"Look, Will, we all know Spike has helped us in the past. And I'm not
saying we could've stopped some of those apocalypses without his help,
but. I'm not going to go out of my way for the creature that has
basically tried to kill all of us at least once. And should I even
mention the whole trying to rape our friend thing?" Xander asked, as
he Willow, Dawn, and Wood sat in the school's library, a place seldom
used even after the school's remodeling.
"I'd have to agree with Xander on that one," Wood piped. "I'm all for not helping the murderous fiend."
"Well, I think we already knew your position on the subject, Wood. And I hate to add to the anti-Spike squad, but Buffy really needs to be putting her energy toward fighting the First." Willow concluded. "I mean, if Giles even knew about this"--
"How can you guys even say that?" Dawn yelled at the group. "Spike isn't some creature-feature, he's our friend. You know who almost died trying to save me from Glory? Spike. You know who allowed himself to be tortured rather than give away my identity as the key? Spike. You know who searched the world for a soul to be a better man? Spike. You know who has saved you all dozens of times in battle? Spike. And you know if any of us were in trouble, who would fight to the death in order to save us? Spike would. I know you guys have never been 'yay Spike', but he deserves better than what you guys are giving him. He's one of us, and if he's in pain, we're going to help him. Understood?" Dawn lectured, taking a deep breath and releasing it. Man, she sounded way too much like her sister.
"I'm guessing the vampire-loving gene runs in the family," Wood muttered to no one in particular.
Willow faced Dawn, in apology. "Dawny, you're right, Spike's been more than a good friend to us, but don't you think with the First around, that focusing our energy elsewhere isn't such a good idea?"
"But doesn't Spike's whole dream-haunting-thingy have to do with the First? I mean, similar things happened to Angel years ago, and it was the First. I just thought that the two were connected. Didn't you guys?" Dawn responded.
Willow and Xander stared at each other; the thought that Spike's dreams and the First were connected obviously hadn't even crossed their minds.
Willow's mind was beginning to shoot ideas everywhere. "Xander, Wood, start cracking the books. Look up anything dealing with haunted nightmares, dream deception, etc. Dawn, google up everything you can about the Bringers. They were what caused Angel to have those visions of the people he killed. I'm going to call Angel. If the First is actually involved in Spike's dreams, he's in for a hell of a ride.
***
"So she said she was haunting to let you know who you really are?" Buffy questioned Spike, as she drew a wet cloth down the side of his face gently, realizing he was still quite shaken. "God Spike, you have the strangest taste in women!" Buffy added, trying to lighten the mood by setting herself up for one of Spike's lame come backs.
But he said nothing in response. Instead, he remained silent and still, wishing the pain he was feeling would leave. He wasn't aching from the memory of knives in his skin, but from another. His soul knew he had done something awful to Laney, and although he had yet to know how he pained her, he was already in deep heartache.
Buffy watched him quietly for what seemed like hours. He didn't move and she didn't leave him. But when she saw a single tear finally escape Spike's eye, she leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. She held him in her arms and she wished she could do more. She wished she could tell him how she felt about him. But how could she, when she herself didn't know? So she did the only thing she could think of for the time being: "Shh, Spike, it's okay. I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you." She whispered this tenderly yet firmly into his ear.
Buffy's voice brought Spike back to reality. He felt her arms around him and closed his eyes, taking in the gesture of affection. God, he loved her. Even when everything in his unlife went terribly wrong, Spike could always count on Buffy to be there for him. He wanted more than anything to take comfort in her. He wanted to forget Laney, the past, and most especially the future. He was with Buffy now. And she would make everything right. She always did.
Buffy noticed a slight change in Spike's demeanor. He turned his head and looked deep into her hazel eyes. They stared into each other's souls, and for a moment they shared a silence that spoke what their voices could not.
And when he turned his head toward her, looked deep into her eyes, and kissed her fully on the mouth, she found herself not resisting.
"I'd have to agree with Xander on that one," Wood piped. "I'm all for not helping the murderous fiend."
"Well, I think we already knew your position on the subject, Wood. And I hate to add to the anti-Spike squad, but Buffy really needs to be putting her energy toward fighting the First." Willow concluded. "I mean, if Giles even knew about this"--
"How can you guys even say that?" Dawn yelled at the group. "Spike isn't some creature-feature, he's our friend. You know who almost died trying to save me from Glory? Spike. You know who allowed himself to be tortured rather than give away my identity as the key? Spike. You know who searched the world for a soul to be a better man? Spike. You know who has saved you all dozens of times in battle? Spike. And you know if any of us were in trouble, who would fight to the death in order to save us? Spike would. I know you guys have never been 'yay Spike', but he deserves better than what you guys are giving him. He's one of us, and if he's in pain, we're going to help him. Understood?" Dawn lectured, taking a deep breath and releasing it. Man, she sounded way too much like her sister.
"I'm guessing the vampire-loving gene runs in the family," Wood muttered to no one in particular.
Willow faced Dawn, in apology. "Dawny, you're right, Spike's been more than a good friend to us, but don't you think with the First around, that focusing our energy elsewhere isn't such a good idea?"
"But doesn't Spike's whole dream-haunting-thingy have to do with the First? I mean, similar things happened to Angel years ago, and it was the First. I just thought that the two were connected. Didn't you guys?" Dawn responded.
Willow and Xander stared at each other; the thought that Spike's dreams and the First were connected obviously hadn't even crossed their minds.
Willow's mind was beginning to shoot ideas everywhere. "Xander, Wood, start cracking the books. Look up anything dealing with haunted nightmares, dream deception, etc. Dawn, google up everything you can about the Bringers. They were what caused Angel to have those visions of the people he killed. I'm going to call Angel. If the First is actually involved in Spike's dreams, he's in for a hell of a ride.
***
"So she said she was haunting to let you know who you really are?" Buffy questioned Spike, as she drew a wet cloth down the side of his face gently, realizing he was still quite shaken. "God Spike, you have the strangest taste in women!" Buffy added, trying to lighten the mood by setting herself up for one of Spike's lame come backs.
But he said nothing in response. Instead, he remained silent and still, wishing the pain he was feeling would leave. He wasn't aching from the memory of knives in his skin, but from another. His soul knew he had done something awful to Laney, and although he had yet to know how he pained her, he was already in deep heartache.
Buffy watched him quietly for what seemed like hours. He didn't move and she didn't leave him. But when she saw a single tear finally escape Spike's eye, she leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. She held him in her arms and she wished she could do more. She wished she could tell him how she felt about him. But how could she, when she herself didn't know? So she did the only thing she could think of for the time being: "Shh, Spike, it's okay. I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you." She whispered this tenderly yet firmly into his ear.
Buffy's voice brought Spike back to reality. He felt her arms around him and closed his eyes, taking in the gesture of affection. God, he loved her. Even when everything in his unlife went terribly wrong, Spike could always count on Buffy to be there for him. He wanted more than anything to take comfort in her. He wanted to forget Laney, the past, and most especially the future. He was with Buffy now. And she would make everything right. She always did.
Buffy noticed a slight change in Spike's demeanor. He turned his head and looked deep into her hazel eyes. They stared into each other's souls, and for a moment they shared a silence that spoke what their voices could not.
And when he turned his head toward her, looked deep into her eyes, and kissed her fully on the mouth, she found herself not resisting.