Spike watched her as she left him, her moonlit hair bouncing over his black
duster. His heart sank thinking about how unhappy she was. He figured he
should follow her home, make sure she made it safe. She didn't seem like
she was too keen or focused right now. 'Just hang back a little, won't do
any harm.' So Spike followed her home. Watched her amble slowly down the
streets. Wondered what she was thinking. Her mind was elsewhere, that
much was obvious. In the cemetery, a fledgling vamp got within 10 yards of
her and she never even noticed. Spike quietly dusted him with a stake
through the back, wondering if he should try to get Buffy to pay more
attention. But he decided he'd just let her walk. He'd be her protector
tonight, and for as long as she needed.
Buffy knew Spike was following her. But it gave her less of a stalker feeling than it did before she died. It made her feel safe. He wasn't as stealthy as he thought he was, especially when he killed the other vampire that had noticed her meandering through the graveyard. She heard him chuckle quietly and say "wanker" after the vamp dusted. She couldn't help but smile. Buffy had noticed the vamp too, but she knew Spike had her back. And she didn't feel like killing, not tonight. She was still feeling wrapped up in peace and love, and she knew it would be fleeting. She didn't want any violence tonight. Let Spike play the hero, she was tired of it.
As she approached her front porch, Spike slipped in behind his favorite Buffy-watching tree. He heard her unlock the door and open it. Before it shut, he heard a quiet, "Good night, Spike." Spike chuckled and shook his head. Either he wasn't as good as he thought he was, or she wasn't as off her game as he thought she was. He headed back to his crypt feeling more upbeat than he had in months. 'Maybe she's going to be ok, after all.'
Buffy sighed as she walked into the living room. She saw the journal lying in the floor where she had tossed it in her desperate hurry to go...do what? Kill Spike? She didn't even feel like confronting him about it. She didn't want to think about the possibility that after Spike followed her home he went lurking in alleys to lure someone into being his dinner. 'No! Just stop it. Don't be the Slayer right now. Just be Buffy. Just a regular girl who visited a very nice friend.' Buffy knelt down and picked up the book. She considered reading further, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know what was in there. It was either Spike telling of his new killing spree, or more of him being torn up about her death. Neither of which she was in the mood for. She slipped the book back into the duster pocket and sat on the couch.
Buffy decided she should see if she missed anything while she was so busy experiencing indescribable bliss. She turned on the tv and flipped through the channels. Infomercials, televangelists, all night news...nope, she hadn't missed a thing. At least her friends had been considerate enough to pay her cable bill while she was dead. But they were always planning for her return. 'Probably before I was even in heaven, they were getting ready to yank me out.' Buffy tried to not think so negatively, she really did. But it was nearly impossible. She also tried not to think about being in such a happy, peaceful place. Instead, she tried to focus on what good she had known before she died. "Hmm..Dad left, Angel left, Riley left, Mom left. Now Giles is gone. All the good things in my life left me. Except my friends, they never left. But they wouldn't let me stay gone either. Now I can understand why everyone leaves this place. Or do they just leave me?' Buffy sighed and stretched out on the couch. 'Too much to think about. Just deal with it later. Deal with it all later.'
Buffy woke to the sound of the front door opening. She sat up with a slightly foggy head.
"Buffy? Hey! We just thought we'd come over and see how you were doing. I know you said you'd call us, but we've been kind of worried." Willow was giving a cautious smile.
Buffy smiled back. "No, it's ok, Will. I'm fine. I'm going to go shower. Then maybe we can go to the Magic Box? You guys can catch me up on all the goings on since I've been...gone."
Willow smiled brightly. "Yeah! That's a great idea. It's about 9, we'll grab some donuts on the way over."
"Sounds great. I'll be down in a few minutes." Buffy trudged up the stairs. She was going to have to make an effort. Maybe if she initiated some contact, they would get off her back. She could buy herself some alone time.
She was greeted with hugs all around when she arrived. Xander had taken a few hours off from work again once he heard Buffy was getting out and about. They all sat around the table talking about the latest Scooby news. All except for Anya, who continued with the business of making money. It seems that Giles had left only two weeks ago, and since then Tara had been working part time at the shop to help out. She and Willow were taking some summer classes at UC Sunnydale. Willow had the smarty-pants scholarships, so she didn't have to worry about working. Buffy could tell that there was a little tension with Willow and Tara over that topic, and possibly other things, but she didn't push it. Xander was doing well in his construction work. He had just begun telling her an incredibly boring story about one of his crewmen when she saw him look past her. His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. Buffy turned to see what he was looking at. Spike. Buffy couldn't help but smile, and Spike noticed her just as she did. She stood up and started walking toward him, but Xander brushed passed her.
