Description: Buffy's not feeling well, Spike won't go away, and Dawn knows
more that she should. The Scoobies lives are about to be changed forever.
Rating: R
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)
The sun was low in the California sky, painting it with a pallet of oranges, reds, and yellows. A few seagulls had flown in from the coast and were currently perched on the roof of the Sun Cinema. All of their eyes moved with Buffy as she passed them.
She'd been walking aimlessly around Sunnydale for almost half an hour. Not being able to bare going home, she visited every street.
'This isn't happening.' She thought, her body shook with fear and cold. 'It just can't happen this way. None of them will understand. I just can't deal with this right now.'
A convertible full of screaming teenagers sped past Buffy, sending a slight breeze her way. She let the wind whip her hair around, not caring anymore. All she knew was that she couldn't go home, not yet. Buffy turned down yet another darkened alley looking for anything, dead or undead, to take her mind off of the situation that awaited her at home.
"Where is she?" Willow asked, pacing back and forth across the living room.
"Honey I'm sure she'll be here any minute." Tara comforted her anxious girlfriend. "She's probably just trying to.uh."
"Spike went to find her." Dawn explained. "If anyone can get her to come back, it's Spike."
Xander looked at Dawn for a moment, noticing the way she seemed to be glowing with happiness. "Dawnster? What's up?"
"What?" Dawn jumped. "N-nothing." Dawn looked around the room and noticed that everyone was staring at her; Tara and Willow, Xander and Anya, even Giles was watching her. "What?" she asked again.
"There's nothing to discuss." Giles said rising from the couch and strolling over to the front door.
"The receptionist said." Xander started but couldn't bring himself to finish.
The awkward silence demon chose then to make its presence known. Everyone stared at each other not knowing what to say, or what to do for that matter. The tension in the room was so thick that you could wade through it.
"She'll be here." Dawn said, more to herself than anyone else. "She'll come back." But in the back of her mind, Dawn had a feeling that Buffy might not be coming back. 'This is the perfect time for her and Spike to run off. They've got kids on the way, and don't need to be in a town filled with demons and sacred duties and younger siblings.' Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but Dawn choked them back, putting forth her strong face for the Scoobies to see. She couldn't let them know that she had any doubt within her.
Spike had been out looking for almost an hour and still no sign of Buffy. He never thought of Sunnydale as a big town until he had to find one person in the endless alleyways, cemeteries, crypts, and regular supernatural haunts. It was like finding a needle in a haystack, only that would have been much simpler.
'She's ashamed.' Spike concluded as he search an alley that he was sure he had already been down. 'She's ashamed of our relationship and now she wants to hide it. Now that her mates know about her.our,' he mentally corrected himself, 'children, she's going to run and hide. Probably do something stupid and foolish.' Although he tried to suppress the feelings, Spike was becoming gradually angry at Buffy instead of worried about her. Deep down he knew that it was all just nerves but he couldn't ignore that little nagging voice in the back of his head.
'She doesn't love you. She was just using you for a good lay.' The little voice sang. Spike couldn't help but notice that the voice sounded an awful lot like Drusilla.
"She does love me." Spike said out loud. It wasn't that he was talking to anyone in particular, although a few people passing by did throw glances his way, but he needed to hear it said aloud for the reassurance on his own behalf.
'Has she ever said it?' the voice chimed in.
Spike stopped in mid step. It hit him like a ton of brick and hurt just as bad. Buffy had never admitted that she loved him. He had said it time and time again, but she had never returned the gesture. In all their time together, all the lovemaking, never once had she said it.
"Bloody hell," Spike muttered beneath his breath. "Chit's got me worked into a soddin' ponce and she doesn't even love me?"
'I told you.' The voice mocked him, laughing. Spike could almost see Dru standing in front of him laughing at him and the pathetic excuse for a demon that he had become.
Spike's spirits sunk. Everything seemed to be falling down around him. Suddenly he didn't care anymore; didn't care whether he found Buffy or not.
'She doesn't love you, so why are you chasing after her like a little lost puppy without a master. She's controlling you.' The voice squeaked, suddenly sounding very powerful; like the commanding officer of an army.
