A/N: Ahhh, reviews are the best…you guys are the best….I'm so happy, you're going to get a bonus chappie!!! Enjoy my little spuffy bunnies!
Chapter 21: Revelations
Buffy saw Angel standing on her doorstep, and all the memories and pain of past years flooded through her. She remembered the sweet girl, caught up in the throes of first love. The mysterious man, dark with mystery and seduction. How desperately she wanted him, but held out, convinced that marriage and family was what she wanted. The look on his face when he boasted about his many affairs. The feel of her heart breaking and finally starting to mend again. The threats and taunts that started, subtle at first, but then more and more malicious. Finally, she remembered the court hearing, where he stood next to his lawyers, as arrogant as the day she met him, positive that nothing would happen. The shock on his face when he was sentenced, and the fury that he denounced her with in front of everyone in the courtroom.
Buffy didn't even think, she stood up from where she had fallen, bunched her fist, and hit Angel with it so hard that pain sung up her arm. His head flew to the side, and he let out a howl of outrage.
"You fucking bitch!" he shouted as he attempted to staunch the blood flowing from his nose. "You just about broke my fucking nose!"
Buffy looked at him coolly. "I owed you that. Now, what the hell do you want, Liam? You know you're not supposed to be anywhere near me or my family."
Angel smiled nastily. "I've recently acquired some information about a certain bleach-blond attorney that we both know. And since I am such an upstanding citizen, I thought I'd see if his latest fling knew about William's misdeeds."
He attempted to push past Buffy, but she wouldn't let him. She stepped out into the hallway and faced Angel. "What are you talking about? You have one minute to say something worth my time, and then I'm going to call the cops on you. Speak."
Angel narrowed his eyes at her tone, but spoke anyway. "I happened to overhear at the water cooler in my firm that William Giles of Giles and Giles has been seen lately sporting a stripper for a girlfriend. After a break-up between him and Drusilla Rayne, for that matter. As Drusilla and I have, um, common interests you might say, I thought I'd do some investigating. Imagine my surprise when I found out that William's new playmate was my old girlfriend Buffy!"
Buffy shook her head, confused. "And this has what to do with me?"
Angel clucked his tongue. "Buffy, Buffy, Buffy, you were never the brightest crayon in the box. Spike is William Giles, the attorney. He knocked up his girlfriend and left her…for you, a stripper. That by itself is enough to piss people off, but add to it that he refusing to acknowledge his role in Drusilla's pregnancy, as well as pissing off the local Mafia, William is in some hot water. Drusilla's father, Ethan, asked me to talk to you and perhaps persuade you into breaking off this thing with William, for the good of everyone involved."
Buffy's head spun. Had Spike lied to her? She knew that he was holding something back, not telling the complete truth, but she never expected something like this. And to be told by her psycho ex-boyfriend, it was humiliating as well as painful. No, Spike wouldn't do that.
"I don't believe you, not for one minute," Buffy said, and spun toward the door.
Angel quickly grabbed her by the shoulders and leaned into her back. Softly, he spoke into her ear. "I can prove it, come with me and I'll show you that I'm telling the truth. I can help you make it stop, the roses, the notes, I know what's happening."
Buffy felt the blood rush from her head, and she almost fainted again. "How do you know about the roses?" she asked, facing Angel again.
Angel shrugged. "I have my sources. Let's just say that you've got quite a following, it was just a matter of picking the right man for the job."
Buffy felt herself shaking. "Explain that, all of that, right now."
Angel shook his head. "Nope, not yet. First, come with me and I'll prove that William has been lying to you. Then we'll negotiate something for the rose information." He leered at her and Buffy felt herself become queasy.
"You can burn in hell before that happens. Wait here." Buffy ran inside and quickly called Willow. She explained everything that happened with Angel's appearance, and what she was going to do. Willow protested, wanting to go with Buffy and Angel, but Buffy stood firm. She would call Willow when it looked like she needed someone, but for now she was going alone. Buffy scribbled a hasty note for her mom and grabbed her coat. In the hallway, Angel paced restlessly. Buffy appeared, and they left.
Conversation during the car ride was nonexistent. Buffy felt herself go from extremes of complete anger to sadness. She didn't know what the hell was going on, but had a bad feeling about the upcoming showdown.
Angel parked in front of the Giles and Giles law firm and led Buffy inside.
"William's office is on the third floor," he said, heading toward the elevators. Buffy followed him in silence.
They got in and a soft ding indicated they reached the third floor. Angel stepped out and again Buffy followed him. They rounded a corner and Buffy felt faint for the third time that day. Standing just in front of them in the little hallway was Spike. Kissing some woman.
Buffy gasped, and they jumped apart. The woman's eyes flashed in triumph, and Spike's went wide with surprise. Buffy felt her heart crumble, and she quickly dashed back toward the elevators. She head Spike cry out behind her, but she ignored him and kept running. The elevator opened and she bounded in. Tears flowed down her face, and she shakily reached into her pocket for her phone.
"Willow," Buffy sobbed when the phone was answered.
"Buffy! Honey, what happened? Tell me!" Willow yelled.
Buffy could barely speak. "Willow, can you come and get me? I'm in front of Giles and Giles, the law firm."
"Sure sweetie, I'll be right there, you just hold on," Willow said and disconnected.
Buffy paced outside while she waited for Willow. Her emotions and thoughts were spiraling through her head so fast that she could barely hold on. Spike lied to me, about everything. How could he lie to me? Oh god, Angel knows. He knows about the roses and about Spike. What if Angel was the one? Sending the roses all along? Why would he do that and then tell me about it, about Spike. Pain lanced through her at the thought of Spike. Why, Spike? Why did you lie to me? Tears threatened again, but Buffy fought them back. Now wasn't the time to cry. Now was the time to plan and figure this mess out. Later, after everything was back to normal, she could fall apart, but not now.
Buffy saw Willow's car approach and she darted down the street toward it. She ran past an alley, and a hand came out of nowhere and grabbed her.
Buffy screamed and fought, but the owner of the hand was too strong, and Buffy felt herself being pulled into the alleyway. She tried to look at her attacker, but the alley was too dark and she couldn't see anything. She screamed again, and Willow appeared at the opening and grabbed her. Buffy felt a bolt of pain go down her arm, then she was released.
The two of them flew back toward the street, but somehow managed to say on their feet. Buffy looked down at her arms and stifled a moan. A jagged heart had been carved into the palm of her hand. Blood was flowing down and dripping off her fingertips. A few feet away from them lay another rose.
Willow gasped when she saw Buffy's hand. "Sweetie, we need to get you to the hospital, pronto."
Buffy nodded. "Sure, just let me grab something."
Willow looked behind them and saw the rose. Her lips tightened and she felt anger course through her. "Son of a bitch."
Buffy picked up the rose. The thorns had been removed, and there was another note pinned with it. Buffy opened the slip of paper, relieved when a picture didn't flutter out. The note, however, was enough to make her blood run cold.
I GIVE MY HEART TO YOU.
YOU BELONG TO ME.
WE WILL BE TOGETHER.
FOR ALL ETERNITY.
"Take me to the police station," Buffy said in a dull voice.
A/N: Ahh, such complications for our favorite couple. But fear not, for better days are on the way. In the meantime, keep up those reviews and feed the muse. Until next time, my pretties.
