Title: The Cure All... Or not
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A conversation between Buffy and Tara about Spike.
Genre: Angst
Pairings: Buffy/Spike and Buffy/Tara Friendship
Time Frame: Season 6 after Tara finds out about Buffy and Spike's relationship.
Status: Complete Standalone. Want for more? Ask for it! ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own it. Gee, big surprise.
Author's Note: The title doesn't fit it, but it's the best I can do. Oh well...
The Cure All... Or Not
It was just her and Tara hanging out at home while Dawn and Willow were out at a movie. It was not a "Spike Chat" waiting to happen. Most definitely not. At least that's what Buffy told herself. She told herself lots of things, after all, and somehow managed to convince herself that they were true. For instance, her latest. Her "I don't have any feelings for Spike." Both were failing, but her stubborn mind wasn't allowing that. Not that it did much good.
So here Buffy and Tara were, sitting uncomfortably on the old couch and flipping through channels. The couch needed replacing and the TV didn't get many stations, but Buffy was more inclined to spend their dwindling money supply on less frivolous items. Like food.
As she was flipping through said channels, Buffy stumbled across Passions. The slayer, the longest lived one ever, the one that had faced more apocalypses than . . . well, no one but Giles bothered to count, but it was definitely a lot, froze at the fuzzy picture captured on the metal box. An unbidden tear slipped down her cheek, unnoticed by her but not by the witch.
A compassionate, shy soul reached out to the cracking egg of a soul that remained of the girl next to her on the couch. She didn't know much about Buffy and Spike's relationship, and come to think about it, not much about either of the people in it. She was an outsider anyways. Even though it was doubtful a full Scooby, other than Buffy, would have equated the shoddy soap opera playing out on the screen with Spike.
It's not as if he hadn't mentioned it. It was more that they didn't care, save for Xander who may have stored this tidbit of information in the "Embarrass Spike" section of his mind. Suffice to say, pretty much no one thought of Passions and then an ex-master vampire.
As Tara hugged Buffy, soothing her tears, she tried to think of something to do or say to make this alright. These sorts of situations are always uncomfortable, and the friend of the victim just wants to help, even when there is nothing they can do.
"I've got an idea! Something I can do!" Buffy's tear filled green eyes raised themselves to make out the woman's bright face through the blur induced haze of her crying session.
"I can give Spike his soul back, like Willow did with Angel!" Tara's voice was brimming with enthusiasm. "No." Buffy said flatly, looking away bleakly.
"See, then it would be okay to be with him and all! Because he would have a soul! I mean, Xander might find it hard to accept, but-" she tried to explain.
"No." Buffy repeated her voice choked with a sob.
"But... why not?" she replied, hurt and confusion evident on her face.
"It wouldn't be right."
"I know he's still a vampire but-" she said, trying to reason out Buffy's refusal.
"It wouldn't be fair to him. To make him suffer like that, for everything he's done." Buffy explained. Tara nodded, understanding her friend's reasoning, said and unsaid. Buffy resolutely changed the channel, ending the talk, though she said nothing. Tara sighed, wondering why she was blessed with her powers if she couldn't heal her friend's emotional pain with them. Her thoughts continued down this path, speculating if anything could cure all of Buffy's concealed wounds, so many collected within such a short life.
Author's Follow-up: Always wondered why they didn't just have Willow or Tara do a soul restoration spell. So, this is my explanation.