Disclaimer: I own nothing… I am but a poor peasant girl who writes stories to keep her brain motivated.
Title: Tired Hearts
A/N: Hello! I'm so sorry it had taken so long to update! I have such a busy few weeks!
Had to restock the shop so it was another week of stock checks, travelling, buying, and pricing not to mention the staying up to 3am redesigning the layout of the shop with my mum. (It's our business!) Then my flat with my boyfriend finally came through so it's been non-stop! And my I just say I have never ever scrubbed such a disgusting bathroom clean before in my life! It took me two days of bleach, rubber gloves and elbow grease! Anyway I'm back now. A lady of property (Well renting) and with a lovely looking shop!
Well sorry anyway and I'll try and make it up and write a very good chapter… and thank-you to everyone who has offered to be my beta… but I wanna try and do this by myself. But once I've got this one finished I will defiantly be taking a beta up on their offer!
Spike was in shock the place was a tip. His bed was all messed up his kitchen needed to be refitted as the red dye had soaked into pine cupboards. The floor was ruined and the note had shaken him more than he wanted to admit. He had stayed around Buffy's until her mother had called. They were engaging in 'Girl' talk and he had been dismissed!
**********
Buffy listened intensively. She couldn't believe what her mom was suggesting.
"I know schools out but…" her Mom cut her short.
"…"
"But Mom! I only have…" her mother cut in once again.
"…"
"No, Spike wouldn't mind keeping a eye…"
"…"
"It doesn't matter what I say does it?" Buffy sighed.
"…"
"Alright, you win give me a time… uh huh. Yep. Ok I'll meet her then."
"…"
"Love you too Mom. Ok put Dawnie on."
************
Spike read the note once again.
"I don't understand?" he thought out loud. He looked once more onto the piece of paper that was splattered in red and wrote in jagged handwriting.
"You've spoiled her with your ways" Spike read out loud.
"I watch you be warned." Spike began to giggle uncontrollably. The thought of someone breaking into his flat with no forced entry, of ruining his kitchen, soiling his bed and leaving him a threatening note was to handle.
Spike jumped a yard when he heard the phone ringing. Slowly he picked up the receiver and listened wearily.
"Spike are you there?" Buffy's voice instantly gave him a relief. He closed his eyes and listened once again to her asking for him to answer and then realised he hadn't spoke back.
"Sorry Goldilocks." He thought he heard her cringe at his pet name for her and smiled. He wouldn't open his eyes or he would be brought back to reality.
"Spike something's happened." Her voice carried dread and Spike began to panic he re-opened his eyes and stared at his home he gasped as he looked at his leather sofa cut to pieces. He felt like sobbing. He was still paying off for that.
"What? What's happened?" the panic Spike was feeling was carried through his voice and through the receiver and into Buffy's ear.
Buffy began to feel worried, what could have happened to Spike to make him so jumpy?
"Spike what has happened?" she asked her voice dripping with concern.
"I've umm had a little visit." He hesitated. He had to tell her he knew he did. He just didn't want to frighten her.
"By who?" she questioned. She received no answer just an awkward silence.
"Spike who did you have a visit from?" she pressed further.
Spike told her everything. It fell from his mouth and an amazing rate.
Buffy was feeling all sorts of emotions. She felt frightened, exposed, worried and anger. The 'someone' they had all taken as a joke, some kid, a part time stalker, was serious. He was out to hurt and scare her and her friends. More importantly they could get into her and Spikes homes and probably any of her friends and family. Luckily she was in England and her family was in America. She felt her heart stop and her bowels drop. She let out a rather loud sigh.
"Buffy? Buffy? What's wrong… stupid question. Listen we're OK," At the moment he thought. "Buffy speak to me."
"Dawn." She whispered.
"Dawn? Your sister? What? What has happened? Buffy I'm coming round." He slammed the phone down and ran to his girlfriends flat. The door was unlocked and he walked straight in and found her still with the receiver in one hand and her other hand across her open mouth.
Gently Spike took the receiver out of her hand and shifted next to her and pulled her into an embrace. Her whole body was stiff, Spike tried to calm her down with soft endearments but still she wouldn't relax.
"Buffy talk to me." He begged.
"D…D…Dawn." She stuttered as gentle tears began to roll down her face.
"What's wrong with Dawn? Spike asked tenderly still holding her stiff body close to his, while he stared at the photo of the long brown haired beauty in question.
"Come on Buffy tell me." He begged once again. Only Buffy could make him fell this concerned for anyone. She had an effect on him. If she said something it would change his whole point of view.
