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What Is To Be
-Fourth-
By Annie
2003-09-11
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤¤¤
She was pacing and she couldn't stop. Emotions that she had been ignoring or refusing to feel too strongly or forced deep, deep down within her were all rising to the surface. Whatever it was that had just happened, she had NOT seen him standing before her, he had NOT been real.
And yet, as she had slipped out through that doorway... her arm had brushed against his and...
Oh, good God.
She felt like praying for strength, she truly did, because she felt about ready to snap. There was an ache of tension over her shoulders and up her neck, there was something strained residing in the middle of her throat and she couldn't focus her thoughts - they just kept raging through her head as they pleased.
With Spike. Spike. And more of Spike.
Times when she had wanted to kill him, when she truly had wanted to kill him. Times of absolute tenderness that she simply hadn't seen as they happened. Times of pleasure and pain in a strange combination that seemed to have been the essence of their relationship as they pushed and pulled each other either that way or another. Times of need and want and letting go and picking the thread back up and then clipping it in the middle leaving only two ends of a nothing that she hadn't been expecting. Times of hate. Times of friendship. Times of...
"Are you upset?" Angel's voice interrupted her and she swirled around toward the doorway, glaring at him as the overcoming feeling immediately became fury with his deceit, with how he was so controlled while she was completely falling apart.
He entered the room rather hesitantly, burying his hands in his pockets as he stopped a few feet away from her.
"Who IS that?" she demanded. "Or WHAT is it?!"
Angel observed her in silence for another few seconds, and then he replied:
"He was brought back, Buffy."
"I don't know whether to laugh or cry," she murmured, crossing her arms over her chest and suddenly becoming overwhelmed with a need to do the latter. Something miserable was mixing with the remaining rubble of stone inside, something infinitely sad. Despite this her voice carried the trace of sarcasm she had intended for the sentence, and she huffed to underline it. "Or scream at you," she filled in. "Or... It can't be true," she then said, turning from him and slowly walking up to the window.
She stopped by it and gazed down at the excuse for a garden it overlooked, and there was a twitch in the fragile seam holding her heart in one piece as she rested her gaze on the back of the one who made it break in the first place.
"It can't be Spike down there," she added to her previous sentence as she put a hand up and gently moved the curtain slightly to the side, giving herself a better view.
"William," Angel said and she blinked, letting the curtain fall back in place as she turned back to him with a questioning expression on her face. "We don't call him 'Spike' anymore," he elaborated and she stared at him for a moment before she shook her head at him.
"This is way too much for me to deal with right now," she stated, then her eyes grew slightly as something hit her and she added: "Was THIS why you wanted me to come to L.A.?"
"No," he answered firmly. "We have a very serious situation on our hands here and I needed your expert opinion on..."
"Enough," she cut him off. "Fine. So then - how long?" she asked, taking a step forward as her eyes grew rather cold. "How long have you been lying to me? How long has he been 'back'?"
"Alive," Angel filled in and Buffy cocked an eyebrow. "Buffy," he said, wiping the look off her face as he finished: "Spike's human."
It was as though she turned into a photograph before his eyes as she kept her gaze in his without blinking, without moving one single muscle. She stared at him for so long that the moment was growing surreal before she suddenly broke eye contact and turned back to the window with one single word.
"No."
Angel watched her, then couldn't simply hold his tongue.
"Yes," he said and she didn't look at him as she once more brought the curtain to the side and looked down at the man below.
"No," she persisted. "I'd have known! I'd have..." she trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes and she closed them as she finished her sentence with a silent: "...felt it."
"Buffy," Angel said gently.
"You have no idea..." she mumbled, opening her eyes and again resting them on the well-known, strong and beloved form beneath the window. "You have no idea what I've been through. Wondering what would've happened if things had been different... Wishing - praying - for just another day, or hour, or minute with him."
"You never mentioned it," Angel remarked. "You never spoke of him once in all your letters."
She turned to him, cheeks stained with salt and her eyes filled with a very real and raw pain.
"Because I was TRYING to move on! Because everything already...!" She trailed off, shaking her head. "I can't do this! I can't be all right with this! How the hell could you NOT tell me?!"
"He wouldn't let me," Angel answered evenly. "I couldn't go against his wishes, Buffy."
"You couldn't? Go against his wishes? And so I've spent the passed year...?!"
Once again she cut the sentence short as she dried her cheeks with agitated movements and started up her pacing again.
