The Long Way Home, Part 1
This time when Buffy came around, she was lying in the van and only Dawn was with her. "Dawn? Where are the others? What happened?" Images flashed through her mind ending with his eyes. Oh so blue. "Spike? It isn't Spike, is it? But his eyes are the same. I don't understand what's going on. He said his name was William. Dawnie, it's not my imagination, is it? He looks like him, doesn't he?"
Dawn sighed and nodded, "Feels like him too. When I hugged him, I mean. It felt like hugging Spike. No, wait, it felt like Spike's body, but it didn't feel like Spike was in there, you know?"
They looked at each other for a moment in silence. Finally, Dawn shrugged. "Giles'll figure it out. He always does. I think William's group already left. The others went with him to try to find them. He said he's spending the summer travelling all over the country seeing all the stuff he's always wanted to. His next stop is Vegas and then the Grand Canyon. After that, he said he was going to Colorado. And then St. Louis to see the Arch and then the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Graceland and th...."
"Um, Dawn," Buffy cut her off, "do we really need to know all this? We're headed home and he's going to go do his thing and we'll probably never see him again."
"Well...."
"What? Spill it."
"Giles kind of offered him a ride since they think his tour bus already left."
"He what?! Why? Can't he just catch another bus?"
"Giles felt bad. William was so worried about you that he probably missed his group leaving. He even missed his tour of the Hellmouth." Buffy shot her a look at that, and Dawn had the grace to look sheepish. "He's a really nice guy, Buffy. He's an English professor, and he studies rocks and earthquakes and stuff too. Plus he's cute, Spike-cute, don't you think?"
"That's the problem, Dawn. I can't look at him and not think about Spike. I'll keep expecting him to BE Spike. I'm afraid I'll act like he IS Spike, or worse, act like I used to act toward Spike. Plus what about all the Slayer stuff. If he's some uptight English professor, he'll totally get the wiggins if he sees any of that."
"So we don't tell him. We just give him a ride and act like normal people on vacation for a little while. How bad could that be? I think we all deserve a vacation. It's been a long couple of years, you know?" Dawn hoped she wouldn't have to eat her words, but she didn't have any more time to soothe Buffy's concerns. The group was back.
"Ah, good. Buffy, how are you feeling? I think it best we get away from here. It's been quite an emotional day and I think some distance might be what's needed to bring an end to these er... rather uncharacteristic fainting spells of yours." Giles climbed into the driver's seat and put the key into the ignition.
"Shotgun!" Dawn yelled and leapt into the front passenger seat. Xander and Willow quickly clambered to the back to claim the wide seat across the back. Faith and Robin followed to settle in together in the next seat forward. Buffy sat up and found herself face to face with William. He ducked his head a bit to step into the van and looked up at her through his lashes. She felt a jolt as she looked into his eyes once again. *So much like Spike.* She slid over and he made himself comfortable next to her as Giles pulled out of the space and joined the line leaving the Hellmouth.
"Next stop, food."
After the first twenty minutes or so, Buffy found herself relaxing into the conversation that had been going on around her. Everyone else seemed to be having no trouble accepting William, and he, too, appeared to be comfortable with her friends. *Never thought I'd see the day the gang would get along so well with Spike. No, not Spike. Just someone who looks and sounds like Spike. Not Spike. Spike is gone. Spike is dead. This guy is probably just some long lost relative or something. But NOT Spike.* Her eyes misted over. William noticed and reached out to touch her arm.
"You all right then?" he asked softly. "Not in any pain or anything, are you?"
Buffy looked down at his hand resting lightly on her arm. *Even feels like Spike. That same tingle.* "No, I'm fine, thanks. Just thinking a little too much." She smiled ruefully as he gave her arm a light squeeze before releasing it. She shook her head to push the memories away and tried to focus on what was going on around her.
"So, Giles, where are we headed?"
"I'd heard there was a ghost town called Calico near Barstow. I thought we might stop in for a look. We'll spend the night in Las Vegas? Is that acceptable to everyone?"
"A ghost town??" Buffy was sure she'd never understand her Watcher.
