A/N.... Sorry for the delay in updating this, I have had serious PC
problems, but all fixed now :o)
Thanks again to Mercy for her excellent beta-ing.
A big thank you to everyone that has reviewed this story.this chapter is for hispavox.I think you were right, they did need to have a little chat ;o)
Chapter 31.
The mall was crowded, as would be expected only a few days before Christmas. Buffy had managed to get hold of the rest of the gang, even Dawn, who actually appeared to be quite enthusiastic about the whole thing, surprising Buffy after the previous night's discovery. She had even brought her boyfriend Lindsay along for the trip. Buffy had to admit, he actually seemed like a decent sort of guy, well as decent as nineteen year old college students can be anyway. The group of youngsters squeezed their way through the crowds of last minute shoppers and excited children, their aim, to get to Santa's grotto.
Spike and Buffy, each had hold of one of Molly's hands, to ensure she didn't get lost in amongst the people, and she seemed quite happy with this arrangement. Every now and then, she would swing herself forwards between them, almost pulling Buffy off her feet at one time. Spike decided to rescue her, by lifting the youngster onto his shoulders, and out of harms way. Faith and Gunn were dawdling some distance behind, he had his arm slung around her shoulder, and she had hers wrapped around his waist. Buffy looked back at the couple and smiled to herself. She had never seen her friend looking so content, definitely not where a guy was concerned.
The queue to see Santa was enormous, not that they had expected anything different. They decided the best way forward, was for each couple to take turns standing with Molly in the queue, while the others did their last minute shopping, or in the case of Buffy and Spike their first minutes! He hadn't been expecting to see his daughter, so wasn't at all prepared for the festivities that fast approached.
Willow and Tara took the first shift.
"Can you make my hair go red?" Molly asked as she tugged at Willow's hair, an intrigued look on her face.
Willow giggled, the little girl seemed to have quite a fascination with her hair. She wasn't quite sure why, but thought it was probably something to do with the fact that Spike always made reference to it.
The redhead pulled Molly's woolly hat down over her ears, and gave her a big grin. "I don't think your dad will be too happy if I turn you into another 'red!'" She laughed. "Besides your hair is all nice and curly, I was thinking of doing mine like that for Christmas day. What do you think?"
Molly clapped her hands in agreement, before running towards the couple approaching.
"Whoa, hey Molly!" Faith giggled as the little one slid into her leg, banging her head. She jumped up and down on the spot singing a little song she had apparently made up on the spot.
Tara looked to Willow a little concerned. "You think maybe we gave her a bit too much sugar?" They both took the opportunity to escape, leaving the hyperactive child behind.
The events of the recent days didn't seem to be affecting Molly too much at the moment, she was too absorbed in the Christmas fun. Everyone was sure that eventually it would all sink in, but in the mean time, they were doing everything they could to keep her occupied, and her mind on happier things. This went part way to explaining why Faith was now sporting her very fetching furry antlers again, and Gunn was wearing a Santa Claus hat. They looked quite a sight, but it was worth it to keep Molly smiling.
It wasn't too long before they had reached the front of the queue. Faith was taking a sip of her soda when a young woman just behind her in the queue leant over.
"You have a beautiful daughter," she began, "so full of life and energy."
Faith began to choke instantly, and Gunn had to bang her on the back roughly. The choking soon gave way to giggles though when Molly spoke up.
"She's not my mummy, she's my auntie Fayf!" She giggled as she dragged the brunette through the doorway and into Santa's grotto.
......
Buffy sat on the bench, waiting for Spike to finish his shopping. He insisted on doing the last bits himself, so she would have at least one surprise for Christmas day. She sat and watched the people pass by, thinking to herself that she'd had quite enough surprises recently to last her a life time.
Things had happened so quickly, she felt her head was going to spin right off, she rested it in her hands for a second, before shaking it gently in an effort to remove the fuzziness. Nothing changed though. Everywhere she looked she was surrounded by couples, families out for a day together. Happy, smiling people. This is what she wanted, what she needed, and she knew she could have it all. She sighed deeply, this could be hers, so why did she still have a knot in her stomach? Why did she feel so terrified, sat on this bench alone in the busy mall?
