94
After his less than satisfactory talk with Angel, Spike resumed his self-appointed post as Rose's protector. And it wasn't that much of a hardship. Being incorporeal, he could move about as he liked without fear of disturbing her, and he never tired of looking at the lady.
&&&&&
Angel sat in reflection. He found the change in Spike's personality almost beyond belief. True, he'd always shown a certain amount of solicitude towards the lady he was with, but his total selflessness where Rose was concerned was completely unprecedented. Could it be possible that Spike was finally growing up? At least insofar as relationships were concerned.
&&&&&&
The first thing Rose saw upon opening her eyes was Spike, gazing at her with a look on his face that warmed her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. She was unaware that the look she gave him in return was equally revealing.
"Morning, luv," Spike murmured. "You slept like a babe in arms last night. How you feeling?"
"Just fine," she answered. "Am I allowed to get up and dressed now?"
Spike pretended to consider. "I don't know," he teased. "Didn't do too well at obeyin' doctor's orders."
"And if you're not going to be serious," she replied, sitting up. "Then I'm just going to do as I please." She got out of bed. Her back was to Spike as she bent to remove some clothes from her suitcase.
Spike whistled.
Rose stood up abruptly, face aflame. "What was that for?"
"Nice ass." Spike smirked at her. Over the long, uneventful hours of the night he'd come to a decision about presenting a cheerful front. No more dumping his depression and frustrations on Rose.
She forced a smile, even though the blush flamed hotter. But she wasted no time in retreating into the bathroom to change.
&&&&&&&
When they went into the living room, Angel was already up and on the phone. "Are you sure? You need some sleep too, Wes. I'm sure she will." He turned and looked at Rose. "She looks fine, and she does have a certain amount of interest in the subject. Yeah, later. Get some rest." After he hung up, he turned his full attention to Rose. "Are you up to a little research work, Rose? Wes has been up all night, but the leads go off in so many directions he hasn't been able to pursue them all."
Before Rose could express her assent, Spike jumped in. "Hang about," he protested. "You're trying to put her to work and you haven't even offered her breakfast yet, you flaming idiot." A suspicious look crossed his features. "You did think to get something she could eat, didn't you?" Seeing the look on Angel's face, Spike's expression became disgusted. "Don't tell me you've got nothin' but blood in the fridge."
"We were in kind of a hurry," Angel said mildly, but looking rather shamefaced.
"I don't usually eat in the morning," Rose put in. "So it's not really..,"
"Oh yes it is," Spike interrupted. "One, you haven't been well, so you need to eat." He gave Rose a stern look. "Two, please don't interrupt, luv, I'm trying to teach the big pouf some manners."
&&&&&
Wesley rubbed his eyes, but it didn't help, they felt like someone had dumped sand in them. He hadn't really intended to pull an all nighter, but the project did involve a certain sense of urgency. And it was terribly distracting, having things going off in half a dozen directions. He'd had a few tantalizing hints, but nothing he'd been able to follow through to completion yet. So far he had steadfastly refrained from scanning the actual Chronicles themselves, but had confined himself to peripheral works. Then, there was the ever present difficulty of differentiating what was true, what was a lie, and what was simply blown out of proportion mythos. He blinked groggily. He'd just read one sentence several times and still had no idea what it had said. He wasn't even alert enough to drive, so he just dragged himself over to the sofa, a perk of being a department head, and flung himself on it, and was asleep before he even hit it.
&&&&&&
Rose crept into Wes' office and smiled at the comatose figure on the sofa. She sat down at his desk and began bringing herself up to speed on his progress. It certainly was peaceful here. She had tippy-toed out of Angel's apartment unnoticed while Angel and Spike had been engaged in a heated argument. As far as she knew, they were still at it.
Wesley's phone rang, but since it didn't disturb the sleeping Watcher, she decided not to announce her presence here. It was nice that people cared enough to be so attentive, but she hadn't had a moment to herself since she'd had her fainting spell, and she had been human just long enough to appreciate the occasional bit of privacy. Eventually, the phone ceased ringing, and Rose buckled down, happy to be rid of the disturbance.
She'd been working for about an hour when Spike showed up. One glance at his face was enough for her to tell that he was furious.
"What'n hell did you mean, sneaking off like that?" he shouted. "I been from one end of this place to the other, plus your digs. The whole point of you staying with Peaches was to keep you safe and secure. Do you have any idea how bloody scared I was for you?"