"A ghost town, you say? That sounds fascinating." William looked so interested that Buffy didn't have the heart to shoot down the idea. After all, as Dawn said, he had missed his tour bus because he was worried about her. Perhaps she did owe him that much at least. "I do appreciate your generosity in allowing me to travel along with you. I'm was terribly surprised my tour group abandoned me that way. You can be sure they'll be getting quite a scathing letter." Buffy stared at him thinking of how Spike would have threatened to rip their hearts out or something, this was definitely the anti-Spike -- a scathing letter, wow, scary.
"It's our pleasure. Least we could do under the circumstances." Giles couldn't help studying their passenger in the rear view mirror. The resemblance was uncanny and yet he was so genteel, so polite, so unlike the Spike that he and Robin had conspired to eliminate to protect Buffy.
"You said you're an English professor, William? Where do you teach?" Robin inquired.
"I'm on sabbatical for the moment. Felt it was time to do a spot of travelling, expand my horizons."
"And you picked Sunnydale?" Faith couldn't resist the dig.
"Well, yes. You see, seismology and geology are two of my hobbies, as I was telling Dawn earlier."
"But Sunnydale doesn't have anything to do with --" Willow jabbed Xander in the ribs.
"Really? What other hobbies do you have?" she asked, far too brightly.
"I read a good bit, goes with the job, you know. And I enjoy music and old movies."
Buffy drifted off listening to the others discussing books. Definitely not her favourite subject. She awoke when they pulled off into the parking lot of a roadside diner. After an uninspiring burger and fries, they reboarded the van for the short side trip to the ghost town. William seemed to truly enjoy exploring the few deserted buildings left standing. The others looked at each other and privately smiled at how easily tourists could be taken in. At last, his curiosity satisfied, William was ready to press on, and the group headed for the temptations of Las Vegas.
They pulled in sometime after dark and oohed and ahhed over the bright lights and flashing marquees. Little time was wasted agreeing on one of the many buffets and they headed through the casino. As they wove their way between the slot machines, someone hit a jackpot and the coins began dropping into the tray loudly while the bells rang.
"Wow! All that money! Anya would have loved this. Oh-- sorry, Xander." Willow reached to put a comforting hand on his shoulder as she realized what she had said.
"'s ok. I was just thinking the same thing," he smiled back at her.
Dinner itself was, for the most part, uneventful. Buffy was a little surprised to discover that William preferred bland foods to spicy, and well done meat to rare, until she took a moment to consider that she was expecting him to have Spike's tastes. *This isn't Spike. Same color eyes, yes. Same build, yes. But that mousy brown hair, that timid nature. So NOT Spike.*
"So, uh, we kinda have an announcement," Faith said over dessert.
"What? You two finally decide to end the 'who's prettier' debate?" Xander couldn't resist asking.
"Something like that. We're going to fly back to England from here in a few days. We-- well, seeing Sunnydale again made us realize how short life can be and we've decided to get married. Here. Tomorrow." Robin looked from face to face to see how everyone was going to react.
"You what?" Giles exclaimed. "Why that's bloody marvelous! Good show, old man. I'm delighted."
William smiled shyly and offered his hand to each of them in turn. "All the best. A wedding, how lovely."
"You guys'll stick around for the wedding right? Wouldn't be the same without you. You're invited too, William. Give you a chance to see how nice this group cleans up." Faith grinned.
Buffy was speechless, but she could see Faith wasn't going to let her get out of this. Willow was already hugging her and answering for them all. "Of course we'll stay. Ooh, hey, shopping opportunity, huh, Dawnie?"
"Married??" Dawn was squealing. "Wow! That's great! What are you gonna wear Faith? And is Giles gonna give you away?"
Xander clapped Robin on the back. "All the best, man. I still wish I'd followed through when I had the chance."
Buffy still sat in silence, unable to decide how she felt. She was glad that Robin and Faith had found each other. They'd do well together -- each strong enough to keep the other in check, like she and Spike had been. She had a quick image of herself in a wedding dress, on Giles' arm, looking up the aisle of a room filled with her friends, at a gently smiling Spike, resplendant in a tuxedo. Her eyes filled with tears and she got up and ran from the table. Giles watched her exit and shook his head with a sigh, "Oh, dear."
