Chapter 6
"Day walker?" said Spike in confusion.
"Yes, it's not that hard to explain, unless of course you are wearing sun block two million," said Giles sarcastically.
"Cool," said Dawn.
"Are you hungry Spike?" asked Buffy, eyeing the thinness of his frame.
"Yeah, my tummy is a bit rumbly," said Spike.
"Dawn, go heat some blood," ordered Buffy
"Why is it always me?" she grumbled disappearing into the kitchen.
"Giles, don't you have to get dressed and go do that thing you were talking about?" asked Buffy.
Giles looked at Buffy, in confusion.
"What thing?" he finally took the hint. "Oh, that thing, shall I take Dawn along?" he asked.
"Would you?" asked Buffy.
A few minutes later Giles and Dawn were ready to leave, Dawn pouted at Buffy.
"Don't see why we have to leave just because Buffy wants to get all smoochy with Spike," said Dawn.
Buffy looked embarrassed.
"That is so not the reason why, Spike and I have things to talk about," she said.
"Come on Dawn, I'll buy you breakfast," said Giles, taking her arm and steering her towards the door.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy and Spike looked at each other, both not really sure what to say, especially after the way they had parted, the day they had defeated the first.
"I thought you were dead," she said accusingly.
"Was love, did you see what was left of Sunnydale, no one could survive that," he said.
"How'd you know what was left of Sunnydale?" she asked confused.
"Buffy, you've died a few times yourself, you know how it works, the out of body experience as you pass over, saw you, saw all of you, I finally know what you mean when you told me about that feeling of completion, it's indescribable," he said longingly.
"So why'd Angel send you here? According to him, you were beyond his help and sending you to me was a last resort," Buffy said.
"Sorry to see me?" he asked pensively.
"How can you ask that?" she replied.
He smiled in response.
"I was in a state when Angel found me, how much do you know?" asked Spike.
"I know that you were found in a sewer tunnel and worse for wear," she said.
"Yes, but do you know how I got there?" He asked.
"Kinda hoping you'd tell me," said Buffy.
"So she kept her word," said Spike.
"She who?" asked Buffy instantly feeling something akin to jealously rise in her chest.
"Fred, such a sweet girl, she's the only one I talked to when I was staying with Angel, pissed him off something rotten that I wouldn't speak," grinned Spike.
"Told her how I came back, she's quite sympathetic," he smiled fondly.
Buffy didn't want to hear anymore talk of this Fred.
"So you told her everything?" asked Buffy.
Spike looked into her eyes and held her prisoner with his luminous azure gaze.
"No, not everything, there are some things that are only meant to be shared between two people," he replied.
She realised he had steered her off the subject of his resurrection with looks and sweet words, but she didn't care, he would tell her it all when he was ready, there were more important issues to address, things she needed to know.
"Spike, I need to know this, it's important, do you still have your soul?" she asked.
Spike looked at her for a moment, before turning his head away.
"Does it matter?" he asked quietly.
She turned his head back to look at her.
"Not so much to me, but others might not feel the same way," she sighed.
Spike unbuttoned his shirt exposing part of his chest; he laid a hand on it, looking at Buffy.
"It's still all here, does not burn as much as it used to, but I can feel him, guess we've finally made some sort of peace with each other," he smiled sadly.
Buffy noticed the beginning of an ugly looking mark on his chest only slightly exposed by his open shirt.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Nothing," he said defensively
"Let me look," she insisted.
She reached out and peeled back the edges of his shirt, to reveal a star shaped brand scored into his chest.
Spike looked at her, "Courtesy of that shiny bauble, Angel gave you, looks like I came back, scars and all," he shrugged.
The tears fell softly down her cheeks.
"Hey, no crying, it will heal, I think. Come on Buffy it's not like you to go all weepy on me, well maybe it is," he said thinking.
She just cried harder, he wiped away her tears with one hand.
"Tell me what's wrong," he said.
"I should never have left you," she sobbed
"Left me as in broke up with me, or left me as in left me in the hellmouth," he joked, trying to comfort her.
"It's not funny Spike," she said.
His smile faded as he relived his final moments.
"Had to see you right Buffy, I might not have had the strength to finish it, if I hadn't known you were safe,"
"You know I almost stayed with you, don't you?" she asked.
Spike nodded.