"Buffy, please," he tried to calm her, but she merely shook her head for a second time.
"No... No, Angel. I don't know how to... I can't even begin to... I mean, where do I start?!"
Angel stepped up to her and took a careful hold on her upper arms, stopping her movements and making her look into his eyes as he answered her question soothingly, saying:
"You start by talking with him."
Her expression softened slightly as her gaze grew frail.
"I don't know if I can face him," she whispered, but Angel merely tightened his grip and said:
"Yes, you can. You have to. You want to."
"Why didn't he want me to come...?" she practically whimpered and Angel let his arms encircle her as she bent her neck to rest her forehead against his chest.
He held her to him comfortingly.
"I don't know," he then mumbled. "You'll have to ask him."
***
Spike tilted his head back, taking in the stars above and wanting to will some sense into his messed up brain. It was fruitless. He wanted to run up to her, run straight into her room and...
And look at her.
Touch her face.
Touch those blonde locks of hers, see if they were as soft as he remembered them.
Hold her to him.
Rest his forehead to hers and tell her that he had missed a lot in the lifetime he had been dead, but nothing even compared to how much he had longed for her the few months he had been between Heaven and Hell.
"Will?"
"Leave me alone, Cor," he said, not looking at her.
Since there was no protest and no more sound he concluded that she had done what he asked. He found himself in between decisions of wanting to go somewhere else than this place since it was torture not being able to see her - he couldn't, his courage was failing him; and the need to stay put and at least be in the vicinity of her, per chance he would find himself before her simply because of that.
After a moment he walked over to a tattered stone bench and took a seat, looking at his hands as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.
It was a strange feeling; even though his supernatural senses were gone he knew instinctively when she stepped through the double doors leading out from the foyer and into the rather chilly evening air.
His heart began to pick up its pace as he could hear her tentative steps when she approached him.
Buffy's heart wasn't exactly keeping a normal rhythm either. Coming to a stop beside him she felt her throat growing dry and she was almost trembling. She wanted so much to reach out and touch him, have confirmation that he wasn't some loose entity; that he was of substance, of flesh and bone...
Human.
She swallowed, feeling a wave of affection course through her as she realized she had been granted her wish. He was there. Was she going to merely eye him in wonder? Or tell him all that she had never gotten to before he was taken from her?
Where would she begin?
She slowly sat down on the other end of the bench, glancing at him as he seemingly refused to look at her.
He had no idea how much he was hurting her.
Why hadn't he sent for her? Why hadn't he wanted her to come?
She bit the inside of her lip as she drew a small breath. Then spoke the first words that came to mind.
"How long were you gone?" she asked, voice low and he stirred, though he still did not turn his head to her.
She wanted to rest her eyes in his. Just for a few short seconds. She wanted to read what he was feeling in his gaze because the darkness she was in concerning his emotions was unbearable.
"A while," he then answered her question quietly and the sound of his voice sent a delicate web of shivers over her shoulders, causing her to square them and turn her head fully to take in his profile.
The fact of the matter was beginning to sink in. He sat there, next to her, as real as the bench which hosted them. A part of her had known what a larger part of her had not been able to acknowledge, that this moment would be just this sweet once it arrived, because that smaller part of her had known that it would appear sooner or later, that he was not completely gone.
"How long was it for you?" he then asked and she let a small smile grace her lips as she knew he remembered.
"Longer," she murmured, fighting the tears threatening an encore, having them as a glittering layer over her eyes instead. She hesitated, swallowing to clear her tight throat before she asked: "Were you happy?"
He turned his head to her at that and as he looked at her she felt her tears run over to slip carefully down her cheeks.
"Buffy, I..." he tried, trailing off as he felt his mouth cramp with everything there was to say to her. "I was happy," he then stated gently. "For a short while I was happy... But it didn't last because of the deal of the amulet, and saving the world, and plundering and murdering in it for so long... I had to give penance and so the Powers stuck me in limbo while they gave Angel the mission to save me... or let me perish. And then... Sorry, too much info," he murmured and she merely stared at him before she blinked and smiled another small smile through her tears:
"No," she said. "No... not too much. Just... I can't believe that... And I..."
She trailed off and he tilted his head slightly to one side which made her close her eyes and let out a sob. Burying her face in her hands she felt how his fingers slid over her shoulder and she was about to move into the embrace she knew was waiting for her when Susannah's voice made her turn her head sharply to the door and Spike seemingly retracted.