"Hey, Evil Dead, I thought I told you you can't just drop in here whenever you want. I'm boarding up that entrance in the basement tonight. Anya doesn't like you here, and you know it!"
Anya jumped between the two. "I *said* I didn't like him here when he was drunk and just trying to steal things." Spike looked a little sheepish. "But, since he doesn't look drunk this time, and I'm assuming he has money.." Anya raised her eyebrows at him. Spike held up two twenty dollar bills. "Then I don't have a problem with sober paying customers! What can I get ya, Spike?"
"Uh, just some burber weed. And some more of those little tealights, if you got 'em." Spike looked up at Buffy and she was blushing. He smiled at her like she was the most wonderful thing in the world. He was shaken out of his momentary bliss when Xander shoved him.
"Hey, don't even think about it. Just because she's back and she was insane enough to let you stay with her the other night doesn't mean you can go back to your sick, twisted Buffy fetish." Xander had him by the lapels of his button up shirt and was right in his face.
Buffy could see Spike's jaw working overtime. His fists were clenching and unclenching. She thought momentarily that she should stop Spike before he decked Xander, but she really didn't want to. She felt bad for thinking it, but she wasn't very concerned about Xander's feelings right now. Then she realized that Xander didn't know about the chip. He couldn't, or he would never do this to Spike. 'Oh, Xan, you're gonna find out in a big way in a couple of seconds.' But Spike never moved. He stood there for Xander's whole tirade and never did a thing against him. Finally, Tara moved in to break up the men, and Xander just walked back to the table shaking his head.
Buffy saw a little tremor move through Spike, but then he calmed himself down and turned to the counter. He paid for his things and headed to the basement. Buffy caught up with him before he reached the door.
"What was that? You never take Xander's crap like that. Things really have changed."
Spike furrowed his brow, "What would you have me do, luv?"
Buffy was confused. Why wasn't Spike knocking Xander across the room? "Well, I don't know. You usually have *some* rude remark for him."
"Look, you just got back from the beyond, I didn't think you needed a big argument at this point. Because I'd argue with Xander, the witches would try to calm everyone down, Xander would argue with them, and Anya would yell at us all for disrupting her business. Trust me, it's been a staple of Scooby life since you've been gone."
"Oh, so you're a Scooby now? Things really *do* change!" Buffy gave him a teasing smile.
"NO, I am most certainly *not* a Scooby, I just meant...ah, bugger. I'm going home."
Buffy put her hand on his arm. "You up for patrolling tonight?"
Spike gave her a grin, "I am if you are, but like I said, don't rush anything."
"I won't," Buffy smiled, sincerely hoping she wasn't.
Buffy knew Spike was following her. But it gave her less of a stalker feeling than it did before she died. It made her feel safe. He wasn't as stealthy as he thought he was, especially when he killed the other vampire that had noticed her meandering through the graveyard. She heard him chuckle quietly and say "wanker" after the vamp dusted. She couldn't help but smile. Buffy had noticed the vamp too, but she knew Spike had her back. And she didn't feel like killing, not tonight. She was still feeling wrapped up in peace and love, and she knew it would be fleeting. She didn't want any violence tonight. Let Spike play the hero, she was tired of it.
As she approached her front porch, Spike slipped in behind his favorite Buffy-watching tree. He heard her unlock the door and open it. Before it shut, he heard a quiet, "Good night, Spike." Spike chuckled and shook his head. Either he wasn't as good as he thought he was, or she wasn't as off her game as he thought she was. He headed back to his crypt feeling more upbeat than he had in months. 'Maybe she's going to be ok, after all.'
Buffy sighed as she walked into the living room. She saw the journal lying in the floor where she had tossed it in her desperate hurry to go...do what? Kill Spike? She didn't even feel like confronting him about it. She didn't want to think about the possibility that after Spike followed her home he went lurking in alleys to lure someone into being his dinner. 'No! Just stop it. Don't be the Slayer right now. Just be Buffy. Just a regular girl who visited a very nice friend.' Buffy knelt down and picked up the book. She considered reading further, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know what was in there. It was either Spike telling of his new killing spree, or more of him being torn up about her death. Neither of which she was in the mood for. She slipped the book back into the duster pocket and sat on the couch.
