Disclaimer: Yes...Joss Whedon owns all of the characters except the ones that
you have never heard of because I created them...I wonder if Joss has ever
heard of a thing called 'sharing'...
Summary: ((Warning: Spuffiness!!! Everyone is human too...the story isn't as lame as the summary...seriously)) Starts off with everyone as young teenagers...Glory and Buffy are step sisters, and Angel is the step brother...blah blah blah ((Sorry, it's too juicy to give away)) And Buffy is hit by a car, loses all her memory...including all recollection of her love...Spike...this is a really vague summary...
((A/N: I WANT TO TELL ALL OF THE REVIEWERS WHO HAVE REVIEWED THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! IT REALLY ENCOURAGES ME TO CONTINUE!!! *muah* LOVE YOU ALL!!! REMEMBER MORE REVIEWES=MORE CHAPPIES!!!))
((A/N: Luv to all my steady reviewers, Shitaka, Cho-Freak-Dragon, Ruthie2, and ekmw511. Thanks for reviewing, 'more' and Roxie. Ekmw511, just hang on a couple more chapters...and for a SNEAK PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER, I will give you a little taste of what it will be about. Spike will be using his 'last' favor from Elizabeth in that chapter, and what the favor is will scare Aidan out of his wits, and make Darla and Glory ANGRY. ^^))
((Sorry for not updating sooner, hope you guys enjoy this little chapter, and I will update more faithfully this week because it's Spring Break for me!!! By the way I got my first flame! Can't say I'm proud though ^^. I don't really care about the flames, but if you are going to flame me, at least read past the first couple chapters because Buffy of course is going to be a little OOC, and not only that she was only 13 then. Thank you^^ And how many of you are distracted by my 'in-text author notes'?))
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
If love was meant to be between two people, Then they will always find each other, No matter how long it takes, No matter how far, No matter how many obstacles stand in the way, In the end, they will always end up in each other's arms.
* * * * * * * * * *
Spike drove into the underground parking lot. He opened the car door, and tossed the keys to the valet. Instead of opening the door for her like he usually did he stalked off. Elizabeth glowered at him, and opened the door herself, and stomped after him. "Hey! Aren't you going to wait for me?" she yelled, her voice echoing in the parking space.
Spike winced, and stopped walking. Elizabeth finally caught up, "Are you okay?" she asked, hesitantly.
Spike turned his head, and looked at her, "Yeah...I'm fine..." He and Elizabeth continued to walk in silence. They finally arrived outside, "Thanks...for today," Spike said as he shoved his hands into the silk pockets of his slightly wrinkled suit, "It really meant a lot to Xander."
Elizabeth bit her lower lip, "No problem...and I'm sorry for your loss..." she replied, her voice now a mere whisper.
Spike smiled slightly and looked at her. Her eyes were cast toward the ground, trying to avoid his gaze, "You don't have to be sorry luv, it's not nearly as painful when there is an equally beautiful woman nearby..."
Elizabeth's eyes widened, flustered she turned around, and ran off. 'The impudent pig...' she thought to herself. She took a taxi back to the little house, and found it empty. "Giles? Aidan?" she called out hopefully. Seeing no one, she took a shower, and changed into a different set of clothes. There were an hour or two before Aidan would be home, and she was sure that he was anxious to see her. She made a face, she wasn't sure if she wanted to see him now.
She flipped open her cell phone and turned it on. She groaned when a little box popped up, 'You have 25 messages' it read. "Let me guess...Aidan..." she checked all of her messages, at least the first three, and then deleted them all. There was no point in listening to the rest, they were all similar, altered, and elaborated forms of, "Where are you? Why isn't your cell phone on? Why aren't you answering? Are you OKAY? You better get home soon, I'm really worried about you."
Smiling half hearted to herself she text messaged him.
Hey Aidan, Sorry about not answering your calls last night. Come home soon because I'll have a good dinner waiting for you.
~Lizzy
Aidan began to paint the beginnings of the perfect sky when his cell phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his paint streaked pants, and read the message. His eyes widened. He quickly dropped the paintbrush back into its correct pot of paint, and began to text her back quickly.
Elizabeth! Do you have any idea how worried I was? Where were you?
-Aidan
Elizabeth smiled as her cell phone hummed. She set the large pan down onto the counter, and wiping her hands on the white apron she had put on opened her cell phone.
Gee, I guess you were worried just a little...I mean, I got a hint from all the voicemails you left on my cell. By the way, I'm going TO COOK for you.
~Elizabeth
Aidan had been sitting on the upper platform of the scaffold waiting for his cellular to light up. Once it did he immediately messaged her back.
That doesn't mean anything...do you know how afraid I was? I was afraid that you weren't going to come back. You know that I can't live without you right? I know...I must sound like some five-year old, but it's true Liz...I can't live without you.
Aidan
Elizabeth tentatively dropped two pork chops into the sizzling pan. The sizzling of the pan drowned out the slight humming of her phone. She bustled around the kitchen, and shrieked when she smelled something burning. Aidan sighed, and climbed down the ladder, and ran all the way to the house.
"I'm home!" he yelled as he slammed the door behind him. "What's that smell?"
Riley who had been watching from a black Lexus SUV with tinted windows, pulled out his cell phone, and called Spike.
