Chapter 15
They drove the rest of the day without stops, and as night fell it was Spike's turn to take the wheel again, Spike took over from Xander, Xander was on shorter shifts than the rest of them as his remaining eye got tired a lot quicker. Spike couldn't help, but look at Xander and blame himself for the loss of his eye, if only he'd been a little bit quicker.
Xander caught a look on Spike's face, one he knew well as he'd seen it on Buffy's face a hundred times.
"Stop it," said Xander
"Stop what?" asked Spike innocently.
"Beating yourself up over this," said Xander touching his eye patch.
Spike smiled wryly.
"I chose to go fight the forces of evil myself, I didn't see it like that at the time, but I was one of the lucky ones, I got out of it with my life, besides it was you who stopped him from getting the other one," said Xander
"That's one way of looking at it I suppose," said Spike.
"And hell, if they decide to make a sequel to 'Pirates of the Caribbean' I could always audition as an extra," said Xander.
Spike couldn't help, but smile to himself, Xander even with his disability was still the same old Xander, with the inappropriate humour. Buffy leaned forward and put her arms around Spike's neck.
"Do you want to make us crash pet?" asked Spike.
Buffy quickly kissed his cheek before removing her arms.
"Am I sitting in your seat?" asked Xander turning round to look at her.
"Yeah kinda, do you mind?" she asked Smiling at him.
"No, I need to get some shut eye, quite literally," said Xander wryly.
He climbed over the seat into the back and Buffy sat down next to Spike.
"So you're my designated companion for the evening then?" Spike asked.
"Of course, try getting rid of me," she said, resting a hand on his thigh.
"Dinner smells good, what's Andrew cooking up?" asked Spike.
"Dawn's helping him, so it's bound to be something weird, hope I don't have to do any cooking, my skills in the kitchen are non existent," giggled Buffy.
"It's not your cooking skills I lo.want you for," said Spike.
He frowned to himself, he'd been about to say love, but for some reason he'd held back. She must know how much he loved her, he'd said it with his eyes and hands a thousand times, it had been on the tip of his tongue as many times as that, since he'd been back. She had not said the words either; it was if they were both waiting for something. The moment passed, but both remained silent for a while. Buffy absentmindedly stroked his thigh, deep in thought.
"Buffy," Spike said.
"Huh?" she replied, snapping out of her daydream.
Spike looked down, her eyes followed, seeing his evident arousal.
"Sorry," she said blushing.
"Wouldn't mind under normal circumstances, but we have an audience of five," said Spike.
"Would you settle for an arm around you," asked Buffy.
"Nice, but the minute that lot go to sleep," said Spike.
"Promises, promises, and a little wishful thinking, the amount of coffee some of them have been swallowing, don't think there's much chance of that," said Buffy wistfully.
"Yeah, I guess we should shelve our love life for now, this time tomorrow we will be back at the crater formerly known as Sunnydale," said Spike.
Spike switched on the radio, it was gonna be another long night.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Would you look at that, we just entered Denver, always wanted to see the Rocky Mountains," said Spike.
Buffy remained silent, he smiled fondly as he glanced down at her, she was fast asleep, her head resting against his shoulder. He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. A quick glance in the back soon told him that every one else was asleep except for Giles, who had his head in a book. He looked up.
"Sorry, did you say something?" enquired Giles.
"Just said we're in Denver now," said Spike.
"Good, we're making excellent progress, don't exceed the speed limit though, don't want us getting pulled over," said Giles.
"No that would definatley not be of the good," said Spike.
"I just hope you both know what you're doing," said Giles.
"You mean being together?" asked Spike.
Spike had still had a grudging respect for Buffy's former watcher, even after all he'd tried to do to him, he decided not to read Giles's mind as it was probably so boring it might make Spike fall asleep at the wheel.
"Well yes, I am just worried that if this all falls apart, I will be left picking up the pieces like before, and believe me it wasn't pretty, it still wasn't pretty three months later, when you showed up again, but she is happy," Giles admitted.
"Well you'd better put your thinking cap on and find something in one of your bloody books then, I am putting my trust in you Rupes," said Spike.
Giles smiled to himself, things were a long way from being perfect between him and Spike, but his trusting Giles's abilities was a start.
"Well you'd better stop 'bloody' talking to me then," said Giles.
Spike smiled as he saw Giles's expression in the driver's mirror that was when he saw his own blue eyes looking back at him for the first time in over a hundred years.
Spike was so startled that he put the brakes on, if he hadn't put out a restraining arm Buffy, she would have fallen on the floor of the van, as it was Willow and Dawn fell off the bed on top of each other.
"Where am I?" asked Dawn, momentarily confused.
"Currently underneath me," said Willow as she scrambled off of Dawn.
"Don't say we have another flat," said Xander sleepily.
"No," said Spike.
Buffy stretched out and yawned, instantly alert at Spike's expression.
"What's so interesting in the driving mirror?" asked Buffy.
