CHAPTER 7 -OUTTA HERE
Willow went upstairs and Buffy got up off the cot to follow her.
Looking back at Spike, she asked, "What should I pack? Anything special?"
Spike looked at her with a raised eyebrow for half a second, then deciding against making a remark that might have her changing her mind, just said, "Bring a coat and some warm socks."
"Okay, be right back," she said starting up the stairs, then stopped. "Hey, how are we getting there?"
"Car," Spike said, "My old DeSoto."
"Where's that at?" Buffy asked.
"Well, if Clem did as I asked him to, then it's about one block from here," Spike answered.
Buffy stared at him.
"How did you know I'd go?" she asked.
"I didn't pet, just wanted to be prepared in case you did, okay? Go pack now, so we can get out of here before anyone else comes home and we have to explain or I get staked!" Spike said.
"Okay, going to pack now," Buffy said, heading upstairs for real this time.
Once upstairs, Buffy went about putting some stuff into a small suitcase. Sweaters, check. Jeans, check. Toiletries and makeup, check. Shoes, check. Undies, check. Nightgown, hmmm, shorty or longy, flannel or skimpy? Buffy paused, well, he did say it wasn't about romance, she thought, not without some sadness and regret. Moments from the past year flitted through her brain, but she pushed them aside. Doesn't really matter then, does it? Okay, variety of nightgowns just because...I don't know what I'll want to wear; er, what the temperature will be, check.
Buffy met Spike in the kitchen with suitcase in hand. Spike only had a small duffel bag and was carrying his blanket.
"Well, we're off, I guess," she said to Willow. "I'll call you when we get there."
"Have a good time you guys!" Willow said walking them to the door.
It was 4:00PM, the sun was low in the sky, but Spike still needed to protect himself, so he put the blanket over his head, after taking Buffy's suitcase from her.
"We're off," he said, "thanks Wil, for looking after things."
"No problem, Spike," she replied, as they walked down the sidewalk, "Oh, and by the way, I still think it's ROMANTIC," she said, laughing as she closed the back door.
A block later they came to the only car on Revello drive with the windows almost completely blacked out. The DeSoto. They got in.
Buffy turned to Spike, "Where have you been keeping this? I didn't even think you still had it," she said.
"Storing it with some friendly sorts. Friends of Clem," Spike answered.
"You always have had this whole secret life in this other world, that I can only begin to guess at, haven't you?" Buffy asked.
"Well, pet, yeah. I mean, most of my type are just in this other world, as you put it. Most of my type don't spend so much time with your type, unless it's to eat them," Spike said, then rolled his eyes.
Buffy giggled, "Nevermind! Just drive!" she said, then in an almost desperate whisper, "take me out of Sunnydale, please, Spike."
"The lady's wish is my command!" he replied, as he put the car into first gear and they pulled out into the road.
They drove in amiable silence for about half an hour until Spike turned the DeSoto onto I 15, South.
"Where exactly are we going," Buffy asked.
"Up near Cleveland National Forest, right on the outskirts of it, really. Up around 5,000 feet, highest point in San Diego County. Get off near Santa Ysabel, then, well, it's between there and a little berg called Julian," Spike answered.
"Oh," Buffy replied, simply.
They drove along for another hour in comfortable silence until Spike turned onto Hwy. 79, South.
"Think I heard of Julian. Do they grow apples there?" Buffy asked, "or is that somewhere else? Isn't Julian an old goldrush town?"
"Slayer! Good to know that the California educational system is working! Yeah, apples galore. Best apple growing in all of California! The really cool nights this time of year help them grow. Even snows sometimes. As good as any Washington or Michigan apples." Spike said.
"Julian was also one of the first goldrush towns in California; late 1860's. People think that the goldrush took place mostly in Northern California, but that happened later. Julian was just about first. After the prospectors came and left, Julian was mostly a ghost town. Then around 1930's or so, some investors saw an opportunity to make a little money on it's former image; started making it into a little get-a-way for Southern Californians wanting to soak in some history and get away from the everyday hubbub. So now it has lots of little B&B's with cute little names, like Prospector's Inn, Miner's Gold, etc. Also, has lots of cute little restaurants, antique shops, you know, your little tourist town. I don't say typical, because, really, it has kept a lot of it's charm and it usually isn't overrun with too many tourists, so it's - well, it's nice."
"Okay, Mr. Factoid," Buffy said laughing.
Spike always knew lots of trivia about lots of things. Guess when you're as old as Spike...she didn't know why, but all of a sudden that thought made her sad. The thought of Spike eternally looking so young, so fit, so...so beautiful! She gave him a sidelong glance. Yep, no mistaken, he definitely was beautiful. Beautiful, dangerous, old, loyal; all those things rolled into one soulful vampire that was taking her away on the only 'vacation' she could think of ever having had. In all those years, she wondered, had Spike ever been happy? Loved? She knew the answer and she swallowed a lump in her throat.