"No she doesn't." Spike said aloud. He had every intention of turning around, gathering his things and leaving town when he heard it-a baby laughing.
The sound made Spike's heart melt. He looked out the mouth of the alley to see a young couple walking down the street, the woman pushing a stroller. Spike jogged to the end of the alley and looked in the direction that the couple had disappeared.
There they were, standing in front of the Espresso Pump. The woman had picked up the baby and was holding her over her shoulder. The little girl had the biggest green eyes Spike had ever seen and a three-toothed smile to match.
If Spike's heart had been beating it would have stopped at the sight. Suddenly everything became clear. He was going to find Buffy, take her home, and be with her throughout thick and thin even if she didn't want him there.
'You're making a huge mistake.' The voice urged him. 'She'll never accept you, and what will it do to the children? Think about it!'
"Oh shut up!" Spike yelled, earning a glance from the couple and a few teenage girls passing by. The girls giggled and flashed Spike their best smiles. He took off at a dead sprint down the all but deserted street. He was going to find her whether she wanted to be found or not.
Buffy had been walking around Sunnydale for nearly an hour and half, not getting past the city limits. She knew her life would probably be a lot easier if she could just bring herself to leave town, but she couldn't. Buffy knew the minute she stepped passed that 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign; her mind would race with questions. Are her friends all right? Where could she go? What about Spike?
Turning down a side road she found herself back on Main Street. Buffy watched as Spike went running in the opposite direction that she had come.
'He's out looking for me.' She thought proudly. 'He really does care.' Without hesitation, or even another thought as to why, Buffy took off after Spike.
'What am I doing?' she thought as she rounded the corner. She could see him a block ahead of her, leather duster flying behind him. Buffy couldn't run any farther. She suddenly found herself feeling nauseous. "Spike" she screamed, hoping to catch his attention. It worked.
Spike stopped immediately. He turned around to see Buffy leaning against a building, panting. "Finally," he sighed reaching to her. "Where have you been? We've been worried sick."
"We?" Buffy asked weakly.
"Bit, the Watcher, the Wiccas, the Whelp, heck even Demon Girl was scared." Spike chuckled at the thought of Anya pacing the living room, a worried expression plastered to her face.
"I couldn't." Buffy started, but couldn't find the right words. "I just couldn't go through with this."
"Slayer," Spike started in his sympathetic voice.
"No, you don't get it." Buffy yelled, tears swelling behind her eyes. "I can't go back there Spike."
"Pet, you have to-" Spike attempted to console but Buffy pushed him away.
"No." she said strongly. "If I go back there.I'll have to face them all; all their glaring and whispering. I just can't do this."
"What do you want to do?" Spike asked her, trying to remain calm.
"Can't we just run away? To some place without slaying and without night. Where it's just a nice sunny place without responsibilities and sacred duty and the whole lot?"
"Well, if there's no night, I wouldn't last long." Spike said with a grin. Buffy couldn't help but smile. "See I knew I could at least get a grin outta ya." Spike wrapped his arms around Buffy's waist and pulled her into him. Surprisingly she didn't push back. Instead, Buffy laid her head on his shoulder and concentrated on the feeling of Spike's hand gently stroking her back. "We can't get around this on Buffy." Spike explained. "You're going to have to go home eventually. And I'll be right there by your side."
Buffy raised her head and looked up at him. "Promise?" she asked after a long pause of just looking into his eyes.
"Cross my heart, hope to die." Spike teased.
Buffy giggled and swatted his chest playfully. "You're already dead, Fang breath."
"Yeah, well," Spike laughed, "it's the thought that counts, right?"
"Yeah." Buffy said softly, laying her head back on Spike's shoulder. They stood like that for a long time; The Slayer and The Slayer of Slayers. They just held each other.
"Giles is probably worried sick." Buffy finally said after what seemed like an eternity of silence.
"No more than Bit is." Spike said pulling away from her and looking down at her face. "Shall we get you home?"
Buffy sighed, she really didn't want to face the firing squad yet, but she knew it was now or never. "We shall."
With his arm still around Buffy's waist, and her head on his shoulder, they turned and walked in the direction of Revello Drive.