This time when Buffy came around, she was lying in the van and only Dawn was with her. "Dawn? Where are the others? What happened?" Images flashed through her mind ending with his eyes. Oh so blue. "Spike? It isn't Spike, is it? But his eyes are the same. I don't understand what's going on. He said his name was William. Dawnie, it's not my imagination, is it? He looks like him, doesn't he?"
Dawn sighed and nodded, "Feels like him too. When I hugged him, I mean. It felt like hugging Spike. No, wait, it felt like Spike's body, but it didn't feel like Spike was in there, you know?"
They looked at each other for a moment in silence. Finally, Dawn shrugged. "Giles'll figure it out. He always does. I think William's group already left. The others went with him to try to find them. He said he's spending the summer travelling all over the country seeing all the stuff he's always wanted to. His next stop is Vegas and then the Grand Canyon. After that, he said he was going to Colorado. And then St. Louis to see the Arch and then the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Graceland and th...."
"Um, Dawn," Buffy cut her off, "do we really need to know all this? We're headed home and he's going to go do his thing and we'll probably never see him again."
"Well...."
"What? Spill it."
"Giles kind of offered him a ride since they think his tour bus already left."
"He what?! Why? Can't he just catch another bus?"
"Giles felt bad. William was so worried about you that he probably missed his group leaving. He even missed his tour of the Hellmouth." Buffy shot her a look at that, and Dawn had the grace to look sheepish. "He's a really nice guy, Buffy. He's an English professor, and he studies rocks and earthquakes and stuff too. Plus he's cute, Spike-cute, don't you think?"
"That's the problem, Dawn. I can't look at him and not think about Spike. I'll keep expecting him to BE Spike. I'm afraid I'll act like he IS Spike, or worse, act like I used to act toward Spike. Plus what about all the Slayer stuff. If he's some uptight English professor, he'll totally get the wiggins if he sees any of that."
"So we don't tell him. We just give him a ride and act like normal people on vacation for a little while. How bad could that be? I think we all deserve a vacation. It's been a long couple of years, you know?" Dawn hoped she wouldn't have to eat her words, but she didn't have any more time to soothe Buffy's concerns. The group was back.
"Ah, good. Buffy, how are you feeling? I think it best we get away from here. It's been quite an emotional day and I think some distance might be what's needed to bring an end to these er... rather uncharacteristic fainting spells of yours." Giles climbed into the driver's seat and put the key into the ignition.
"Shotgun!" Dawn yelled and leapt into the front passenger seat. Xander and Willow quickly clambered to the back to claim the wide seat across the back. Faith and Robin followed to settle in together in the next seat forward. Buffy sat up and found herself face to face with William. He ducked his head a bit to step into the van and looked up at her through his lashes. She felt a jolt as she looked into his eyes once again. *So much like Spike.* She slid over and he made himself comfortable next to her as Giles pulled out of the space and joined the line leaving the Hellmouth.
"Next stop, food."
After the first twenty minutes or so, Buffy found herself relaxing into the conversation that had been going on around her. Everyone else seemed to be having no trouble accepting William, and he, too, appeared to be comfortable with her friends. *Never thought I'd see the day the gang would get along so well with Spike. No, not Spike. Just someone who looks and sounds like Spike. Not Spike. Spike is gone. Spike is dead. This guy is probably just some long lost relative or something. But NOT Spike.* Her eyes misted over. William noticed and reached out to touch her arm.
"You all right then?" he asked softly. "Not in any pain or anything, are you?"
Buffy looked down at his hand resting lightly on her arm. *Even feels like Spike. That same tingle.* "No, I'm fine, thanks. Just thinking a little too much." She smiled ruefully as he gave her arm a light squeeze before releasing it. She shook her head to push the memories away and tried to focus on what was going on around her.
"So, Giles, where are we headed?"
"I'd heard there was a ghost town called Calico near Barstow. I thought we might stop in for a look. We'll spend the night in Las Vegas? Is that acceptable to everyone?"
"A ghost town??" Buffy was sure she'd never understand her Watcher.