Clearing the lump from her throat, she asked him, "When will we be there?"
"About an hour," he answered.
"Okay," Buffy said, clearing her ears, as she felt the pressure from the increasing elevation. She lay her head back and closed her eyes.
Spike looked sideways at Buffy. She was so young, yet the things she'd had to do, had to learn about in so short of time, had made her much older than her counterparts. Buffy...he didn't know why, but all of a sudden that thought made him sad. The thought of Buffy having to always be on guard, be at the ready...and now...be at war. He looked at her again. She was so beautiful, but looked so tired. Besides, when she was a little girl, he wondered, had she ever been happy? Since her mother died, had she ever felt loved? He knew the answer and he swallowed a lump in his throat. He knew the truth, even though he had loved her, she hadn't allowed herself to feel it; not from him, as he had been, what he was.
He angrily pushed those thoughts away; angry at himself and concentrated on the road, vowing that he would give her the best, relaxing time he could, with none of his bullshit. This weekend, or overnight was for her and her alone.
"She what?" Giles yelled at Willow, "you let her go, with, with, SPIKE? Are you quite mad?" he went on.
"Listen, Giles, Buffy is going to be fine. I already told you that she'll be checking in regularly and I'm sure she'll be safe with Spike," Willow answered.
"Okay with Spike? You have gone mad; you and Buffy, both? You've both forgotten about what he is, what he's done," Giles said, still yelling.
"No, we haven't. In fact, if I remember correctly, seems that I had an episode of being evil myself, albeit, a much shorter one. Still, don't remember Spike ever wanting to destroy the world, as a matter of fact, he saved it when he went against Angel with Buffy a few years back," she said, losing patience.
"I don't trust Spike. I never will. He always just wants what he wants. I know, he's gone and gotten a soul, so now he's what? A wonderful person? He just did it to make Buffy forgive him, to try to win her over, and from what I've seen, it seems to be working!" Giles said, his face red with anger.
Willow looked at him for maybe the first time and saw a frustrated, older man, who after dedicating himself to the cause was at the end of his rope and not seeing anything clearly, anymore.
"So what? So what if he did do it for Buffy? I think he did it for himself, as well. But if he did do it for Buffy, what does that say about him? He's a vampire, Giles! What other vampire has ever, ever done this? Angel didn't. He was cursed and when he lost his soul again, he sure didn't want it back. When he's soulless and evil, he's all too happy to be that way. Know what else?" Willow said, on a roll now, "if Angel had a chip shoved up his brain, I think he would've found a way, or found someone else to kill Buffy. Spike could have. Spike didn't! So what if he's crazy in love and would do anything for her? Even back off and not pursue her? Which, by the way, is what he's been doing in my opinion. Again, I say so what? I, I think it's..." Willow didn't finish.
"Think it's what? Ok? Romantic? You girls and your foolish notions!" Giles said.
"Didn't think it was so foolish when it was Jenny, did you Giles?" Willow asked, knowing she was hitting a sore spot.
"Don't you ever compare Jenny to that, that thing!" Giles spat out.
"I don't think Spike is a thing, and Jenny wasn't so lily pure, herself!" Willow said.
"I'm warning you, Willow, you will not speak of Jenny that way!" Giles yelled.
"You're warning me? Warning me? When did you become my father? Or Buffy's for that matter?" Willow asked. "I think that's the problem Giles; you still look at Buffy and me as your children. Well, look around you, Giles! We're not children anymore. Buffy, surely isn't. It's not that we don't need you anymore, but just not in the way we once did. Not even Buffy. You keep talking to her and about her like she's a child! She's not! She's a young woman and she has the right to make her own choices, even if it means going away for an overnight with Spike. It's her choice, Giles. Don't you see? Unless she really felt that it wasn't absolutely in the best interest of everyone, she wouldn't have gone."
"Then why didn't' she wait until I got back to leave?" Giles asked.
"Duh! She knew you'd give her a hard time or try to talk her out of it. She didn't' want to fight. She's tired Giles; she's also so exhausted she nearly got herself killed last night by a couple of junior vamps. She went away because she hasn't been away for a day of not fighting, for over 5 years! Not one, stinking day, Giles. Can you understand that? Can you?" Willow asked.
Giles just shook his head, "No Willow, I'm afraid I can't, not when The First may attack anytime. I'm sorry, I think she's wrong and so are you," he said, turning to walk away.
"Well, I guess you're just going to have to live with those feelings then," Willow replied, as he walked away.
"Let's just hope we do live," he answered.
