Heart and Soul Chapter 2: Phone Tag, a buffy: the vampire slayer fanfic

AN: WEEKEND! YAY! I forgot how much I hate school. :) This should hopefully work out…I'll write on the weekends and post, meaning hopefully I'll be sending out one post a week. Thanks to everyone for all the great reviews! I am so glad you all like this story as much as I do! Alright…I'm going to actually write this chapter now…

Disclaimer: All characters (w/exceptions) belong to UPN, Mutant Enemy, and the all-powerful Joss.

Phone Tag

"How?"

Spike chuckled lowly. "Wish I knew myself, love."

"This…" Her fingers slid down the front of his chest lightly. "This is real? You're here?"

" 'm here."

"You're not leaving?"

"No." His face turned serious. "Never again. I will never leave you."

Buffy smiled.

"I'm serious," He murmured. Taking her hands in his he pulled her to her feet, drawing her close until they brushed against each other. "I promise…never again."

She waited until the fire in his eyes began to fade before speaking. "You won't die again?" She teased.

"I won't if you won't," He murmured sweetly. His heart beat a little faster as she laughed. His Buffy. Here. Alive. And I'm…here. Alive. Huh. …huh? "Buffy?"

"Hmm?"

He squinted down at her. "Did you…did you say anything…to me?"

Buffy looked at him confusedly. "What do you mean?"

"…It doesn't matter. Not now."

"What?" Her look of confusion turned into a frown. "What aren't you going to tell me?"

"I'll tell you, pet," he reassured her. "I just…I don't think I can just now."

"I understand." She rested her hand on top of his. "Let's just…go home. Okay?"

"Home." Very slowly, he smirked. "Alright."

Winding her fingers through his, they started walking back in the general direction of their trusty rental car.

"Buffy?"

"Hmm?"

" ' Love you."

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*** "William…"

Spike jerked. Whipping his head around, he saw the Girl sitting calmly by his side. "Bloody hell. What do you want?"

She smiled softly. "You were right, William."

"Of course I was right. Wait. I was right?" He thought a moment. "What was I right about?"

"You are for her." Her smile broadened. "You are One."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Figured that one out." Raising an eyebrow, he added, "Hey…why am I here? Did she say it? Why didn't I hear it? Why am I alive? Am I supposed to be alive? How am I alive?"

The Girl laughed. "You're alive William. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Well, I didn't exactly ask for it…but yeah." His nose wrinkled slightly at the thought. "What a bloody wanker I've become."

"We owed it to you. Consider it a… reimbursement."

He was about to ask her what the hell that was supposed to mean when she vanished, dissipating in that dang awful cloud of white light. Before he had time to complain about it, however, Buffy was on his lap, all got up in that little blue top he adored and kissing him…***

"Maim? Can I get you something to drink? Or your friend?"

Buffy shook her head slightly, never tearing her eyes from the adorable sleeping vampi-…the adorable sleeping man beside her. She grinned as he purred softly, a smirk of pure contentment solidly placed on his face. I'm glad he still purrs, she thought distractedly as she watched him dream. Maybe… she stifled a laugh as he shifted, murmuring softly about "goldilocks". Maybe he's dreaming of me.

The flight attendant glanced over at the blonde man, taking a moment to appreciate his good looks. "We'll be landing in England in about another hour and a half, maim."

Buffy nodded, not hearing a word the woman said.

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Buffy, where are you? Dawn looked back at the clock on her desk. She wondered what time it was in Nigeria. She wondered if Buffy knew what time it was in Nevada. She wondered if Buffy was alive. She wondered if Buffy was lying lifeless on the hot desert ground blood pouring out of her with a bunch of vultures circling overhead…

"Dawnie?"

Dawn jumped. "In…In here," she called.

Willow appeared in her doorframe. "Hey."

"Hey."

Crossing her arms in front of her, the redhead glanced at the unfinished homework on the desk. "Why is your homework all, you know, not done-y?"

"Not not done-y," she said slowly. "Just… Willow, I can't do homework now!"