"Couldn't do that to the nibblet, she needs you Buffy," said Spike.
"I need you Spike, it wasn't until I had to do without you, that I finally realised it. too late," she said.
"Missed having someone to cuddle up to?" he asked.
"No.Yes, but it was more than that, surely you cannot forget what I said to you, before you ordered me to leave you?" she asked.
Spike bowed his head.
"I haven't forgotten, about that Buffy, you know why I said what I said?" he asked.
"I think so, took me awhile to work it out, but I never claimed to be the sharpest pencil in the box," she smiled weakly at him.
He touched face gently.
"I missed your smile, your face, everything Buffy, I thought I'd never have the chance to look at you again," his voice broke with emotion.
"You don't have to talk about it now, rest, you look exhausted," she said gently.
Buffy rose from the bed, he caught her arm.
"Don't leave me, stay with me, I know I was out of it last night, but while I was dreaming I had the sweetest dream of my life, I could smell you, feel you all around me, it gave me the strength you once said I gave you," he asked.
"It wasn't a dream, I was here with you, I'll be here with you for as long as you need me," she said joining him back on the bed.
"How about forever?" he asked
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Andrew opened the door, he hated it when people turned up unannounced, it caused a disturbance in the force, he saw Mr Giles and Dawn standing there, by the look on Dawns face, intergalactic war had already started.
"Xander here?" asked Giles.
"Sorry, he left for work about half an hour ago," replied Andrew.
"What about Willow?" asked Giles.
"The witch is in the lounge," said Andrew nervously.
He wasn't about to admit that it scared the life out of him being left alone with the means of Warren's destruction.
"You missed out powerful 'she witch' Andrew," said Willow as she silently came up behind him.
Andrew jumped out of his skin at the sound of her voice.
"I think I'd better go check on those pancakes I'm making," said Andrew.
"Ooh, chocolate chip?" asked Dawn.
"Maybe," said Andrew.
Dawn followed him in the direction of the kitchen.
"Everything okay Giles?" asked Willow.
"Well there has been one or two developments since you left," said Giles.
"Spike, he's okay?" asked Willow.
"Let's go sit down and I'll tell you all about it," said Giles.
They went into the lounge and sat down, moments later Andrew came in with a plate of hot pancakes.
"Spikes different, he is no longer a common garden variety vampire, let's just say if he wanted to take up sunbathing, he could," said Giles.
Andrew's ears pricked up at the mention of Spike's name.
"Cool, he's like Blade or something?" asked Andrew.
"Interesting idea Andrew, I suppose in a way he is," said Giles.
"You forgot the maple syrup," said Willow, looking at him sternly.
Andrew scurried off in the kitchen to get the missing syrup.
"Willow, stop scaring the life out of the poor boy," Giles reprimanded her gently.
Andrew hastily returned with the syrup bottle and sat down in one of the corner seats, eager for news of his idol.
"I don't understand Spike being able to withstand the suns rays, it was one of the tests Angel insisted that Wes and the others carry out on him, to determine just what he was, he burned just like any other vampire would," said Willow.
"Do you think he is evolving in some way? We still don't know what the amulet might have done to him," said Giles
"True, the wearer isn't usually around to tell the tale," said Willow
"We need answers and at this moment in time Spike's the only one who can give them to us," said Giles.
Willow and Giles rose from their seats.
"Are we on the move again?" asked Dawn, her mouth full of pancakes.
"I don't suppose I could tag along for the ride?" asked Andrew hopefully.
"Don't you have Xander's dirty laundry to do?" asked Willow.
Andrew looked so dejected that she took pity on him.
"Okay, guess it will alright," sighed Willow.
Andrew grabbed his jacket, looking something like an excited puppy.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy awoke, immediately sensing something was not right, she rolled over and touched the empty space where Spike should have been. She sat up, panic clawing at her, maybe the last twenty-four hours had been a dream. She shook her head and got up from the bed.
"Spike! Spike"" she called out desperately, while searching the rooms at the same time.
There was nothing except the electrical humming of the fridge, her head snapped round as she heard the front door opening. Buffy rushed to the front door, in hopes it was Spike, deflated as she saw it was Willow, Giles and Andrew.
"Buffy? What is it?" asked Willow.
"Spike's gone," said Buffy flatly.
