Hope you liked the first chapter. Things get better in this one... I
promise. Also, please see disclaimer in chapter 1.
Buffy walked outside a moment for a breath of fresh air. The night was calm and peaceful and stars sparkled overhead like diamonds caught in the sky. She heard the chirping of crickets from a nearby bush, the whisper of wind through the willow leaves, the sound of Spike calling her name. Wait... Spike?!
Buffy gasped and almost fell into the cricket bush. She looked up and saw Spike staring back at her, waiting anxiously for a response. For a moment she didn't know what to do. A part of her wanted to scream at the bleached-haired vampire for all that he had done to her. How dare he come back to Sunnydale. For some reason though she couldn't utter a word. All she did was stare into the piercing blue of his eyes.
After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Buffy crossed her arms in a defensive position and spoke. "What do you want Spike?"
Spike took a few steps forward and smoothed back his blond hair. "I came because I had to let you know... I..."
As he struggled to find the right words Buffy was struck with the look of concern and intensity on his face. It was a look she didn't remember seeing before. Not only that, something else seemed different about him. His hair wasn't as unruly as it used to be and was he actually wearing a green sweater? She didn't know his wardrobe consisted of anything other than black t-shirts and army boots.
"I'm sorry," Spike finally blurted out. "I've changed now and I'm sorry. I know it's not enough."
"You're right," Buffy replied, lips firmly pressed together. "It's not enough."
The two were interrupted as the door to Buffy's house swung open and Xander appeared in the doorway. His face was a mixture of fear and panic. Buffy knew immediately that something was wrong. "What is it Xander?"
"Anya just called. She's at the bronze and she says there a demon there attacking people." He was so preoccupied with delivering his message that he didn't even notice Spike standing on the lawn.
"Alright," said Buffy as she effortlessly slipped into slayer mode. "You stay here with Dawn and I'll check it out."
Xander nodded. "Anya's still on the phone. I'll let her know." With that he disappeared back into the house.
Buffy turned and faced Spike who was quite thankful the juggling buffoon hadn't noticed him. She didn't want to spend any more time with him than was necessary but she knew she might need backup if the demon was too powerful.
"Do you have my back?" she asked.
Spike grinned and nodded. "Till the end of the world luv."
When they arrived at Sunnydale's favorite hangout, they found it in a state of total chaos. People were running this way and that, trying to escape whatever creature was inside the building. Anya was standing near the entrance and ran over to meet Buffy and Spike. "Spike!" was the first word out of her mouth. "What are you doing here? I thought you tried to rape Buffy."
'Thank you Anya,' thought Spike when he noticed Buffy turning an unhealthy shade of white. "You said there was a demon?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.
"Oh right," said Anya as though she had almost forgotten. "It's a Mondark demon. Nasty little creature. Well, not really little... that's why I called you here, because you're the slayer."
Anya was interrupted when a giant green monster, the size of a truck crashed through the wall of the Bronze. It growled and bared its sharp, yellow teeth when it noticed the threesome standing in its way.
Without a moment's hesitation, Buffy and Spike began fighting the monstrous creature. It was as if they could sense each move the other was about to make. When Spike attacked from the front, Buffy struck from behind. When one fell, the other was there to take over the fight. They fought side by side, attacking the demon until it finally collapsed defeated.
"Wow," said Anya when the fight was over. "You two sure make a good team."
Buffy dusted herself off and frowned at the dirt stain on her new lavender tank top. She knew Anya was right. She and Spike did make a good team, but that didn't change anything. Spike still had to leave. Too much had happened between them. She opened her mouth about to tell Spike it was time for him to go when he beat her to it.
"Well pet. I guess it's time for me to leave. I think you've got things covered here."
Buffy was stunned. Spike had never offered to leave before. Usually she had to argue with him for days and even then he never went away for long.
"Yeah," she finally managed. "I think you're right."
Spike nodded his head. "I just needed you to know is all. You won't have to see me ever again."
With a small smile he turned and started heading away. When he was out of earshot Buffy let out a deep breath she hadn't even realized she was holding.
"I can't believe it," she said half to Anya and half to herself. "Did he really just come here to apologize?"
Anya shrugged her shoulders in a nonchalant manner. "Men are strange. You learn that after a hundred years as a vengeance demon. They're unpredictable.. kindof like dogs, or penguins maybe."
Buffy thought a moment, ignoring the strange penguin comment. "You've got that right. I just wish... I wish I knew what he was really thinking."
Anya's eyes grew large. "Uttoh..." she whispered. A bright yellow orb appeared in Anya's hands and flew towards an unsuspecting Spike. It hit him in the back and sent him flying into a pile of garbage bags.
"Anya!" cried Buffy. "What did you do?"
Anya shook her head, clearly distressed. "You know I'm a vengeance demon. You can't make a wish without me having to grant it. It's not my fault!"
"Oh no," whispered Buffy. "I wished I knew what he was thinking."
She set off running down the alleyway to the place Spike had fallen. One thought raced through her mind. Whatever just happened, it couldn't be good.