She knew why.
She was scared he wouldn't come back.
She knew he was going to, but she also knew that this fear might not go away. Every time he went out and came home a little late after getting stuck in traffic, every time he got held up at work and she was at home waiting..
It was always going to be there.
Spike snuck up on her from behind, laden down with bags. He tapped her on the shoulder making her jump. One look at her face told him something wasn't quite right. She wasn't crying, but she looked as if it would take one word to cause her to burst into tears. Her eyes were glassy, and her lips trembled as she turned to him, before lowering her head.
"Buffy, what's wrong love?" He said gently, as he placed the bags down and sat beside her on the bench. She chewed at her bottom lip, unsure of where to start, or if she could even start at all. She continued to stare at the floor, desperately wishing for this feeling to pass, and for everything to be right again.
Spike placed his hand under her chin, slowly lifting her head so he could look into her eyes. She looked so scared, so vulnerable. He leant in placing a kiss on her forehead, causing a solitary tear to fall down her cheek.
"Buffy, please, tell me," he whispered, wiping the moisture from her cheek. "Tell me what's wrong?"
"You mean apart from having my childhood sweetheart come back into my life. Finding out that not only did he cheat on me! But he has a child, and nearly getting shot?"
Spike shifted uncomfortably in his seat, cursing himself for asking such a stupid question. He was about to apologise when Buffy interrupted his thoughts.
"It's none of that...not really," she mumbled, before leaning her head on his chest and allowing him to wrap his hands around her. They sat in silence for several minutes, both watching the hustle and bustle of the families around them. Finally she began to speak again.
"I'm scared Spike," she began, "I'm scared that I will never feel completely secure, not in the way I need to. I'm scared you might leave me again, and I just..I just couldn't cope with that, I couldn't lose you again, not now." She began to sob into his chest, quietly, she hardly made a sound, but he could feel her body gently shaking. Spike pulled her closer to him, holding her tightly.
"I'll never leave, never, you have to believe me," he whispered as he rocked her gently. "All I wanted was to be with you, even then. I never left you for Dru, I had to leave for Molly, and she is here. We can all be together."
He raised her head again, so she could see his eyes. "I. Will. Never. Leave. You!" He punctuated each word with a kiss. "I promise!"
He saw a smile pass across her lips and that was enough, he pulled her towards him capturing her lips in a brief kiss, and they sat together a little longer watching the world go by.
Meanwhile the rest of the gang had gathered and were searching the mall for the missing couple. Molly was the first to notice them huddled together on the bench.
"Daddy! Daddy! Look I am a tiger, ROOOOAR!" She shrieked, as she ran towards them. Both sat up a little startled and began to laugh at the sight before them. Faith strolled along behind, a wicked smirk on her face.
"Look Daddy, we all got our faces painted.ROOOOAR! I got to choose what animal everyone is!"
Buffy wiped the tears that were falling down her face, tears of laughter.
"So Faith, how come you didn't get painted?" She asked, still giggling at the sight before her.
Molly interrupted, "There's a rule that the person in charge of looking after me isn't allowed to have her face painted, so people know she is a grown up!" She stated forcefully.
Gunn swung around to face his girlfriend who was falling about laughing.
"That's how you got out of it...A rule!!!"
Faith shrugged her shoulders, "Hey, what can I say...I'm a grown up, isn't that right Molly!" She pulled him towards her and plastered a kiss on his lips, "I think you look kinda cute anyway honey, maybe I can show you just how 'grown up' I am when we get back!"
Gunn snorted, but inwardly smiled at the fact that she was going to have to make it up to him big time.
Xander appeared from behind the pillar he had been hiding behind.
"What I don't get is why all the girls get to be the cool animals, and me and Gunn are mice...I mean I was thinking, maybe something more manly..a lion perhaps!"
"SQUEEEEEK!" Molly screeched, before running back over to Faith and jumping up for a piggyback.
Faith started to bounce towards the exit, turning briefly to poke her tongue out at the mice in front of her.