She stepped into the room, taking a seat on the bed. "Come here," she said, patting the mattress beside her. She waited until the teen was seated at her side before continuing. "You promised Buffy that you would do you school work while she was away, remember?"

"How can I think about homework when I don't even know if my sister is alive?"

Willow sighed, wringing her hands in her lap. "She's fine. Buffy's fine. I know we're all really worried and jumpy and stuff, but we still have to get things done. I mean, hey, look at me!" She smiled proudly. "I'm taking that class on the Corrilian Tradition, and there's that High Priestess position I've had my eye on…"

"She's not your sister," Dawn protested. "Me and her, we're, you know, all we've got. I mean, expect for Spike. And you guys! So…" Realising that her argument was crumbling before her, she went back to her desk. "I'll just do my homework now."

With a soft smile, the witch stood and glanced at the clock. "It's okay that you're scared. But remember, it's Buffy. And Spike. And… they'll be fine." She nodded firmly. "I promise. Now," Looking at the clock again, she winced. "I think it's time for bed."

"Okay…goodnight Willow."

"Goodnight Dawn."

Downstairs, amidst the half empty coffee mugs and vacant chairs, the phone rang.

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BRRING

Angrily, Buffy snapped her phone shut. "Dammit!"

"Problems, love?"

She sighed. "They won't pick up. Or, or maybe they aren't home? Or they're hurt?"

"Or they're asleep?" Spike suggested gently. At her black stare he showed her his watch, which he had left set on their regular time zone for just this occasion.

"Oh."

He smirked. "Come on, we just have one lil' hop left, and then we'll be home. 'Sides, you can always call them from the plane."

"I know. I know all that. But Spike…" Her voice trailed off. "I want them to know…to know we're okay. I know my friends. And I don't want them worrying over us any more than is necessary."

"Nonsense," he teased her gently. "You just want to gloat to them about your new and improved Technicolor boyfriend."

Grinning, she nodded vigorously. "Of course. Always."

"Flight 484 from Boston, Massachusetts to Las Vegas, Nevada, now boarding. Flight 484 to Las Vegas, now boarding."

"Spike?" Buffy asked as they stepped onto yet another plane, settling down in their cramped coach seats.

"Hmm?"

She rested her head on his shoulder, sighing softly. "Could you tell me…what happened?"

"What happened."

"Why you're human?"

"Why I'm human."

"Stop it!"

Spike grinned. "Sorry, pet. I really don't know why I'm…all human and that."

"But…you died." She turned her head to look at him.

"I was already dead."

"But you…"

"I know."

"So how is it…that you're here?"

Damn. Ok. This was it. For so long, he hadn't been able to tell her, hadn't been allowed to, and here it was, the perfect opportunity! So why was he so scared that she was going to be unbelievably pissed? "It's a long story, 'm afraid. A very, very, very long story."

"Good thing this is a very, very, very long plane ride," she retorted.

Come on, you git. You have to tell her. She wants to know. And then everything will be out in the open and you won't have to keep any more secrets from this beautiful girl. He took a deep breath. "Well…it all started when I died."

"Huh?" She sat up so she could see his whole face.

"The first time."

Buffy's eyes widened. "Again I say huh?"

He bit his lip. "Buffy…" His eyes trailed down to his lap, almost ashamedly. "I couldn't tell you. All this time. There was so much I couldn't…"

"Stop." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't do this…now. Here."

Glancing up at her, he frowned. "But don't you want to know?"

"Yes." What happened to you, Spike? "I want to know. Whatever it is you have to tell me. But I don't really feel like doing it on a commercial jet."

He forced himself to smile. "Alright then."

"Once we're home…"

"Okay."