Spike turned it slightly.
"Oh!" said Buffy startled by Spike's reflection.
"And this is why we stopped, what's the big?" asked Dawn.
"He hasn't seen his reflection in over a century, bound to give a fellow a shock," said Giles.
Spike turned round in the driving seat.
"Does anyone have a bigger mirror?" asked Spike.
"I do", piped up Andrew.
Dawn arched an eyebrow at Andrew as he went over to his bags and took out a mirror; he caught the look on Dawn's face.
"For shaving," he said defensively.
"Oh, you mean those two hairs that grow on your chin," replied Dawn.
Andrew ignored him and passed the mirror to Spike.
"Thanks Andrew," said Spike.
Spike stared at his reflection silently for several moments.
"Spike, you look very nice, but we're wasting time here," said Buffy.
Spike woke from his daydream, looking at Buffy, he noticed for the first time, how scared she looked.
"What is it pet?" he asked
"As if you need ask," she said angrily, getting out of her seat and slamming out of the van.
Spike followed her, Dawn got up to check if her sister was okay, but Willow put a restraining arm out to stop her.
"Leave her Dawn, they need to talk," said Willow.
Dawn lay down on the bed again, why did her sister always get all the hot guys. She was seventeen and never really been out on a proper date, unless you counted her slut fest with AJ or that guy who had turned out to be a vamp. Dawn sighed, after being cooped up in here for nearly two days, hell even Andrew was starting to look tempting.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy stood on the side of the road, her arms folded as she stared out in to the darkness, Spike came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, she pulled out of them and walked a couple of steps away from him, he stepped out in front of her, and put his finger under her chin, so she would look at him. He was surprised to see tears shimmering in her eyes, his lips touched each wet trail, turned silver by the moonlight.
He couldn't just smell her fear; he could feel it.
"Hold me Spike, I am sorry I walked away from you just then," she said.
Spike held her in the warmth of his embrace, warmth and Spike seemed an alien word to her, it was just one of the many changes he had been going through.
"Buffy," he started, but she cut him off.
"No, I don't want to talk, just hold me, and let's pray that tomorrow takes care of it's self," she sighed.
Spike kissed the top of her hair, they were both lost in their own little world until they were shaken from it, by the blaring of the horn from the RV. They both turned to see Andrew sitting in the drivers seat with a huge grin on his face.
"If he thinks for one moment that he's actually going to be allowed to drive, he's sadly mistaken," said Spike.
TBC
They drove the rest of the day without stops, and as night fell it was Spike's turn to take the wheel again, Spike took over from Xander, Xander was on shorter shifts than the rest of them as his remaining eye got tired a lot quicker. Spike couldn't help, but look at Xander and blame himself for the loss of his eye, if only he'd been a little bit quicker.
Xander caught a look on Spike's face, one he knew well as he'd seen it on Buffy's face a hundred times.
"Stop it," said Xander
"Stop what?" asked Spike innocently.
"Beating yourself up over this," said Xander touching his eye patch.
Spike smiled wryly.
"I chose to go fight the forces of evil myself, I didn't see it like that at the time, but I was one of the lucky ones, I got out of it with my life, besides it was you who stopped him from getting the other one," said Xander
"That's one way of looking at it I suppose," said Spike.
"And hell, if they decide to make a sequel to 'Pirates of the Caribbean' I could always audition as an extra," said Xander.
Spike couldn't help, but smile to himself, Xander even with his disability was still the same old Xander, with the inappropriate humour. Buffy leaned forward and put her arms around Spike's neck.
"Do you want to make us crash pet?" asked Spike.
Buffy quickly kissed his cheek before removing her arms.
"Am I sitting in your seat?" asked Xander turning round to look at her.
"Yeah kinda, do you mind?" she asked Smiling at him.
"No, I need to get some shut eye, quite literally," said Xander wryly.
He climbed over the seat into the back and Buffy sat down next to Spike.
"So you're my designated companion for the evening then?" Spike asked.
"Of course, try getting rid of me," she said, resting a hand on his thigh.
"Dinner smells good, what's Andrew cooking up?" asked Spike.
"Dawn's helping him, so it's bound to be something weird, hope I don't have to do any cooking, my skills in the kitchen are non existent," giggled Buffy.
"It's not your cooking skills I lo.want you for," said Spike.
He frowned to himself, he'd been about to say love, but for some reason he'd held back. She must know how much he loved her, he'd said it with his eyes and hands a thousand times, it had been on the tip of his tongue as many times as that, since he'd been back. She had not said the words either; it was if they were both waiting for something. The moment passed, but both remained silent for a while. Buffy absentmindedly stroked his thigh, deep in thought.
"Buffy," Spike said.
"Huh?" she replied, snapping out of her daydream.
Spike looked down, her eyes followed, seeing his evident arousal.
"Sorry," she said blushing.
"Wouldn't mind under normal circumstances, but we have an audience of five," said Spike.