"You need to come, the both of you," she said. "Hurry. It's important."
Buffy sniffled, staring at the young woman as the latter turned around and disappeared back inside, but not without first giving Spike a rather long look and a terrible flutter of comprehension began to persistently beat its wings against the nape of the Slayer's neck.
She looked back at Spike who met her gaze and everything melted away as she felt a sudden gush of happiness move through her.
Then he rose and she did as well.
"I guess we should..." he said with a gesture to the door and she nodded, drying her cheeks for the second time that night.
"Yeah," she agreed and he gave her the first smile she had seen from him, waiting for her to take the lead.
She did, but with slight reluctance as this took him out of her line of sight, and she couldn't get enough of the view of him. The mere thought of having to part with him in just a few hours for even further hours of boring and lonely sleep felt like a waste.
They entered the foyer and Buffy met Cordelia's searching gaze as she watched them take the few steps down to the main floor of the room. The Slayer had to smirk. The other had changed, but perhaps in not all aspects after all.
Then Buffy moved her eyes to Susannah, who had a rather dark look on her face. Her jaw line was tight and her gaze was centered on Spike, who was still to the right of- and walking behind Buffy.
Are they lovers? was the question creeping into Buffy's mind as she stopped by Angel, and Spike did as well, though she got the feeling he was keeping a slight distance between himself and her.
She had so much to ask him. There was so much she had to tell him. But as Angel began to speak she came to the understanding that there wouldn't be much time to spend alone in confiding conversation with the bleached blonde.
"Something has happened," Angel stated, looking around at all of them with a serenity that assured they would listen carefully. "The first part of the prophecy seems to have been set in motion."
"The first part?" Buffy cut in. "What? The 'rain of blood' thing-y?"
"No," Angel replied. "The part YOU heard was the third part, the last part."
"Why didn't you read me ALL the parts?" she asked indignantly and he seemed to pause before he exchanged a look with Cordelia, then answered:
"Because the first part had to do with you, and Wes told me you shouldn't know about it 'til..."
"It walked up and bit me on the ass?" she filled in as he trailed off and when she out of the corner of her eye caught Spike smirking she smiled as well, glancing over at him and feeling her heart beat one snap faster.
"Well, not literally," Angel answered.
"Just pretty much?" she ventured and he smiled a little.
"It might help us," he said and her eyebrows rose at that. "It tells of the Bringer of Light... which we interpreted to be you."
"And correct you were, obviously," she nodded, though he ignored her input that time and simply went on with his disclosure.
"'On the seventh day there shall be a light to shine for those who are lost and it shall bring forth the second apocalypse...'"
"Second?" Buffy huffed.
"'And as the stars align with the god of fire there shall be no sound heard but the beating of one heart and that heart shall be true and pure and it shall know its purpose as the third day subdues to darkness.'"
"And for us not so apt to talk like a three-thousand year old piece of paper that means...?" Buffy pushed, but this time it was Wesley who answered her, and he seemed to not pick up on the humor at all as he said:
"We believe the seventh day, the third day and so on and so forth stand for a countdown. We believe the text tell us that we have one week from today until all hell breaks loose."
"How can you be so sure?" Buffy wondered and Angel placed his hands on her shoulders and made her turn around before he gently ushered her back to the doors she had just walked through.
He pointed to the sky and she looked where his finger guided her. There, in a perfect row, stood four stars; the top one shining the strongest and its followers dimming slightly though they marked themselves clearly on the velvet backdrop.
"Amazing," she breathed.
"It's started," Angel said. "You coming here proves our theory to be right, at least most of it... What we really need to find out now is what exactly it is that's supposed to happen in a week."
Buffy nodded as Angel left her side and walked back down the steps. She turned around to look at the people gathered in the room, stopping last on Spike and as he moved his head to meet her gaze she felt a surge of soft panic.
"Seven days," she grumbled silently.
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ******************
I'm so, so happy that you're enjoying this fic! Gosh, it's so great reading your feedback! Thanks so much, all of you, for making my day!