TBC
"Day walker?" said Spike in confusion.
"Yes, it's not that hard to explain, unless of course you are wearing sun block two million," said Giles sarcastically.
"Cool," said Dawn.
"Are you hungry Spike?" asked Buffy, eyeing the thinness of his frame.
"Yeah, my tummy is a bit rumbly," said Spike.
"Dawn, go heat some blood," ordered Buffy
"Why is it always me?" she grumbled disappearing into the kitchen.
"Giles, don't you have to get dressed and go do that thing you were talking about?" asked Buffy.
Giles looked at Buffy, in confusion.
"What thing?" he finally took the hint. "Oh, that thing, shall I take Dawn along?" he asked.
"Would you?" asked Buffy.
A few minutes later Giles and Dawn were ready to leave, Dawn pouted at Buffy.
"Don't see why we have to leave just because Buffy wants to get all smoochy with Spike," said Dawn.
Buffy looked embarrassed.
"That is so not the reason why, Spike and I have things to talk about," she said.
"Come on Dawn, I'll buy you breakfast," said Giles, taking her arm and steering her towards the door.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy and Spike looked at each other, both not really sure what to say, especially after the way they had parted, the day they had defeated the first.
"I thought you were dead," she said accusingly.
"Was love, did you see what was left of Sunnydale, no one could survive that," he said.
"How'd you know what was left of Sunnydale?" she asked confused.
"Buffy, you've died a few times yourself, you know how it works, the out of body experience as you pass over, saw you, saw all of you, I finally know what you mean when you told me about that feeling of completion, it's indescribable," he said longingly.
"So why'd Angel send you here? According to him, you were beyond his help and sending you to me was a last resort," Buffy said.
"Sorry to see me?" he asked pensively.
"How can you ask that?" she replied.
He smiled in response.
"I was in a state when Angel found me, how much do you know?" asked Spike.
"I know that you were found in a sewer tunnel and worse for wear," she said.
"Yes, but do you know how I got there?" He asked.
"Kinda hoping you'd tell me," said Buffy.
"So she kept her word," said Spike.
"She who?" asked Buffy instantly feeling something akin to jealously rise in her chest.
"Fred, such a sweet girl, she's the only one I talked to when I was staying with Angel, pissed him off something rotten that I wouldn't speak," grinned Spike.
"Told her how I came back, she's quite sympathetic," he smiled fondly.
Buffy didn't want to hear anymore talk of this Fred.
"So you told her everything?" asked Buffy.
Spike looked into her eyes and held her prisoner with his luminous azure gaze.
"No, not everything, there are some things that are only meant to be shared between two people," he replied.
She realised he had steered her off the subject of his resurrection with looks and sweet words, but she didn't care, he would tell her it all when he was ready, there were more important issues to address, things she needed to know.
"Spike, I need to know this, it's important, do you still have your soul?" she asked.
Spike looked at her for a moment, before turning his head away.
"Does it matter?" he asked quietly.
She turned his head back to look at her.
"Not so much to me, but others might not feel the same way," she sighed.
Spike unbuttoned his shirt exposing part of his chest; he laid a hand on it, looking at Buffy.
"It's still all here, does not burn as much as it used to, but I can feel him, guess we've finally made some sort of peace with each other," he smiled sadly.
Buffy noticed the beginning of an ugly looking mark on his chest only slightly exposed by his open shirt.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Nothing," he said defensively
"Let me look," she insisted.
She reached out and peeled back the edges of his shirt, to reveal a star shaped brand scored into his chest.
Spike looked at her, "Courtesy of that shiny bauble, Angel gave you, looks like I came back, scars and all," he shrugged.
The tears fell softly down her cheeks.
"Hey, no crying, it will heal, I think. Come on Buffy it's not like you to go all weepy on me, well maybe it is," he said thinking.
She just cried harder, he wiped away her tears with one hand.
"Tell me what's wrong," he said.
"I should never have left you," she sobbed
"Left me as in broke up with me, or left me as in left me in the hellmouth," he joked, trying to comfort her.
"It's not funny Spike," she said.
His smile faded as he relived his final moments.
"Had to see you right Buffy, I might not have had the strength to finish it, if I hadn't known you were safe,"
"You know I almost stayed with you, don't you?" she asked.
Spike nodded.