Rating: R
Pairing: Buffy/Spike (did you think otherwise?)
The sun was low in the California sky, painting it with a pallet of oranges, reds, and yellows. A few seagulls had flown in from the coast and were currently perched on the roof of the Sun Cinema. All of their eyes moved with Buffy as she passed them.
She'd been walking aimlessly around Sunnydale for almost half an hour. Not being able to bare going home, she visited every street.
'This isn't happening.' She thought, her body shook with fear and cold. 'It just can't happen this way. None of them will understand. I just can't deal with this right now.'
A convertible full of screaming teenagers sped past Buffy, sending a slight breeze her way. She let the wind whip her hair around, not caring anymore. All she knew was that she couldn't go home, not yet. Buffy turned down yet another darkened alley looking for anything, dead or undead, to take her mind off of the situation that awaited her at home.
"Where is she?" Willow asked, pacing back and forth across the living room.
"Honey I'm sure she'll be here any minute." Tara comforted her anxious girlfriend. "She's probably just trying to.uh."
"Spike went to find her." Dawn explained. "If anyone can get her to come back, it's Spike."
Xander looked at Dawn for a moment, noticing the way she seemed to be glowing with happiness. "Dawnster? What's up?"
"What?" Dawn jumped. "N-nothing." Dawn looked around the room and noticed that everyone was staring at her; Tara and Willow, Xander and Anya, even Giles was watching her. "What?" she asked again.
"There's nothing to discuss." Giles said rising from the couch and strolling over to the front door.
"The receptionist said." Xander started but couldn't bring himself to finish.
The awkward silence demon chose then to make its presence known. Everyone stared at each other not knowing what to say, or what to do for that matter. The tension in the room was so thick that you could wade through it.
"She'll be here." Dawn said, more to herself than anyone else. "She'll come back." But in the back of her mind, Dawn had a feeling that Buffy might not be coming back. 'This is the perfect time for her and Spike to run off. They've got kids on the way, and don't need to be in a town filled with demons and sacred duties and younger siblings.' Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but Dawn choked them back, putting forth her strong face for the Scoobies to see. She couldn't let them know that she had any doubt within her.
Spike had been out looking for almost an hour and still no sign of Buffy. He never thought of Sunnydale as a big town until he had to find one person in the endless alleyways, cemeteries, crypts, and regular supernatural haunts. It was like finding a needle in a haystack, only that would have been much simpler.
'She's ashamed.' Spike concluded as he search an alley that he was sure he had already been down. 'She's ashamed of our relationship and now she wants to hide it. Now that her mates know about her.our,' he mentally corrected himself, 'children, she's going to run and hide. Probably do something stupid and foolish.' Although he tried to suppress the feelings, Spike was becoming gradually angry at Buffy instead of worried about her. Deep down he knew that it was all just nerves but he couldn't ignore that little nagging voice in the back of his head.
'She doesn't love you. She was just using you for a good lay.' The little voice sang. Spike couldn't help but notice that the voice sounded an awful lot like Drusilla.
"She does love me." Spike said out loud. It wasn't that he was talking to anyone in particular, although a few people passing by did throw glances his way, but he needed to hear it said aloud for the reassurance on his own behalf.
'Has she ever said it?' the voice chimed in.
Spike stopped in mid step. It hit him like a ton of brick and hurt just as bad. Buffy had never admitted that she loved him. He had said it time and time again, but she had never returned the gesture. In all their time together, all the lovemaking, never once had she said it.
"Bloody hell," Spike muttered beneath his breath. "Chit's got me worked into a soddin' ponce and she doesn't even love me?"
'I told you.' The voice mocked him, laughing. Spike could almost see Dru standing in front of him laughing at him and the pathetic excuse for a demon that he had become.
Spike's spirits sunk. Everything seemed to be falling down around him. Suddenly he didn't care anymore; didn't care whether he found Buffy or not.
'She doesn't love you, so why are you chasing after her like a little lost puppy without a master. She's controlling you.' The voice squeaked, suddenly sounding very powerful; like the commanding officer of an army.