Special and warm thanks to Winters1 (Susannah? With Spike? What?) ;P, Vanessa (Bon jour, or something like it! Nice to have you back! Trés bien! I've been wondering what happened to you, chicka! Hey... weren't you about to have a baby?! Okay, very glad you're liking this!) :), learyl (What is up? :) Hey, I'm glad to have you back and even happier you like COMING back. Hope this chapter is accepted!) :), Night (heeey, you! Can I just say aw, and also *smile* to that and god, I have to stop indulging in stories like this! Soon all I'll know how to write will be Buffy fiction! Oh, don't worry, I'm not serious. My goodness, would I complain?! *smirk* Very glad you're filled with anticipation and I hope I can double that happiness, girl!) ;), Caitlin (Hey, great to see ya! And thanks for three lovely reviews. On 1: I bow my head. Thank you so much! On 2: *smiles wide* No, Giles didn't know that Spike was back. That part about Susannah was very fun to read... All will of course be revealed in due time. Oh, and the Angel down load is okay to skip, I have already gotten some great and helpful info, don't worry! ;) On 3: Oh, so happy you liked my take on that! The First Meeting. Okay, hope this update was soon enough and again, all giddy with happiness myself that you're enoying it!) ;), Rachel9 (yeah, what IS it with the number in your name. Oh, right, you can't have the same name as anyone else, right. *shakes head* Well, I knew it was you. ;) And I am happy that you like it!!!) wolf116 (oh, okay. I'd have loved it if they just hired her for the last six months of the show! But guess a girl can't have everything. ;) *note the slight sarcasm in tone of writing* I HOPE that's how Joss wants to do it! I mean, what is this I hear about FRED being a possible love interest for Spike? FRED?! No. That's just plain wrong! *shudders* Okay, hope you liked this chapter as well!) :), Tobert (Hi! Oh, that's really great to read! Thanks a lot! So, did this chapter live up to the standards?) ;), Mel (Hehe, naw, me neither, a cocky Angel is not too much fun. ;) Thanks, girl!) :), Eileen (why yes! Quick enough?) :), Captain (Oh, well, I'm flattered by that! ;) Oh, and thanks for that comment, because I do believe most of it WILL be my way. :) Oh, the Spike hug - nicest thing I've ever heard! :) I'll send one right back at ya for even mentioning it!) :), Brin Londo5 (hey! Well, I shalt do what I can to grant your wish. I do want to be kind!) ;) and Shan (thanks and well, here it was!) ;).
Grrreat to hear from y'all. Hope to get more of it, of course! *wink*
Also, do hope you liked this chapter!
A.M.L, Annie.
What Is To Be
-Fourth-
By Annie
2003-09-11
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤¤¤
She was pacing and she couldn't stop. Emotions that she had been ignoring or refusing to feel too strongly or forced deep, deep down within her were all rising to the surface. Whatever it was that had just happened, she had NOT seen him standing before her, he had NOT been real.
And yet, as she had slipped out through that doorway... her arm had brushed against his and...
Oh, good God.
She felt like praying for strength, she truly did, because she felt about ready to snap. There was an ache of tension over her shoulders and up her neck, there was something strained residing in the middle of her throat and she couldn't focus her thoughts - they just kept raging through her head as they pleased.
With Spike. Spike. And more of Spike.
Times when she had wanted to kill him, when she truly had wanted to kill him. Times of absolute tenderness that she simply hadn't seen as they happened. Times of pleasure and pain in a strange combination that seemed to have been the essence of their relationship as they pushed and pulled each other either that way or another. Times of need and want and letting go and picking the thread back up and then clipping it in the middle leaving only two ends of a nothing that she hadn't been expecting. Times of hate. Times of friendship. Times of...
"Are you upset?" Angel's voice interrupted her and she swirled around toward the doorway, glaring at him as the overcoming feeling immediately became fury with his deceit, with how he was so controlled while she was completely falling apart.
He entered the room rather hesitantly, burying his hands in his pockets as he stopped a few feet away from her.
"Who IS that?" she demanded. "Or WHAT is it?!"
Angel observed her in silence for another few seconds, and then he replied:
"He was brought back, Buffy."
"I don't know whether to laugh or cry," she murmured, crossing her arms over her chest and suddenly becoming overwhelmed with a need to do the latter. Something miserable was mixing with the remaining rubble of stone inside, something infinitely sad. Despite this her voice carried the trace of sarcasm she had intended for the sentence, and she huffed to underline it. "Or scream at you," she filled in. "Or... It can't be true," she then said, turning from him and slowly walking up to the window.
She stopped by it and gazed down at the excuse for a garden it overlooked, and there was a twitch in the fragile seam holding her heart in one piece as she rested her gaze on the back of the one who made it break in the first place.