Buffy walked outside a moment for a breath of fresh air. The night was calm and peaceful and stars sparkled overhead like diamonds caught in the sky. She heard the chirping of crickets from a nearby bush, the whisper of wind through the willow leaves, the sound of Spike calling her name. Wait... Spike?!
Buffy gasped and almost fell into the cricket bush. She looked up and saw Spike staring back at her, waiting anxiously for a response. For a moment she didn't know what to do. A part of her wanted to scream at the bleached-haired vampire for all that he had done to her. How dare he come back to Sunnydale. For some reason though she couldn't utter a word. All she did was stare into the piercing blue of his eyes.
After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Buffy crossed her arms in a defensive position and spoke. "What do you want Spike?"
Spike took a few steps forward and smoothed back his blond hair. "I came because I had to let you know... I..."
As he struggled to find the right words Buffy was struck with the look of concern and intensity on his face. It was a look she didn't remember seeing before. Not only that, something else seemed different about him. His hair wasn't as unruly as it used to be and was he actually wearing a green sweater? She didn't know his wardrobe consisted of anything other than black t-shirts and army boots.
"I'm sorry," Spike finally blurted out. "I've changed now and I'm sorry. I know it's not enough."
"You're right," Buffy replied, lips firmly pressed together. "It's not enough."
The two were interrupted as the door to Buffy's house swung open and Xander appeared in the doorway. His face was a mixture of fear and panic. Buffy knew immediately that something was wrong. "What is it Xander?"
"Anya just called. She's at the bronze and she says there a demon there attacking people." He was so preoccupied with delivering his message that he didn't even notice Spike standing on the lawn.
"Alright," said Buffy as she effortlessly slipped into slayer mode. "You stay here with Dawn and I'll check it out."
Xander nodded. "Anya's still on the phone. I'll let her know." With that he disappeared back into the house.
Buffy turned and faced Spike who was quite thankful the juggling buffoon hadn't noticed him. She didn't want to spend any more time with him than was necessary but she knew she might need backup if the demon was too powerful.
"Do you have my back?" she asked.
Spike grinned and nodded. "Till the end of the world luv."
When they arrived at Sunnydale's favorite hangout, they found it in a state of total chaos. People were running this way and that, trying to escape whatever creature was inside the building. Anya was standing near the entrance and ran over to meet Buffy and Spike. "Spike!" was the first word out of her mouth. "What are you doing here? I thought you tried to rape Buffy."
'Thank you Anya,' thought Spike when he noticed Buffy turning an unhealthy shade of white. "You said there was a demon?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.
"Oh right," said Anya as though she had almost forgotten. "It's a Mondark demon. Nasty little creature. Well, not really little... that's why I called you here, because you're the slayer."
Anya was interrupted when a giant green monster, the size of a truck crashed through the wall of the Bronze. It growled and bared its sharp, yellow teeth when it noticed the threesome standing in its way.
Without a moment's hesitation, Buffy and Spike began fighting the monstrous creature. It was as if they could sense each move the other was about to make. When Spike attacked from the front, Buffy struck from behind. When one fell, the other was there to take over the fight. They fought side by side, attacking the demon until it finally collapsed defeated.
"Wow," said Anya when the fight was over. "You two sure make a good team."
Buffy dusted herself off and frowned at the dirt stain on her new lavender tank top. She knew Anya was right. She and Spike did make a good team, but that didn't change anything. Spike still had to leave. Too much had happened between them. She opened her mouth about to tell Spike it was time for him to go when he beat her to it.
"Well pet. I guess it's time for me to leave. I think you've got things covered here."
Buffy was stunned. Spike had never offered to leave before. Usually she had to argue with him for days and even then he never went away for long.
"Yeah," she finally managed. "I think you're right."
Spike nodded his head. "I just needed you to know is all. You won't have to see me ever again."
With a small smile he turned and started heading away. When he was out of earshot Buffy let out a deep breath she hadn't even realized she was holding.
"I can't believe it," she said half to Anya and half to herself. "Did he really just come here to apologize?"
Anya shrugged her shoulders in a nonchalant manner. "Men are strange. You learn that after a hundred years as a vengeance demon. They're unpredictable.. kindof like dogs, or penguins maybe."
Buffy thought a moment, ignoring the strange penguin comment. "You've got that right. I just wish... I wish I knew what he was really thinking."
Anya's eyes grew large. "Uttoh..." she whispered. A bright yellow orb appeared in Anya's hands and flew towards an unsuspecting Spike. It hit him in the back and sent him flying into a pile of garbage bags.
"Anya!" cried Buffy. "What did you do?"
Anya shook her head, clearly distressed. "You know I'm a vengeance demon. You can't make a wish without me having to grant it. It's not my fault!"
"Oh no," whispered Buffy. "I wished I knew what he was thinking."
She set off running down the alleyway to the place Spike had fallen. One thought raced through her mind. Whatever just happened, it couldn't be good.