"What can I say boys...I guess she says it like she sees it!"
Thanks again to Mercy for her excellent beta-ing.
A big thank you to everyone that has reviewed this story.this chapter is for hispavox.I think you were right, they did need to have a little chat ;o)
Chapter 31.
The mall was crowded, as would be expected only a few days before Christmas. Buffy had managed to get hold of the rest of the gang, even Dawn, who actually appeared to be quite enthusiastic about the whole thing, surprising Buffy after the previous night's discovery. She had even brought her boyfriend Lindsay along for the trip. Buffy had to admit, he actually seemed like a decent sort of guy, well as decent as nineteen year old college students can be anyway. The group of youngsters squeezed their way through the crowds of last minute shoppers and excited children, their aim, to get to Santa's grotto.
Spike and Buffy, each had hold of one of Molly's hands, to ensure she didn't get lost in amongst the people, and she seemed quite happy with this arrangement. Every now and then, she would swing herself forwards between them, almost pulling Buffy off her feet at one time. Spike decided to rescue her, by lifting the youngster onto his shoulders, and out of harms way. Faith and Gunn were dawdling some distance behind, he had his arm slung around her shoulder, and she had hers wrapped around his waist. Buffy looked back at the couple and smiled to herself. She had never seen her friend looking so content, definitely not where a guy was concerned.
The queue to see Santa was enormous, not that they had expected anything different. They decided the best way forward, was for each couple to take turns standing with Molly in the queue, while the others did their last minute shopping, or in the case of Buffy and Spike their first minutes! He hadn't been expecting to see his daughter, so wasn't at all prepared for the festivities that fast approached.
Willow and Tara took the first shift.
"Can you make my hair go red?" Molly asked as she tugged at Willow's hair, an intrigued look on her face.
Willow giggled, the little girl seemed to have quite a fascination with her hair. She wasn't quite sure why, but thought it was probably something to do with the fact that Spike always made reference to it.
The redhead pulled Molly's woolly hat down over her ears, and gave her a big grin. "I don't think your dad will be too happy if I turn you into another 'red!'" She laughed. "Besides your hair is all nice and curly, I was thinking of doing mine like that for Christmas day. What do you think?"
Molly clapped her hands in agreement, before running towards the couple approaching.
"Whoa, hey Molly!" Faith giggled as the little one slid into her leg, banging her head. She jumped up and down on the spot singing a little song she had apparently made up on the spot.
Tara looked to Willow a little concerned. "You think maybe we gave her a bit too much sugar?" They both took the opportunity to escape, leaving the hyperactive child behind.
The events of the recent days didn't seem to be affecting Molly too much at the moment, she was too absorbed in the Christmas fun. Everyone was sure that eventually it would all sink in, but in the mean time, they were doing everything they could to keep her occupied, and her mind on happier things. This went part way to explaining why Faith was now sporting her very fetching furry antlers again, and Gunn was wearing a Santa Claus hat. They looked quite a sight, but it was worth it to keep Molly smiling.
It wasn't too long before they had reached the front of the queue. Faith was taking a sip of her soda when a young woman just behind her in the queue leant over.
"You have a beautiful daughter," she began, "so full of life and energy."
Faith began to choke instantly, and Gunn had to bang her on the back roughly. The choking soon gave way to giggles though when Molly spoke up.
"She's not my mummy, she's my auntie Fayf!" She giggled as she dragged the brunette through the doorway and into Santa's grotto.
......
Buffy sat on the bench, waiting for Spike to finish his shopping. He insisted on doing the last bits himself, so she would have at least one surprise for Christmas day. She sat and watched the people pass by, thinking to herself that she'd had quite enough surprises recently to last her a life time.
Things had happened so quickly, she felt her head was going to spin right off, she rested it in her hands for a second, before shaking it gently in an effort to remove the fuzziness. Nothing changed though. Everywhere she looked she was surrounded by couples, families out for a day together. Happy, smiling people. This is what she wanted, what she needed, and she knew she could have it all. She sighed deeply, this could be hers, so why did she still have a knot in her stomach? Why did she feel so terrified, sat on this bench alone in the busy mall?