Buffy decided she should see if she missed anything while she was so busy experiencing indescribable bliss. She turned on the tv and flipped through the channels. Infomercials, televangelists, all night news...nope, she hadn't missed a thing. At least her friends had been considerate enough to pay her cable bill while she was dead. But they were always planning for her return. 'Probably before I was even in heaven, they were getting ready to yank me out.' Buffy tried to not think so negatively, she really did. But it was nearly impossible. She also tried not to think about being in such a happy, peaceful place. Instead, she tried to focus on what good she had known before she died. "Hmm..Dad left, Angel left, Riley left, Mom left. Now Giles is gone. All the good things in my life left me. Except my friends, they never left. But they wouldn't let me stay gone either. Now I can understand why everyone leaves this place. Or do they just leave me?' Buffy sighed and stretched out on the couch. 'Too much to think about. Just deal with it later. Deal with it all later.'
Buffy woke to the sound of the front door opening. She sat up with a slightly foggy head.
"Buffy? Hey! We just thought we'd come over and see how you were doing. I know you said you'd call us, but we've been kind of worried." Willow was giving a cautious smile.
Buffy smiled back. "No, it's ok, Will. I'm fine. I'm going to go shower. Then maybe we can go to the Magic Box? You guys can catch me up on all the goings on since I've been...gone."
Willow smiled brightly. "Yeah! That's a great idea. It's about 9, we'll grab some donuts on the way over."
"Sounds great. I'll be down in a few minutes." Buffy trudged up the stairs. She was going to have to make an effort. Maybe if she initiated some contact, they would get off her back. She could buy herself some alone time.
She was greeted with hugs all around when she arrived. Xander had taken a few hours off from work again once he heard Buffy was getting out and about. They all sat around the table talking about the latest Scooby news. All except for Anya, who continued with the business of making money. It seems that Giles had left only two weeks ago, and since then Tara had been working part time at the shop to help out. She and Willow were taking some summer classes at UC Sunnydale. Willow had the smarty-pants scholarships, so she didn't have to worry about working. Buffy could tell that there was a little tension with Willow and Tara over that topic, and possibly other things, but she didn't push it. Xander was doing well in his construction work. He had just begun telling her an incredibly boring story about one of his crewmen when she saw him look past her. His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. Buffy turned to see what he was looking at. Spike. Buffy couldn't help but smile, and Spike noticed her just as she did. She stood up and started walking toward him, but Xander brushed passed her.
"Hey, Evil Dead, I thought I told you you can't just drop in here whenever you want. I'm boarding up that entrance in the basement tonight. Anya doesn't like you here, and you know it!"
Anya jumped between the two. "I *said* I didn't like him here when he was drunk and just trying to steal things." Spike looked a little sheepish. "But, since he doesn't look drunk this time, and I'm assuming he has money.." Anya raised her eyebrows at him. Spike held up two twenty dollar bills. "Then I don't have a problem with sober paying customers! What can I get ya, Spike?"
"Uh, just some burber weed. And some more of those little tealights, if you got 'em." Spike looked up at Buffy and she was blushing. He smiled at her like she was the most wonderful thing in the world. He was shaken out of his momentary bliss when Xander shoved him.
"Hey, don't even think about it. Just because she's back and she was insane enough to let you stay with her the other night doesn't mean you can go back to your sick, twisted Buffy fetish." Xander had him by the lapels of his button up shirt and was right in his face.
Buffy could see Spike's jaw working overtime. His fists were clenching and unclenching. She thought momentarily that she should stop Spike before he decked Xander, but she really didn't want to. She felt bad for thinking it, but she wasn't very concerned about Xander's feelings right now. Then she realized that Xander didn't know about the chip. He couldn't, or he would never do this to Spike. 'Oh, Xan, you're gonna find out in a big way in a couple of seconds.' But Spike never moved. He stood there for Xander's whole tirade and never did a thing against him. Finally, Tara moved in to break up the men, and Xander just walked back to the table shaking his head.
Buffy saw a little tremor move through Spike, but then he calmed himself down and turned to the counter. He paid for his things and headed to the basement. Buffy caught up with him before he reached the door.
"What was that? You never take Xander's crap like that. Things really have changed."
Spike furrowed his brow, "What would you have me do, luv?"
Buffy was confused. Why wasn't Spike knocking Xander across the room? "Well, I don't know. You usually have *some* rude remark for him."
"Look, you just got back from the beyond, I didn't think you needed a big argument at this point. Because I'd argue with Xander, the witches would try to calm everyone down, Xander would argue with them, and Anya would yell at us all for disrupting her business. Trust me, it's been a staple of Scooby life since you've been gone."
"Oh, so you're a Scooby now? Things really *do* change!" Buffy gave him a teasing smile.
"NO, I am most certainly *not* a Scooby, I just meant...ah, bugger. I'm going home."
Buffy put her hand on his arm. "You up for patrolling tonight?"
Spike gave her a grin, "I am if you are, but like I said, don't rush anything."
"I won't," Buffy smiled, sincerely hoping she wasn't.