"Couldn't do that to the nibblet, she needs you Buffy," said Spike.
"I need you Spike, it wasn't until I had to do without you, that I finally realised it. too late," she said.
"Missed having someone to cuddle up to?" he asked.
"No.Yes, but it was more than that, surely you cannot forget what I said to you, before you ordered me to leave you?" she asked.
Spike bowed his head.
"I haven't forgotten, about that Buffy, you know why I said what I said?" he asked.
"I think so, took me awhile to work it out, but I never claimed to be the sharpest pencil in the box," she smiled weakly at him.
He touched face gently.
"I missed your smile, your face, everything Buffy, I thought I'd never have the chance to look at you again," his voice broke with emotion.
"You don't have to talk about it now, rest, you look exhausted," she said gently.
Buffy rose from the bed, he caught her arm.
"Don't leave me, stay with me, I know I was out of it last night, but while I was dreaming I had the sweetest dream of my life, I could smell you, feel you all around me, it gave me the strength you once said I gave you," he asked.
"It wasn't a dream, I was here with you, I'll be here with you for as long as you need me," she said joining him back on the bed.
"How about forever?" he asked
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Andrew opened the door, he hated it when people turned up unannounced, it caused a disturbance in the force, he saw Mr Giles and Dawn standing there, by the look on Dawns face, intergalactic war had already started.
"Xander here?" asked Giles.
"Sorry, he left for work about half an hour ago," replied Andrew.
"What about Willow?" asked Giles.
"The witch is in the lounge," said Andrew nervously.
He wasn't about to admit that it scared the life out of him being left alone with the means of Warren's destruction.
"You missed out powerful 'she witch' Andrew," said Willow as she silently came up behind him.
Andrew jumped out of his skin at the sound of her voice.
"I think I'd better go check on those pancakes I'm making," said Andrew.
"Ooh, chocolate chip?" asked Dawn.
"Maybe," said Andrew.
Dawn followed him in the direction of the kitchen.
"Everything okay Giles?" asked Willow.
"Well there has been one or two developments since you left," said Giles.
"Spike, he's okay?" asked Willow.
"Let's go sit down and I'll tell you all about it," said Giles.
They went into the lounge and sat down, moments later Andrew came in with a plate of hot pancakes.
"Spikes different, he is no longer a common garden variety vampire, let's just say if he wanted to take up sunbathing, he could," said Giles.
Andrew's ears pricked up at the mention of Spike's name.
"Cool, he's like Blade or something?" asked Andrew.
"Interesting idea Andrew, I suppose in a way he is," said Giles.
"You forgot the maple syrup," said Willow, looking at him sternly.
Andrew scurried off in the kitchen to get the missing syrup.
"Willow, stop scaring the life out of the poor boy," Giles reprimanded her gently.
Andrew hastily returned with the syrup bottle and sat down in one of the corner seats, eager for news of his idol.
"I don't understand Spike being able to withstand the suns rays, it was one of the tests Angel insisted that Wes and the others carry out on him, to determine just what he was, he burned just like any other vampire would," said Willow.
"Do you think he is evolving in some way? We still don't know what the amulet might have done to him," said Giles
"True, the wearer isn't usually around to tell the tale," said Willow
"We need answers and at this moment in time Spike's the only one who can give them to us," said Giles.
Willow and Giles rose from their seats.
"Are we on the move again?" asked Dawn, her mouth full of pancakes.
"I don't suppose I could tag along for the ride?" asked Andrew hopefully.
"Don't you have Xander's dirty laundry to do?" asked Willow.
Andrew looked so dejected that she took pity on him.
"Okay, guess it will alright," sighed Willow.
Andrew grabbed his jacket, looking something like an excited puppy.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy awoke, immediately sensing something was not right, she rolled over and touched the empty space where Spike should have been. She sat up, panic clawing at her, maybe the last twenty-four hours had been a dream. She shook her head and got up from the bed.
"Spike! Spike"" she called out desperately, while searching the rooms at the same time.
There was nothing except the electrical humming of the fridge, her head snapped round as she heard the front door opening. Buffy rushed to the front door, in hopes it was Spike, deflated as she saw it was Willow, Giles and Andrew.
"Buffy? What is it?" asked Willow.
"Spike's gone," said Buffy flatly.
TBC