END OF CHAPTER 7
Willow went upstairs and Buffy got up off the cot to follow her.
Looking back at Spike, she asked, "What should I pack? Anything special?"
Spike looked at her with a raised eyebrow for half a second, then deciding against making a remark that might have her changing her mind, just said, "Bring a coat and some warm socks."
"Okay, be right back," she said starting up the stairs, then stopped. "Hey, how are we getting there?"
"Car," Spike said, "My old DeSoto."
"Where's that at?" Buffy asked.
"Well, if Clem did as I asked him to, then it's about one block from here," Spike answered.
Buffy stared at him.
"How did you know I'd go?" she asked.
"I didn't pet, just wanted to be prepared in case you did, okay? Go pack now, so we can get out of here before anyone else comes home and we have to explain or I get staked!" Spike said.
"Okay, going to pack now," Buffy said, heading upstairs for real this time.
Once upstairs, Buffy went about putting some stuff into a small suitcase. Sweaters, check. Jeans, check. Toiletries and makeup, check. Shoes, check. Undies, check. Nightgown, hmmm, shorty or longy, flannel or skimpy? Buffy paused, well, he did say it wasn't about romance, she thought, not without some sadness and regret. Moments from the past year flitted through her brain, but she pushed them aside. Doesn't really matter then, does it? Okay, variety of nightgowns just because...I don't know what I'll want to wear; er, what the temperature will be, check.
Buffy met Spike in the kitchen with suitcase in hand. Spike only had a small duffel bag and was carrying his blanket.
"Well, we're off, I guess," she said to Willow. "I'll call you when we get there."
"Have a good time you guys!" Willow said walking them to the door.
It was 4:00PM, the sun was low in the sky, but Spike still needed to protect himself, so he put the blanket over his head, after taking Buffy's suitcase from her.
"We're off," he said, "thanks Wil, for looking after things."
"No problem, Spike," she replied, as they walked down the sidewalk, "Oh, and by the way, I still think it's ROMANTIC," she said, laughing as she closed the back door.
A block later they came to the only car on Revello drive with the windows almost completely blacked out. The DeSoto. They got in.
Buffy turned to Spike, "Where have you been keeping this? I didn't even think you still had it," she said.
"Storing it with some friendly sorts. Friends of Clem," Spike answered.
"You always have had this whole secret life in this other world, that I can only begin to guess at, haven't you?" Buffy asked.
"Well, pet, yeah. I mean, most of my type are just in this other world, as you put it. Most of my type don't spend so much time with your type, unless it's to eat them," Spike said, then rolled his eyes.
Buffy giggled, "Nevermind! Just drive!" she said, then in an almost desperate whisper, "take me out of Sunnydale, please, Spike."
"The lady's wish is my command!" he replied, as he put the car into first gear and they pulled out into the road.
They drove in amiable silence for about half an hour until Spike turned the DeSoto onto I 15, South.
"Where exactly are we going," Buffy asked.
"Up near Cleveland National Forest, right on the outskirts of it, really. Up around 5,000 feet, highest point in San Diego County. Get off near Santa Ysabel, then, well, it's between there and a little berg called Julian," Spike answered.
"Oh," Buffy replied, simply.
They drove along for another hour in comfortable silence until Spike turned onto Hwy. 79, South.
"Think I heard of Julian. Do they grow apples there?" Buffy asked, "or is that somewhere else? Isn't Julian an old goldrush town?"
"Slayer! Good to know that the California educational system is working! Yeah, apples galore. Best apple growing in all of California! The really cool nights this time of year help them grow. Even snows sometimes. As good as any Washington or Michigan apples." Spike said.
"Julian was also one of the first goldrush towns in California; late 1860's. People think that the goldrush took place mostly in Northern California, but that happened later. Julian was just about first. After the prospectors came and left, Julian was mostly a ghost town. Then around 1930's or so, some investors saw an opportunity to make a little money on it's former image; started making it into a little get-a-way for Southern Californians wanting to soak in some history and get away from the everyday hubbub. So now it has lots of little B&B's with cute little names, like Prospector's Inn, Miner's Gold, etc. Also, has lots of cute little restaurants, antique shops, you know, your little tourist town. I don't say typical, because, really, it has kept a lot of it's charm and it usually isn't overrun with too many tourists, so it's - well, it's nice."
"Okay, Mr. Factoid," Buffy said laughing.
Spike always knew lots of trivia about lots of things. Guess when you're as old as Spike...she didn't know why, but all of a sudden that thought made her sad. The thought of Spike eternally looking so young, so fit, so...so beautiful! She gave him a sidelong glance. Yep, no mistaken, he definitely was beautiful. Beautiful, dangerous, old, loyal; all those things rolled into one soulful vampire that was taking her away on the only 'vacation' she could think of ever having had. In all those years, she wondered, had Spike ever been happy? Loved? She knew the answer and she swallowed a lump in her throat.