"No she doesn't." Spike said aloud. He had every intention of turning around, gathering his things and leaving town when he heard it-a baby laughing.
The sound made Spike's heart melt. He looked out the mouth of the alley to see a young couple walking down the street, the woman pushing a stroller. Spike jogged to the end of the alley and looked in the direction that the couple had disappeared.
There they were, standing in front of the Espresso Pump. The woman had picked up the baby and was holding her over her shoulder. The little girl had the biggest green eyes Spike had ever seen and a three-toothed smile to match.
If Spike's heart had been beating it would have stopped at the sight. Suddenly everything became clear. He was going to find Buffy, take her home, and be with her throughout thick and thin even if she didn't want him there.
'You're making a huge mistake.' The voice urged him. 'She'll never accept you, and what will it do to the children? Think about it!'
"Oh shut up!" Spike yelled, earning a glance from the couple and a few teenage girls passing by. The girls giggled and flashed Spike their best smiles. He took off at a dead sprint down the all but deserted street. He was going to find her whether she wanted to be found or not.
Buffy had been walking around Sunnydale for nearly an hour and half, not getting past the city limits. She knew her life would probably be a lot easier if she could just bring herself to leave town, but she couldn't. Buffy knew the minute she stepped passed that 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign; her mind would race with questions. Are her friends all right? Where could she go? What about Spike?
Turning down a side road she found herself back on Main Street. Buffy watched as Spike went running in the opposite direction that she had come.
'He's out looking for me.' She thought proudly. 'He really does care.' Without hesitation, or even another thought as to why, Buffy took off after Spike.
'What am I doing?' she thought as she rounded the corner. She could see him a block ahead of her, leather duster flying behind him. Buffy couldn't run any farther. She suddenly found herself feeling nauseous. "Spike" she screamed, hoping to catch his attention. It worked.
Spike stopped immediately. He turned around to see Buffy leaning against a building, panting. "Finally," he sighed reaching to her. "Where have you been? We've been worried sick."
"We?" Buffy asked weakly.
"Bit, the Watcher, the Wiccas, the Whelp, heck even Demon Girl was scared." Spike chuckled at the thought of Anya pacing the living room, a worried expression plastered to her face.
"I couldn't." Buffy started, but couldn't find the right words. "I just couldn't go through with this."
"Slayer," Spike started in his sympathetic voice.
"No, you don't get it." Buffy yelled, tears swelling behind her eyes. "I can't go back there Spike."
"Pet, you have to-" Spike attempted to console but Buffy pushed him away.
"No." she said strongly. "If I go back there.I'll have to face them all; all their glaring and whispering. I just can't do this."
"What do you want to do?" Spike asked her, trying to remain calm.
"Can't we just run away? To some place without slaying and without night. Where it's just a nice sunny place without responsibilities and sacred duty and the whole lot?"
"Well, if there's no night, I wouldn't last long." Spike said with a grin. Buffy couldn't help but smile. "See I knew I could at least get a grin outta ya." Spike wrapped his arms around Buffy's waist and pulled her into him. Surprisingly she didn't push back. Instead, Buffy laid her head on his shoulder and concentrated on the feeling of Spike's hand gently stroking her back. "We can't get around this on Buffy." Spike explained. "You're going to have to go home eventually. And I'll be right there by your side."
Buffy raised her head and looked up at him. "Promise?" she asked after a long pause of just looking into his eyes.
"Cross my heart, hope to die." Spike teased.
Buffy giggled and swatted his chest playfully. "You're already dead, Fang breath."
"Yeah, well," Spike laughed, "it's the thought that counts, right?"
"Yeah." Buffy said softly, laying her head back on Spike's shoulder. They stood like that for a long time; The Slayer and The Slayer of Slayers. They just held each other.
"Giles is probably worried sick." Buffy finally said after what seemed like an eternity of silence.
"No more than Bit is." Spike said pulling away from her and looking down at her face. "Shall we get you home?"
Buffy sighed, she really didn't want to face the firing squad yet, but she knew it was now or never. "We shall."
With his arm still around Buffy's waist, and her head on his shoulder, they turned and walked in the direction of Revello Drive.