Rose hung her head, not bothering to try to defend herself, or even reply. It hadn't occurred to her, she simply hadn't thought. Not until she had seen how angry Spike was, and she realized just how big a mistake she'd made.
Finally, his tirade wound down. "Got anything to say for yourself, pet?" he asked. He was no longer shouting, but he still sounded way and beyond pissed.
"I'm sorry," she squeaked. Her throat was constricted, trying to fight back the threatening tears. He was upset enough, and she didn't want to add to it. "I just didn't think, Spike. I didn't mean to worry you."
"Worry?" Spike knelt beside the chair and looked up at her. "I wasn't worried, babe, I was terrified. I was afraid something had happened to you."
Rose at last was able to bring herself to look at him and felt a stab of the frustration Spike had displayed at being denied a physical presence. Because she suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to reach out and touch him, stroke his cheek, some small gesture that would say more than words possibly could. She must have made some tiny movement, quickly retracted, but that he detected, because his features immediately softened, as he realized what she had wanted to do.
"Sucks, don't it?" he observed in much gentler tones. "Please, sweetheart, promise me that you won't ever do that to me again."
"I won't do it again, love, I promise." Rose's powers of speech were still a bit iffy.
He stood up. "Any progress?" he asked, just as if the previous conversation had never taken place. Forgiven and forgotten.
"I've just about figured out where Wesley was when he stopped," she replied. "As you can see, he wasn't in any shape to fill me in when I got here." A perplexed look crossed her face. "I just don't understand why he would stay up all night like that, though."
"Don't you really?" Once again Spike thought that he had never met a woman, or anyone, indeed, with so little vanity. "Because he likes you, darling girl. Haven't you sussed that out yet? Why everybody's been going to all this fuss? It's because they care about you." He quirked a grin at her that contained a hint of apology in it. "It's why I was half, well, maybe more than half insane with anger. Because I care about you most of all."
Rose practically glowed. Spike might not be able to touch her in a physical sense, but the intensity of his feelings were almost palpable. "I love you, too, that's why no matter what happens, all this will be worth it if we can find a way to bring you back. But I am truly sorry I caused such a fuss with my thoughtlessness. Is Angel upset with me too?"
"Almost forgot about the ponce," Spike admitted. "You want to be picking up that phone and calling him, luv. He said the numbers on one of those speed dial buttons. Percy ought to have it labeled."
"Percy?" He'd lost her again.
Spike cocked his head towards the sleeping Watcher. "That one," he explained. "Now why don't you make that call, pet?"
Rose found the right button and pushed it, and became aware that her hands were shaking. The only light on the horizon was that Angel was just a friend, so, hopefully he wouldn't be as angry at her.
"Angel?" So soft and tentative, that if he hadn't had a vampire's excellent hearing, he would have missed it.
"Rose?" Angel's voice was flooded with relief. "Where are you?"
"Wesley's office," she said. "Spike found me and told me I ought to call you." She knew she ought to explain, or apologize, but her voice was shaking as badly as her hands.
"I'm not going to read you the riot act," Angel said. "I'm sure you already got that from your boyfriend."
"You could say that," Rose agreed. Since he was being so calm about it, she was able to steady herself. "I'm sorry I was such a bother."
"As long as it doesn't happen again," he replied. "I'll be down there in a few minutes." He hung up abruptly.
"He tear a strip out of you, pet?" Spike asked.
Rose smiled, a little grimly. "No. I think he figured I'd gotten enough of a lecture from you. But he's on his way down here. I wonder why?"
"'Cause you took off before your breakfast got there, that's why," he explained. "And I seem to recall a certain, very pretty lady promising me to look after herself. I hope you keep your other promise to me a little better than that, luv. I'm a bit disappointed in you."
Rose felt one of those stabbing pains in the region of her heart. Another thing she hadn't thought of. But what hurt the worst of the whole sorry business was that she had let him down, again.
Spike saw her face fall as the realization hit, and it struck him that he had as much power over her as she had over him. Not for the inconsequential things, like wearing pretty clothes, but for the really important stuff, and it left him a little awestruck. None of the ladies in his unlife had ever given him the emotional return that Rose did. "I know you're not feeling quite yourself, pet," he said gently. "Because you're too considerate to do that to a person as a rule. So why don't we try to forget this nonsense ever happened? How about showing me those adorable dimples?"
And because he was smiling at her, Rose couldn't help smiling back.
Then, Angel arrived.