"It can't be Spike down there," she added to her previous sentence as she put a hand up and gently moved the curtain slightly to the side, giving herself a better view.
"William," Angel said and she blinked, letting the curtain fall back in place as she turned back to him with a questioning expression on her face. "We don't call him 'Spike' anymore," he elaborated and she stared at him for a moment before she shook her head at him.
"This is way too much for me to deal with right now," she stated, then her eyes grew slightly as something hit her and she added: "Was THIS why you wanted me to come to L.A.?"
"No," he answered firmly. "We have a very serious situation on our hands here and I needed your expert opinion on..."
"Enough," she cut him off. "Fine. So then - how long?" she asked, taking a step forward as her eyes grew rather cold. "How long have you been lying to me? How long has he been 'back'?"
"Alive," Angel filled in and Buffy cocked an eyebrow. "Buffy," he said, wiping the look off her face as he finished: "Spike's human."
It was as though she turned into a photograph before his eyes as she kept her gaze in his without blinking, without moving one single muscle. She stared at him for so long that the moment was growing surreal before she suddenly broke eye contact and turned back to the window with one single word.
"No."
Angel watched her, then couldn't simply hold his tongue.
"Yes," he said and she didn't look at him as she once more brought the curtain to the side and looked down at the man below.
"No," she persisted. "I'd have known! I'd have..." she trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes and she closed them as she finished her sentence with a silent: "...felt it."
"Buffy," Angel said gently.
"You have no idea..." she mumbled, opening her eyes and again resting them on the well-known, strong and beloved form beneath the window. "You have no idea what I've been through. Wondering what would've happened if things had been different... Wishing - praying - for just another day, or hour, or minute with him."
"You never mentioned it," Angel remarked. "You never spoke of him once in all your letters."
She turned to him, cheeks stained with salt and her eyes filled with a very real and raw pain.
"Because I was TRYING to move on! Because everything already...!" She trailed off, shaking her head. "I can't do this! I can't be all right with this! How the hell could you NOT tell me?!"
"He wouldn't let me," Angel answered evenly. "I couldn't go against his wishes, Buffy."
"You couldn't? Go against his wishes? And so I've spent the passed year...?!"
Once again she cut the sentence short as she dried her cheeks with agitated movements and started up her pacing again.
"Buffy, please," he tried to calm her, but she merely shook her head for a second time.
"No... No, Angel. I don't know how to... I can't even begin to... I mean, where do I start?!"
Angel stepped up to her and took a careful hold on her upper arms, stopping her movements and making her look into his eyes as he answered her question soothingly, saying:
"You start by talking with him."
Her expression softened slightly as her gaze grew frail.
"I don't know if I can face him," she whispered, but Angel merely tightened his grip and said:
"Yes, you can. You have to. You want to."
"Why didn't he want me to come...?" she practically whimpered and Angel let his arms encircle her as she bent her neck to rest her forehead against his chest.
He held her to him comfortingly.
"I don't know," he then mumbled. "You'll have to ask him."
***
Spike tilted his head back, taking in the stars above and wanting to will some sense into his messed up brain. It was fruitless. He wanted to run up to her, run straight into her room and...
And look at her.
Touch her face.
Touch those blonde locks of hers, see if they were as soft as he remembered them.
Hold her to him.
Rest his forehead to hers and tell her that he had missed a lot in the lifetime he had been dead, but nothing even compared to how much he had longed for her the few months he had been between Heaven and Hell.
"Will?"
"Leave me alone, Cor," he said, not looking at her.
Since there was no protest and no more sound he concluded that she had done what he asked. He found himself in between decisions of wanting to go somewhere else than this place since it was torture not being able to see her - he couldn't, his courage was failing him; and the need to stay put and at least be in the vicinity of her, per chance he would find himself before her simply because of that.
After a moment he walked over to a tattered stone bench and took a seat, looking at his hands as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.
It was a strange feeling; even though his supernatural senses were gone he knew instinctively when she stepped through the double doors leading out from the foyer and into the rather chilly evening air.
His heart began to pick up its pace as he could hear her tentative steps when she approached him.
Buffy's heart wasn't exactly keeping a normal rhythm either. Coming to a stop beside him she felt her throat growing dry and she was almost trembling. She wanted so much to reach out and touch him, have confirmation that he wasn't some loose entity; that he was of substance, of flesh and bone...
Human.
She swallowed, feeling a wave of affection course through her as she realized she had been granted her wish. He was there. Was she going to merely eye him in wonder? Or tell him all that she had never gotten to before he was taken from her?