Clearing the lump from her throat, she asked him, "When will we be there?"
"About an hour," he answered.
"Okay," Buffy said, clearing her ears, as she felt the pressure from the increasing elevation. She lay her head back and closed her eyes.
Spike looked sideways at Buffy. She was so young, yet the things she'd had to do, had to learn about in so short of time, had made her much older than her counterparts. Buffy...he didn't know why, but all of a sudden that thought made him sad. The thought of Buffy having to always be on guard, be at the ready...and now...be at war. He looked at her again. She was so beautiful, but looked so tired. Besides, when she was a little girl, he wondered, had she ever been happy? Since her mother died, had she ever felt loved? He knew the answer and he swallowed a lump in his throat. He knew the truth, even though he had loved her, she hadn't allowed herself to feel it; not from him, as he had been, what he was.
He angrily pushed those thoughts away; angry at himself and concentrated on the road, vowing that he would give her the best, relaxing time he could, with none of his bullshit. This weekend, or overnight was for her and her alone.
"She what?" Giles yelled at Willow, "you let her go, with, with, SPIKE? Are you quite mad?" he went on.
"Listen, Giles, Buffy is going to be fine. I already told you that she'll be checking in regularly and I'm sure she'll be safe with Spike," Willow answered.
"Okay with Spike? You have gone mad; you and Buffy, both? You've both forgotten about what he is, what he's done," Giles said, still yelling.
"No, we haven't. In fact, if I remember correctly, seems that I had an episode of being evil myself, albeit, a much shorter one. Still, don't remember Spike ever wanting to destroy the world, as a matter of fact, he saved it when he went against Angel with Buffy a few years back," she said, losing patience.
"I don't trust Spike. I never will. He always just wants what he wants. I know, he's gone and gotten a soul, so now he's what? A wonderful person? He just did it to make Buffy forgive him, to try to win her over, and from what I've seen, it seems to be working!" Giles said, his face red with anger.
Willow looked at him for maybe the first time and saw a frustrated, older man, who after dedicating himself to the cause was at the end of his rope and not seeing anything clearly, anymore.
"So what? So what if he did do it for Buffy? I think he did it for himself, as well. But if he did do it for Buffy, what does that say about him? He's a vampire, Giles! What other vampire has ever, ever done this? Angel didn't. He was cursed and when he lost his soul again, he sure didn't want it back. When he's soulless and evil, he's all too happy to be that way. Know what else?" Willow said, on a roll now, "if Angel had a chip shoved up his brain, I think he would've found a way, or found someone else to kill Buffy. Spike could have. Spike didn't! So what if he's crazy in love and would do anything for her? Even back off and not pursue her? Which, by the way, is what he's been doing in my opinion. Again, I say so what? I, I think it's..." Willow didn't finish.
"Think it's what? Ok? Romantic? You girls and your foolish notions!" Giles said.
"Didn't think it was so foolish when it was Jenny, did you Giles?" Willow asked, knowing she was hitting a sore spot.
"Don't you ever compare Jenny to that, that thing!" Giles spat out.
"I don't think Spike is a thing, and Jenny wasn't so lily pure, herself!" Willow said.
"I'm warning you, Willow, you will not speak of Jenny that way!" Giles yelled.
"You're warning me? Warning me? When did you become my father? Or Buffy's for that matter?" Willow asked. "I think that's the problem Giles; you still look at Buffy and me as your children. Well, look around you, Giles! We're not children anymore. Buffy, surely isn't. It's not that we don't need you anymore, but just not in the way we once did. Not even Buffy. You keep talking to her and about her like she's a child! She's not! She's a young woman and she has the right to make her own choices, even if it means going away for an overnight with Spike. It's her choice, Giles. Don't you see? Unless she really felt that it wasn't absolutely in the best interest of everyone, she wouldn't have gone."
"Then why didn't' she wait until I got back to leave?" Giles asked.
"Duh! She knew you'd give her a hard time or try to talk her out of it. She didn't' want to fight. She's tired Giles; she's also so exhausted she nearly got herself killed last night by a couple of junior vamps. She went away because she hasn't been away for a day of not fighting, for over 5 years! Not one, stinking day, Giles. Can you understand that? Can you?" Willow asked.
Giles just shook his head, "No Willow, I'm afraid I can't, not when The First may attack anytime. I'm sorry, I think she's wrong and so are you," he said, turning to walk away.
"Well, I guess you're just going to have to live with those feelings then," Willow replied, as he walked away.
"Let's just hope we do live," he answered.
END OF CHAPTER 7