She waited until his gaze dropped before daring to study him. Never had she seen him this uncomfortable. This…distraught. And it was bugging her more than she ever could have imagined. He obviously wasn't ready to tell her something. Whatever that something was. I thought you could tell me anything…

Please don't hate me… Spike closed his eyes, pretending to sleep. But he could still feel her eyes on him. And…he swore he could hear her thinking about him. Weird. Brushing it off, he tried to figure out how exactly he was going to phrase his little story. Ok, so here's the deal…remember back when I burned to a crisp in your old high school? Well, they sent me back with a little bet, where you had to say you needed me, which you must have said although I don't remember it. And I've known about this since the day I appeared on your driveway. Before even. And those weird dreams you've been having, with that girl? Yeah, she's the one who sent me back. And one other thing-they almost took me away. I almost left you again, without ever telling you. Sorry. He opened his eyes. Looked over at her. "I love you, you know that right?"

She started at the question, stated by a man whom she'd thought had been asleep. "Of course I know that. I love you too."

"Okay." He sat back a bit easier in his chair. After a moment he added, "No matter what?"

"No matter what." Buffy raised an eyebrow at him. "But you're kinda scaring me."

"Come 'ere." Reaching over he draped an arm around her shoulders. He held her like that, murmuring soft little nothings in her ear, until she fell asleep.

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BRRING

BRRI- "Hello?"

"Willow?"

"Hey!" Willow smiled, shifting the spatula she was using to flip pancakes to her other hand so she could grab the phone tighter. "Where are you?"

"I just got back from the airport."

"Dropping Faith and Robin off?" She asked.

From his house, Giles nodded. "Yes. I was wondering…did you…?"

"We haven't had any calls from Buffy. Or Spike. Sorry." Sliding her pancakes onto a plate, she walked over to the table. "Can I assume since you're calling me at eight in the morning that they haven't called you either?"

"No, they haven't." He sighed into the receiver. "I just wish that I knew they were alright."

BEEEEEP

BEEEE- "Argh!"

Spike looked up from their luggage in amusement. "Something wrong?"

"Busy. The phone is busy at eight in the morning." She shoved the cell phone back in her pocket. "I give up."

Walking over to the window of their hotel room, he watched the cars whiz by on the street below. "We can call them again once we're on the road."

"They were supposed to pick us up at the airport!"

"Do you want to wait for them?!?" He spun around, clenching his fists angrily.

Silently, she stood up. She walked across the room, until she was standing mere inches in front of him. "Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" she whispered.

His jaw tightened.

"Spike…"

"No."

"Damn you."

His eyes flew up. And she was staring at him with more venom than he could bear. "Buffy…"

She jerked back. "What? Is it so horrible, that you can't tell me? What happened to you?"

"I don't want to hurt you," he hissed lowly.

"You already are."

A lump rose in his throat. He stepped towards her. "Alright." Taking her hand, he led her to the bed. Once they were seated, he turned a bit so he could face her. "Do you remember, back when I died in the high school?"

Buffy nodded.

"I was in heaven. At least, I think I was. And it was you." Realizing he wasn't making much sense, he tried again. "I could see you and smell you, felt your hair against my skin even though I couldn't touch you…" He dropped his eyes. "It was driving me mad. So my mum…she was there. She came…to me. Brought me…to a girl. I don't know who she was. Who she is. But she said…" His head jerked back up. "She said I could come back, for a second chance, to try and prove that…you needed me."

She was speechless. Of course, she realized this only after opening and shutting her mouth several times. "Wait…what?"

"Ok. I was in heaven-"

"No, I got that," she murmured. Inside, her mind was spinning so fast she could barely keep up with it. "You had to prove that I needed you?"

"I told her…I told her that you needed me. That I was supposed to be with you. I don't remember the exact wording. But she said I could come back for a time, that I needed you to admit you needed me, or else-"

BRRING

Buffy glared at her phone before answering it. "Hello?"

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Ok. How do you like it? Do you feel like reviewing? No? Too bad. I have a ton of homework to get done still and I decided to do this instead so it's the least you can do. :) Seriously now, tell me what you think! (oh, and by the by, who here would be interested in a tiiiiiny lil' snippet (send out) based on the line "I'm glad he still purrs"? If I decide to do it I'll say so in the next chappie.)