, you kept me pretty busy when you first got here, Spike," Buffy said.
"Yeah, imagine I did, but that was then and this is now," Spike answered.
"Did you kiss your mother with that mouth, Spike?" Willow asked.
"Yeah, but my mouth was a lot more pristine 120 years ago," he answered.
"Back to the problem. Is there anything you could do to help Buffy feel she can leave Sunnyhell for an overnight?" Spike asked.
"Are you going somewhere that is wired?" Willow asked.
"Wired?"
"Yeah, you know, wired for electricity? Computers?" Willow answered.
"Well, sort of," he replied.
Buffy looked at him questioningly.
"No, not computers."
"No phone-line?" Willow asked.
"No."
"How about satellite dish?"
"No."
"Wait, I got it!" Willow said. "Remember the spycams that Warren had all over the place to watch you last year?"
Buffy and Spike just looked at each other, then at Willow nodding.
"Oh, sorry. But I was thinking that we could get those here and maybe you could take Andrew's laptop, and his batteries, then you could watch the house!"
"That's an idea! No wait, won't work, even if we have the batteries, still can't get on the internet," Spike said.
"Wait! It will work on Buffy's cell phone. She's got wireless access to the net. You can just plug the laptop into her cell phone," Willow said, excited.
Spike reached into his back pocket.
"This cell phone?" he asked innocently.
"Spike!" Willow and Buffy said together.
"What? Had to call Clem earlier. It wasn't like I wasn't going to give it back."
"Okay then, cell phone: check, remote viewing: check. What else Slayer?"
"I still couldn't get back here in time if something started," Buffy said.
"Well, I could give you a spell that would transport you back in a few seconds. Only I'm not positive you could work it, not being a witch and all, but it might..." Willow said. "Besides Buffy, usually when The First does something, he usually lays low for a few days or a week. At least that's been his modus operandi, since we've been aware of him." Willow said.
"And Buffy, Spike is right; you need a break. You deserve a break; at least for a day or two. You haven't ever had one and you are exhausted," Willow said.
"Well?" Spike asked.
"Oh, and don't worry about Giles," Willow said, "I'll handle him."
Spike looked at Buffy, hopefully, expectantly.
He looks just like a little boy, sometimes, she thought. Giving him a little smile, "Okay. Let's go!" she said her smile increasing in size.
END OF CHAPTER 6
Buffy woke up slowly, between wakefulness and the edge of sleep. She felt like she'd had some sort of pleasant dream, although she couldn't quite remember it. At least it hadn't been the heart pounding nightmares, which jerked her, awake every couple of hours; ones that she'd had every night for almost five months.
Slowly she became aware that she was nestled between a pillow and...Spike's neck. She felt her arms around his neck and felt both a sense of relief and also embarrassment. Embarrassment that she always sought him out for comfort of one kind or another. He deserved more. Much more.
She kept seeking him out, time and time again. Why? She knew the answer, at least the part she was willing to admit to; it seemed like the only person who had the slightest idea of what she was going through was Spike. How long had it been this way? She couldn't even remember when it had become clear to her; that he and he alone understood her, knew her, cared for her, and of course, still loved her; all of her. Didn't he?
She became aware that one of his arms was around her back, while the other was? She reached up and felt his hand holding the icebag on her head.
Slowly she lifted her head up from his shoulder, moving her arm out from behind his neck as she did so, and looked at him.
"Have you been holding that icebag on my head the whole time?" she asked, glad to have the icebag as icebreaker.
"Yeah, you had quite a bump, thought it be best," he answered.
She reached under the icebag, "Seems a lot smaller now. Thank you," she said, smiling a little at him.
"Didn't mind," Spike said, smiling back.
"You feeling better now, Buffy?"
"Seem to be. I'm not dizzy anymore or wonky, so that's an improvement."
"Buffy?"
"What?"
"Do you trust me?" Spike asked, looking serious all of a sudden.
"Well, considering that I'm lying here on your bed, after all we've been through, I think you can take that as a yes," she answered, trying to fathom what he wanted from her.
"Good. Then I want you to do something. For me. For you, too. Mostly for you," Spike said.
Buffy had no idea where this was leading, "What?"
"I want you to go away with me. Overnight," Spike said, then hurried on, "It's not far, it's a place, it's...it's a place I own, up in the mountains. About 2 hours from here."
"Own?" Buffy asked, raising her eyebrows in stunned disbelief.
"Yes. Own. For about 50 years. Nobody knows about it except for Clem."
"Clem?" Buffy asked, absentmindedly, still not believing what she was hearing.
"Buffy!"
"How can I? The girls, The First..." Buffy stammered.
Spike sat up, pulling her with him.
"How are you going to fight right now, Buffy? You're exhausted, you're hurt. Last night you let two amateur vampires almost kill you. If I hadn't come out..." Spike said, shaking his head at the memory.
"I knew it wasn't Faryl demons," Buffy said with a wry smile. "Still, it was just an off night; I, I...was thinking about something," she added lamely.