She knew why.
She was scared he wouldn't come back.
She knew he was going to, but she also knew that this fear might not go away. Every time he went out and came home a little late after getting stuck in traffic, every time he got held up at work and she was at home waiting..
It was always going to be there.
Spike snuck up on her from behind, laden down with bags. He tapped her on the shoulder making her jump. One look at her face told him something wasn't quite right. She wasn't crying, but she looked as if it would take one word to cause her to burst into tears. Her eyes were glassy, and her lips trembled as she turned to him, before lowering her head.
"Buffy, what's wrong love?" He said gently, as he placed the bags down and sat beside her on the bench. She chewed at her bottom lip, unsure of where to start, or if she could even start at all. She continued to stare at the floor, desperately wishing for this feeling to pass, and for everything to be right again.
Spike placed his hand under her chin, slowly lifting her head so he could look into her eyes. She looked so scared, so vulnerable. He leant in placing a kiss on her forehead, causing a solitary tear to fall down her cheek.
"Buffy, please, tell me," he whispered, wiping the moisture from her cheek. "Tell me what's wrong?"
"You mean apart from having my childhood sweetheart come back into my life. Finding out that not only did he cheat on me! But he has a child, and nearly getting shot?"
Spike shifted uncomfortably in his seat, cursing himself for asking such a stupid question. He was about to apologise when Buffy interrupted his thoughts.
"It's none of that...not really," she mumbled, before leaning her head on his chest and allowing him to wrap his hands around her. They sat in silence for several minutes, both watching the hustle and bustle of the families around them. Finally she began to speak again.
"I'm scared Spike," she began, "I'm scared that I will never feel completely secure, not in the way I need to. I'm scared you might leave me again, and I just..I just couldn't cope with that, I couldn't lose you again, not now." She began to sob into his chest, quietly, she hardly made a sound, but he could feel her body gently shaking. Spike pulled her closer to him, holding her tightly.
"I'll never leave, never, you have to believe me," he whispered as he rocked her gently. "All I wanted was to be with you, even then. I never left you for Dru, I had to leave for Molly, and she is here. We can all be together."
He raised her head again, so she could see his eyes. "I. Will. Never. Leave. You!" He punctuated each word with a kiss. "I promise!"
He saw a smile pass across her lips and that was enough, he pulled her towards him capturing her lips in a brief kiss, and they sat together a little longer watching the world go by.
Meanwhile the rest of the gang had gathered and were searching the mall for the missing couple. Molly was the first to notice them huddled together on the bench.
"Daddy! Daddy! Look I am a tiger, ROOOOAR!" She shrieked, as she ran towards them. Both sat up a little startled and began to laugh at the sight before them. Faith strolled along behind, a wicked smirk on her face.
"Look Daddy, we all got our faces painted.ROOOOAR! I got to choose what animal everyone is!"
Buffy wiped the tears that were falling down her face, tears of laughter.
"So Faith, how come you didn't get painted?" She asked, still giggling at the sight before her.
Molly interrupted, "There's a rule that the person in charge of looking after me isn't allowed to have her face painted, so people know she is a grown up!" She stated forcefully.
Gunn swung around to face his girlfriend who was falling about laughing.
"That's how you got out of it...A rule!!!"
Faith shrugged her shoulders, "Hey, what can I say...I'm a grown up, isn't that right Molly!" She pulled him towards her and plastered a kiss on his lips, "I think you look kinda cute anyway honey, maybe I can show you just how 'grown up' I am when we get back!"
Gunn snorted, but inwardly smiled at the fact that she was going to have to make it up to him big time.
Xander appeared from behind the pillar he had been hiding behind.
"What I don't get is why all the girls get to be the cool animals, and me and Gunn are mice...I mean I was thinking, maybe something more manly..a lion perhaps!"
"SQUEEEEEK!" Molly screeched, before running back over to Faith and jumping up for a piggyback.
Faith started to bounce towards the exit, turning briefly to poke her tongue out at the mice in front of her.
"What can I say boys...I guess she says it like she sees it!"