Where would she begin?
She slowly sat down on the other end of the bench, glancing at him as he seemingly refused to look at her.
He had no idea how much he was hurting her.
Why hadn't he sent for her? Why hadn't he wanted her to come?
She bit the inside of her lip as she drew a small breath. Then spoke the first words that came to mind.
"How long were you gone?" she asked, voice low and he stirred, though he still did not turn his head to her.
She wanted to rest her eyes in his. Just for a few short seconds. She wanted to read what he was feeling in his gaze because the darkness she was in concerning his emotions was unbearable.
"A while," he then answered her question quietly and the sound of his voice sent a delicate web of shivers over her shoulders, causing her to square them and turn her head fully to take in his profile.
The fact of the matter was beginning to sink in. He sat there, next to her, as real as the bench which hosted them. A part of her had known what a larger part of her had not been able to acknowledge, that this moment would be just this sweet once it arrived, because that smaller part of her had known that it would appear sooner or later, that he was not completely gone.
"How long was it for you?" he then asked and she let a small smile grace her lips as she knew he remembered.
"Longer," she murmured, fighting the tears threatening an encore, having them as a glittering layer over her eyes instead. She hesitated, swallowing to clear her tight throat before she asked: "Were you happy?"
He turned his head to her at that and as he looked at her she felt her tears run over to slip carefully down her cheeks.
"Buffy, I..." he tried, trailing off as he felt his mouth cramp with everything there was to say to her. "I was happy," he then stated gently. "For a short while I was happy... But it didn't last because of the deal of the amulet, and saving the world, and plundering and murdering in it for so long... I had to give penance and so the Powers stuck me in limbo while they gave Angel the mission to save me... or let me perish. And then... Sorry, too much info," he murmured and she merely stared at him before she blinked and smiled another small smile through her tears:
"No," she said. "No... not too much. Just... I can't believe that... And I..."
She trailed off and he tilted his head slightly to one side which made her close her eyes and let out a sob. Burying her face in her hands she felt how his fingers slid over her shoulder and she was about to move into the embrace she knew was waiting for her when Susannah's voice made her turn her head sharply to the door and Spike seemingly retracted.
"You need to come, the both of you," she said. "Hurry. It's important."
Buffy sniffled, staring at the young woman as the latter turned around and disappeared back inside, but not without first giving Spike a rather long look and a terrible flutter of comprehension began to persistently beat its wings against the nape of the Slayer's neck.
She looked back at Spike who met her gaze and everything melted away as she felt a sudden gush of happiness move through her.
Then he rose and she did as well.
"I guess we should..." he said with a gesture to the door and she nodded, drying her cheeks for the second time that night.
"Yeah," she agreed and he gave her the first smile she had seen from him, waiting for her to take the lead.
She did, but with slight reluctance as this took him out of her line of sight, and she couldn't get enough of the view of him. The mere thought of having to part with him in just a few hours for even further hours of boring and lonely sleep felt like a waste.
They entered the foyer and Buffy met Cordelia's searching gaze as she watched them take the few steps down to the main floor of the room. The Slayer had to smirk. The other had changed, but perhaps in not all aspects after all.
Then Buffy moved her eyes to Susannah, who had a rather dark look on her face. Her jaw line was tight and her gaze was centered on Spike, who was still to the right of- and walking behind Buffy.
Are they lovers? was the question creeping into Buffy's mind as she stopped by Angel, and Spike did as well, though she got the feeling he was keeping a slight distance between himself and her.
She had so much to ask him. There was so much she had to tell him. But as Angel began to speak she came to the understanding that there wouldn't be much time to spend alone in confiding conversation with the bleached blonde.
"Something has happened," Angel stated, looking around at all of them with a serenity that assured they would listen carefully. "The first part of the prophecy seems to have been set in motion."
"The first part?" Buffy cut in. "What? The 'rain of blood' thing-y?"
"No," Angel replied. "The part YOU heard was the third part, the last part."
"Why didn't you read me ALL the parts?" she asked indignantly and he seemed to pause before he exchanged a look with Cordelia, then answered:
"Because the first part had to do with you, and Wes told me you shouldn't know about it 'til..."
"It walked up and bit me on the ass?" she filled in as he trailed off and when she out of the corner of her eye caught Spike smirking she smiled as well, glancing over at him and feeling her heart beat one snap faster.