"She coming." She sighed finally relaxing into the inviting hug she was in.
"What she's coming here?" Spike asked trying to keep his concern hidden. Buffy nodded into his shoulder and cried. She sobbed for nearly thirty minutes all the time Spike holding her close and stroking her back. Telling her things would be all right. That he'd phone the police.
"They'll sort it out Buffy, You know they will."
Slowly Buffy started hiccupping and her tears subsided.
"I can't stop her William. I can't, mom says she won't stop begging and in the end mom promised that in the holidays she'd let her come stay and hoped she would forget. But she didn't. And when mom tried to make an excuse why she couldn't come Dawnie went mad. She said I didn't want her and mom didn't understand. So mom gave in and I have no choice. I want her hear Spike I really do. But not now, not now with all this going on. I can't watch her all the time, and if there's a manic out there then how can I protect her?"
"We'll sort it. Remember it's not just you. There's me, Willow, Tara, Xander that newbie Faith. She'll be fine." Spike smiled and received a small one back in return. Buffy was glad of someone to be taking control of the situation. She couldn't handle this anymore, not now she wouldn't only be looking after herself.
*******
The police ransacked the place. The dusted everything in powder and took all the notes Buffy and Spike had received. They asked for things missing and Spike told them about the handcuffs, he blushed slightly and the policewoman laughed.
"Not being funny mate but what you two get up to 'ent none of my business. Now Mr Giles has there been any other instances that we are unaware of?" She motioned towards the dining table where she pulled out a pen and paper. Spike began to tell her the notes and other disturbing things that had happened to his and Buffy's friends.
"Now Mr Harris has received a note while his lady friend was sleeping and he was at work." She asked to check her facts.
"May I ask you the time and date this happened?" she asked politely as she looked at her note pad.
"Well?" Spike said thinking. "It was only yesterday midday, I think. Your really have to ask them."
"And Miss Faith. You say you haven't known her long."
"Well no but she's been on the scene with Xand for a while now. She left her boyfriend for him yesterday and now she's living with Xander." He stared into the pretty DI's eyes and smiled. A few months ago he would have jumped on her and she'd have loved it, but now he didn't even want to. He had Buffy and loved her. It was a very appealing thought that made him tingle all over. And what made it better was that in the short time that she had been here Buffy had fell in love with him to. She was his equal and considering she came here to escape men and their arrogant ways he was lucky he got a second glance.
"William." The policewoman asked once more. She noticed him jump. He was obviously in a deep trance. His eyes pierced into hers and she felt an urge to close them shut and kiss his soft lips. He was amazingly attractive and deserved to be bill boarded all around England. She also felt very jealous of the American girlfriend who lived opposite. He obviously dreamed about her and loved her dearly. Sadly she had a job to do and had to continue interviewing the extremely good-looking angular man.
"Uh, yea, sorry. Went to dream world luv." He smirked and they continued talking. By the end of the interview Detective Inspector Kelly Barker had already a list of suspects. She shook Spikes had and left the flat along with her team of guys. Out side she met the other DI interviewing Miss Elizabeth Summers.
As the two policewomen walked down the corridor the both looked at each other.
"Go on you go first." DI Barker asked the other woman.
"1st subject has to be that Faith girl" She smiled when the other woman nodded.
"Is rather suspicious how she turns up and they start receiving these notes." Kelly said waving the evidence folders in front of the other woman's nose.
"Then it has to be the ex-boyfriend." The two girls smiled once again as they read each other's mind.
"Now there's a scored to settle. Your bird runs off with a chief… would kinda hurt." She winked and they began to laugh as they stepped into the lift.
Half way down they began to chat again determine that the suspicious fellow from the café would have to be checked out and if anything else happened they'd have to stick surveillance on Buffy. She had voiced her concern on her little sister who would soon be staying for six weeks. As they walked from the lift to the front of the building Ana called them to her desk. She smiled shyly which was very unlike Anya as she handed them a letter.
"It came yesterday, Spikes told me all about the letters and when this came I didn't have the heart t give it to him," She paused for a second and suddenly continued.
"Not that I was with holding his post that is a crime, I was just trying to be a friend. She smiled again and turned to sort through some files that didn't need sorting.
The two policewomen handed it to the man with the gloves on who slowly opened it. Inside the envelope was a melted chocolate cube and a piece of paper, which was blank, as the turned the sheet over the read the message written in red dye the man nearly dropped the precious piece of paper that could hold some sort of evidence. Written in unmistakably large letters was.
She's Mine Spike
You won't make it another Week.