"A ghost town, you say? That sounds fascinating." William looked so interested that Buffy didn't have the heart to shoot down the idea. After all, as Dawn said, he had missed his tour bus because he was worried about her. Perhaps she did owe him that much at least. "I do appreciate your generosity in allowing me to travel along with you. I'm was terribly surprised my tour group abandoned me that way. You can be sure they'll be getting quite a scathing letter." Buffy stared at him thinking of how Spike would have threatened to rip their hearts out or something, this was definitely the anti-Spike -- a scathing letter, wow, scary.
"It's our pleasure. Least we could do under the circumstances." Giles couldn't help studying their passenger in the rear view mirror. The resemblance was uncanny and yet he was so genteel, so polite, so unlike the Spike that he and Robin had conspired to eliminate to protect Buffy.
"You said you're an English professor, William? Where do you teach?" Robin inquired.
"I'm on sabbatical for the moment. Felt it was time to do a spot of travelling, expand my horizons."
"And you picked Sunnydale?" Faith couldn't resist the dig.
"Well, yes. You see, seismology and geology are two of my hobbies, as I was telling Dawn earlier."
"But Sunnydale doesn't have anything to do with --" Willow jabbed Xander in the ribs.
"Really? What other hobbies do you have?" she asked, far too brightly.
"I read a good bit, goes with the job, you know. And I enjoy music and old movies."
Buffy drifted off listening to the others discussing books. Definitely not her favourite subject. She awoke when they pulled off into the parking lot of a roadside diner. After an uninspiring burger and fries, they reboarded the van for the short side trip to the ghost town. William seemed to truly enjoy exploring the few deserted buildings left standing. The others looked at each other and privately smiled at how easily tourists could be taken in. At last, his curiosity satisfied, William was ready to press on, and the group headed for the temptations of Las Vegas.
They pulled in sometime after dark and oohed and ahhed over the bright lights and flashing marquees. Little time was wasted agreeing on one of the many buffets and they headed through the casino. As they wove their way between the slot machines, someone hit a jackpot and the coins began dropping into the tray loudly while the bells rang.
"Wow! All that money! Anya would have loved this. Oh-- sorry, Xander." Willow reached to put a comforting hand on his shoulder as she realized what she had said.
"'s ok. I was just thinking the same thing," he smiled back at her.
Dinner itself was, for the most part, uneventful. Buffy was a little surprised to discover that William preferred bland foods to spicy, and well done meat to rare, until she took a moment to consider that she was expecting him to have Spike's tastes. *This isn't Spike. Same color eyes, yes. Same build, yes. But that mousy brown hair, that timid nature. So NOT Spike.*
"So, uh, we kinda have an announcement," Faith said over dessert.
"What? You two finally decide to end the 'who's prettier' debate?" Xander couldn't resist asking.
"Something like that. We're going to fly back to England from here in a few days. We-- well, seeing Sunnydale again made us realize how short life can be and we've decided to get married. Here. Tomorrow." Robin looked from face to face to see how everyone was going to react.
"You what?" Giles exclaimed. "Why that's bloody marvelous! Good show, old man. I'm delighted."
William smiled shyly and offered his hand to each of them in turn. "All the best. A wedding, how lovely."
"You guys'll stick around for the wedding right? Wouldn't be the same without you. You're invited too, William. Give you a chance to see how nice this group cleans up." Faith grinned.
Buffy was speechless, but she could see Faith wasn't going to let her get out of this. Willow was already hugging her and answering for them all. "Of course we'll stay. Ooh, hey, shopping opportunity, huh, Dawnie?"
"Married??" Dawn was squealing. "Wow! That's great! What are you gonna wear Faith? And is Giles gonna give you away?"
Xander clapped Robin on the back. "All the best, man. I still wish I'd followed through when I had the chance."
Buffy still sat in silence, unable to decide how she felt. She was glad that Robin and Faith had found each other. They'd do well together -- each strong enough to keep the other in check, like she and Spike had been. She had a quick image of herself in a wedding dress, on Giles' arm, looking up the aisle of a room filled with her friends, at a gently smiling Spike, resplendant in a tuxedo. Her eyes filled with tears and she got up and ran from the table. Giles watched her exit and shook his head with a sigh, "Oh, dear."