"Well, not literally," Angel answered.
"Just pretty much?" she ventured and he smiled a little.
"It might help us," he said and her eyebrows rose at that. "It tells of the Bringer of Light... which we interpreted to be you."
"And correct you were, obviously," she nodded, though he ignored her input that time and simply went on with his disclosure.
"'On the seventh day there shall be a light to shine for those who are lost and it shall bring forth the second apocalypse...'"
"Second?" Buffy huffed.
"'And as the stars align with the god of fire there shall be no sound heard but the beating of one heart and that heart shall be true and pure and it shall know its purpose as the third day subdues to darkness.'"
"And for us not so apt to talk like a three-thousand year old piece of paper that means...?" Buffy pushed, but this time it was Wesley who answered her, and he seemed to not pick up on the humor at all as he said:
"We believe the seventh day, the third day and so on and so forth stand for a countdown. We believe the text tell us that we have one week from today until all hell breaks loose."
"How can you be so sure?" Buffy wondered and Angel placed his hands on her shoulders and made her turn around before he gently ushered her back to the doors she had just walked through.
He pointed to the sky and she looked where his finger guided her. There, in a perfect row, stood four stars; the top one shining the strongest and its followers dimming slightly though they marked themselves clearly on the velvet backdrop.
"Amazing," she breathed.
"It's started," Angel said. "You coming here proves our theory to be right, at least most of it... What we really need to find out now is what exactly it is that's supposed to happen in a week."
Buffy nodded as Angel left her side and walked back down the steps. She turned around to look at the people gathered in the room, stopping last on Spike and as he moved his head to meet her gaze she felt a surge of soft panic.
"Seven days," she grumbled silently.
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I'm so, so happy that you're enjoying this fic! Gosh, it's so great reading your feedback! Thanks so much, all of you, for making my day!
Special and warm thanks to Winters1 (Susannah? With Spike? What?) ;P, Vanessa (Bon jour, or something like it! Nice to have you back! Trés bien! I've been wondering what happened to you, chicka! Hey... weren't you about to have a baby?! Okay, very glad you're liking this!) :), learyl (What is up? :) Hey, I'm glad to have you back and even happier you like COMING back. Hope this chapter is accepted!) :), Night (heeey, you! Can I just say aw, and also *smile* to that and god, I have to stop indulging in stories like this! Soon all I'll know how to write will be Buffy fiction! Oh, don't worry, I'm not serious. My goodness, would I complain?! *smirk* Very glad you're filled with anticipation and I hope I can double that happiness, girl!) ;), Caitlin (Hey, great to see ya! And thanks for three lovely reviews. On 1: I bow my head. Thank you so much! On 2: *smiles wide* No, Giles didn't know that Spike was back. That part about Susannah was very fun to read... All will of course be revealed in due time. Oh, and the Angel down load is okay to skip, I have already gotten some great and helpful info, don't worry! ;) On 3: Oh, so happy you liked my take on that! The First Meeting. Okay, hope this update was soon enough and again, all giddy with happiness myself that you're enoying it!) ;), Rachel9 (yeah, what IS it with the number in your name. Oh, right, you can't have the same name as anyone else, right. *shakes head* Well, I knew it was you. ;) And I am happy that you like it!!!) wolf116 (oh, okay. I'd have loved it if they just hired her for the last six months of the show! But guess a girl can't have everything. ;) *note the slight sarcasm in tone of writing* I HOPE that's how Joss wants to do it! I mean, what is this I hear about FRED being a possible love interest for Spike? FRED?! No. That's just plain wrong! *shudders* Okay, hope you liked this chapter as well!) :), Tobert (Hi! Oh, that's really great to read! Thanks a lot! So, did this chapter live up to the standards?) ;), Mel (Hehe, naw, me neither, a cocky Angel is not too much fun. ;) Thanks, girl!) :), Eileen (why yes! Quick enough?) :), Captain (Oh, well, I'm flattered by that! ;) Oh, and thanks for that comment, because I do believe most of it WILL be my way. :) Oh, the Spike hug - nicest thing I've ever heard! :) I'll send one right back at ya for even mentioning it!) :), Brin Londo5 (hey! Well, I shalt do what I can to grant your wish. I do want to be kind!) ;) and Shan (thanks and well, here it was!) ;).
Grrreat to hear from y'all. Hope to get more of it, of course! *wink*
Also, do hope you liked this chapter!
A.M.L, Annie.