"Would you settle for an arm around you," asked Buffy.
"Nice, but the minute that lot go to sleep," said Spike.
"Promises, promises, and a little wishful thinking, the amount of coffee some of them have been swallowing, don't think there's much chance of that," said Buffy wistfully.
"Yeah, I guess we should shelve our love life for now, this time tomorrow we will be back at the crater formerly known as Sunnydale," said Spike.
Spike switched on the radio, it was gonna be another long night.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Would you look at that, we just entered Denver, always wanted to see the Rocky Mountains," said Spike.
Buffy remained silent, he smiled fondly as he glanced down at her, she was fast asleep, her head resting against his shoulder. He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. A quick glance in the back soon told him that every one else was asleep except for Giles, who had his head in a book. He looked up.
"Sorry, did you say something?" enquired Giles.
"Just said we're in Denver now," said Spike.
"Good, we're making excellent progress, don't exceed the speed limit though, don't want us getting pulled over," said Giles.
"No that would definatley not be of the good," said Spike.
"I just hope you both know what you're doing," said Giles.
"You mean being together?" asked Spike.
Spike had still had a grudging respect for Buffy's former watcher, even after all he'd tried to do to him, he decided not to read Giles's mind as it was probably so boring it might make Spike fall asleep at the wheel.
"Well yes, I am just worried that if this all falls apart, I will be left picking up the pieces like before, and believe me it wasn't pretty, it still wasn't pretty three months later, when you showed up again, but she is happy," Giles admitted.
"Well you'd better put your thinking cap on and find something in one of your bloody books then, I am putting my trust in you Rupes," said Spike.
Giles smiled to himself, things were a long way from being perfect between him and Spike, but his trusting Giles's abilities was a start.
"Well you'd better stop 'bloody' talking to me then," said Giles.
Spike smiled as he saw Giles's expression in the driver's mirror that was when he saw his own blue eyes looking back at him for the first time in over a hundred years.
Spike was so startled that he put the brakes on, if he hadn't put out a restraining arm Buffy, she would have fallen on the floor of the van, as it was Willow and Dawn fell off the bed on top of each other.
"Where am I?" asked Dawn, momentarily confused.
"Currently underneath me," said Willow as she scrambled off of Dawn.
"Don't say we have another flat," said Xander sleepily.
"No," said Spike.
Buffy stretched out and yawned, instantly alert at Spike's expression.
"What's so interesting in the driving mirror?" asked Buffy.
Spike turned it slightly.
"Oh!" said Buffy startled by Spike's reflection.
"And this is why we stopped, what's the big?" asked Dawn.
"He hasn't seen his reflection in over a century, bound to give a fellow a shock," said Giles.
Spike turned round in the driving seat.
"Does anyone have a bigger mirror?" asked Spike.
"I do", piped up Andrew.
Dawn arched an eyebrow at Andrew as he went over to his bags and took out a mirror; he caught the look on Dawn's face.
"For shaving," he said defensively.
"Oh, you mean those two hairs that grow on your chin," replied Dawn.
Andrew ignored him and passed the mirror to Spike.
"Thanks Andrew," said Spike.
Spike stared at his reflection silently for several moments.
"Spike, you look very nice, but we're wasting time here," said Buffy.
Spike woke from his daydream, looking at Buffy, he noticed for the first time, how scared she looked.
"What is it pet?" he asked
"As if you need ask," she said angrily, getting out of her seat and slamming out of the van.
Spike followed her, Dawn got up to check if her sister was okay, but Willow put a restraining arm out to stop her.
"Leave her Dawn, they need to talk," said Willow.
Dawn lay down on the bed again, why did her sister always get all the hot guys. She was seventeen and never really been out on a proper date, unless you counted her slut fest with AJ or that guy who had turned out to be a vamp. Dawn sighed, after being cooped up in here for nearly two days, hell even Andrew was starting to look tempting.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy stood on the side of the road, her arms folded as she stared out in to the darkness, Spike came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, she pulled out of them and walked a couple of steps away from him, he stepped out in front of her, and put his finger under her chin, so she would look at him. He was surprised to see tears shimmering in her eyes, his lips touched each wet trail, turned silver by the moonlight.
He couldn't just smell her fear; he could feel it.
"Hold me Spike, I am sorry I walked away from you just then," she said.
Spike held her in the warmth of his embrace, warmth and Spike seemed an alien word to her, it was just one of the many changes he had been going through.
"Buffy," he started, but she cut him off.
"No, I don't want to talk, just hold me, and let's pray that tomorrow takes care of it's self," she sighed.
Spike kissed the top of her hair, they were both lost in their own little world until they were shaken from it, by the blaring of the horn from the RV. They both turned to see Andrew sitting in the drivers seat with a huge grin on his face.
"If he thinks for one moment that he's actually going to be allowed to drive, he's sadly mistaken," said Spike.
TBC