"You know I'm right," Spike insisted, "you may feel better, but you still aren't in any shape to fight any nasties right now, small or large."
"I know," she said quietly. "Still, Giles. Willow. Giles! Even if I wanted to go or thought that I should, Giles would have a holy cow!" Buffy said.
"Oh, I see," Spike said, turning away.
"Spike, don't be like that, I...I just can't."
"No, you mean you won't," Spike said, turning back towards her, "I don't care if Giles doesn't like me or even hates me. I care more that you still think you can't do something for yourself; not if it will displease him. Even if he's wrong. Even if I'm right."
"It's not that, I..."
"It's not? Then what is it?"
"What about The First? What if I'm gone and he comes or sends the Harbingers? What if he knows I'm gone?" she asked, her voice quietly pleading with him to understand.
"We'll bring a cell phone," Spike said, then added, "bloody stupid things, but still, you'd be able to keep in touch."
"It's two hours away, though. What if they couldn't call in time?" Buffy asked.
"WILLOW!" Spike yelled.
"Spike!"
"What is it?" Willow asked, hurrying down the stairs.
"Want to ask you something. Say Buffy was to go away for a day, for overnight," Spike started out, "do you think that it would be safe for her to do so?"
"You going away, Buffy?" Willow asked, turning towards Buffy.
Buffy just shrugged her shoulders.
"Willow, Buffy's worried about what would happen if she was needed. I already mentioned the cell phone to her," Spike said, "anything else you can think of that might ease her mind?"
"Where you going?" Willow asked Buffy.
Buffy shrugged again, looking at Spike.
"Can't tell you exactly, a few hours away."
"You're going, too?" Willow asked, eyes getting large.
"Well, yeah, that was the plan." Spike said, snarking a bit at her.
"Hey! No snark, Spike," Willow said, "I just asked, didn't mean..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Could see it in your expression. Big Bad taking Buffy away," Spike said with some bitterness.
"No, it's just," Willow said, "well, surprising is all. Actually, I think it's, well, romantic."
"For Christ's sakes! Not talking romance here, witch! Talking Buffy needing a break from all this! You want a strong slayer or a slayer that's falling apart? When's the last time Buffy's been out of Sunnydale?" Spike asked.
Buffy and Willow just looked at each other.
"Buffy went to L.A. for the summer before senior year, in 1998," Willow offered.
"That doesn't count. I was working," Buffy said, then added, "I haven't been out of Sunnydale overnight since then, really not since I came here."
"Fuck Slayer! That's a bloody long time to have your nose to the grindstone," Spike said, then looking at her, he added softly, "and it's killing you."
"Well, you kept me pretty busy when you first got here, Spike," Buffy said.
"Yeah, imagine I did, but that was then and this is now," Spike answered.
"Did you kiss your mother with that mouth, Spike?" Willow asked.
"Yeah, but my mouth was a lot more pristine 120 years ago," he answered.
"Back to the problem. Is there anything you could do to help Buffy feel she can leave Sunnyhell for an overnight?" Spike asked.
"Are you going somewhere that is wired?" Willow asked.
"Wired?"
"Yeah, you know, wired for electricity? Computers?" Willow answered.
"Well, sort of," he replied.
Buffy looked at him questioningly.
"No, not computers."
"No phone-line?" Willow asked.
"No."
"How about satellite dish?"
"No."
"Wait, I got it!" Willow said. "Remember the spycams that Warren had all over the place to watch you last year?"
Buffy and Spike just looked at each other, then at Willow nodding.
"Oh, sorry. But I was thinking that we could get those here and maybe you could take Andrew's laptop, and his batteries, then you could watch the house!"
"That's an idea! No wait, won't work, even if we have the batteries, still can't get on the internet," Spike said.
"Wait! It will work on Buffy's cell phone. She's got wireless access to the net. You can just plug the laptop into her cell phone," Willow said, excited.
Spike reached into his back pocket.
"This cell phone?" he asked innocently.
"Spike!" Willow and Buffy said together.
"What? Had to call Clem earlier. It wasn't like I wasn't going to give it back."
"Okay then, cell phone: check, remote viewing: check. What else Slayer?"
"I still couldn't get back here in time if something started," Buffy said.
"Well, I could give you a spell that would transport you back in a few seconds. Only I'm not positive you could work it, not being a witch and all, but it might..." Willow said. "Besides Buffy, usually when The First does something, he usually lays low for a few days or a week. At least that's been his modus operandi, since we've been aware of him." Willow said.
"And Buffy, Spike is right; you need a break. You deserve a break; at least for a day or two. You haven't ever had one and you are exhausted," Willow said.
"Well?" Spike asked.
"Oh, and don't worry about Giles," Willow said, "I'll handle him."
Spike looked at Buffy, hopefully, expectantly.
He looks just like a little boy, sometimes, she thought. Giving him a little smile, "Okay. Let's go!" she said her smile increasing in size.
END OF CHAPTER 6