"Yeah, Spike?" ... "I found out where she lives, it's kind of in the outskirts of the urban part of the city," ... "Umm...no..." ... "As far as I can tell, she lives with the man who's doing the mural for you," ... "Sorry Spike," ... "I know, I'll be right there boss."
Riley sighed, and starting the engine, drove off down the street as the sky began to darken to the oncoming night.
* A WEEK OR SO LATER *
Elizabeth sighed, time had passed by as usual. Sure, Spike pestered her every now and then, and she sadly she found that she couldn't reciprocate feelings for him...right? She said 'bye' to Willow, Anya, Wesley, Harmony and a few others and left through the glass doors of the office room. She and Aidan were going to meet up during her lunch break, and go eat somewhere. She opened her cell to check if he had left a message. She waited patiently for the elevator doors to open when she felt a friendly tap on her shoulder.
She whirled around, and found herself looking up at Riley's kind face. He smiled down at her, "Spike wishes to see you," he said.
"Oh...really?" she asked, almost timidly.
Riley nodded, "You should go now, it's not good to keep him waiting..."
Elizabeth nodded in reply. Riley escorted her to a room that she had never been in before. Riley opened the door for her. As soon as she went it, he closed it, and locked it with the key card, and seated himself on the chair beside the door.
Glory who had been listening to Elizabeth and Riley speak came storming down the hallway. "Where is she?" she demanded.
Riley turned up from his magazine, which he sheepishly tried to hide the issue of Us Weekly. "Who?" he asked, slightly angry that someone had interrupted his scanning of the best dressed ladies, not only that he never really did like Glory anyways.
"Elizabeth! She's with Spike in there, isn't she?" she seethed. She tried the door handle, but found it locked.
Riley gave her an innocent look. Glory was about to pound on it when Riley smoothly stepped in between her and the door. "I believe that Spike had something for you to do anyways..." He shoved a manila portfolio into her hands, and sent her down the hallway. Riley smiled to himself and resumed reading his magazine.
Elizabeth blinked her eyes several times before they began to adjust to the darkness of the room. A few sun rays peeked through the heavy curtains that covered the windows. With squinted eyes she looked around the room; she could make out a table, and chairs...all of the sudden one of the curtains opened to reveal Spike sitting on the cushioned shelf by the window.
Spike's outfit lacked the usual suit, instead he wore just a white collared shirt and gray slacks. His blonde hair shined in the sunlight that came streaming out of the single window. He smirked slightly, "Hullo there pet,"
Elizabeth's eyes flashed, "What do you want?" she asked coldly.
"Nothing...just sit down," he replied gesturing to one of the large arm chairs that was placed by a white-clothed table. Elizabeth warily made her way to the chair, and sat down while Spike lit all of the candles. He closed the curtain again, and sat down. "You know, sometimes being around you hurts," he said finally.
"Why because I remind you of Buffy?" she snapped back sharply.
"Don't say that...you're your own person you know..." he managed to say.
Elizabeth's cell phone rang, it was Aidan, she was about to answer it when Spike grabbed it and pulled the battery out. "What the hell?" she demanded. "I happen to have a little date right now...I am going to leave."
Spike stood up, and placing his hands on her shoulder, shoved her down. "Don't...go..."
"Why?" she asked.
"Be...because it's my birthday..." That was when Elizabeth actually looked at the table, to see a birthday cake...lit with candles. "Why don't you celebrate with someone else?" she asked, her voice softened.
"Because I don't want to," he managed to reply through his gritted teeth.
Elizabeth couldn't take it anymore...she felt her heart breaking for him. She stood up, but he spoke again, his voice pleading.
"Please...don't...leave...yet...please...wait until I blow out the candles..."
Elizabeth sat down again, but looked up in surprise when a small white box was tossed into her lap.
"Open it," came the voice, just slightly tremblingly.
Elizabeth opened it, and raised an eyebrow when she saw a ring in there. "I can't take it," she replied.
"It's just a gift...it doesn't mean anything," Spike told her.
"I don't care...I'm going," Elizabeth said again with some difficulty.
Spike made no move to stop her, "You promised..."
Elizabeth sighed. Her emerald eyes met his blue ones of the flames of the candles, together they slowly blew out the candles. He then stood up and opened up one of the curtains.
Elizabeth slowly stood up, half of her wanted to stay...but half of her was nagging her...reminding her that she had promised to meet Aidan during her lunch break. "Please don't go yet," Spike requested again.
"I have to go," she said firmly.
All of the sudden Spike was on his knees and Elizabeth was sitting on the cushioned seating of the window seat.
"Let me go! I refuse to sit here, and serve as some puppet for you...just because you can't get over a dead girl!" she yelled.
Spike didn't say anything...his blue eyes bored into hers. "You're right...I can't...so what the bloody hell am I supposed to do?" he asked, his voice full of sorrow and pain. "What AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?"
Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut, and a single tear escaped.
"I don't know what to do...I sometimes think that I am a soddin' lunatic because I can't stop loving her...I can't stop thinking about her...what am I supposed to do? Please, tell me, what am I supposed to do?" Elizabeth looked down at Spike's sad blue eyes, it tore at her heart...she was also shocked...shocked speechless. Never in her life had she imagined that she would be seeing Spike...THE Spike Cornelius, one of the most eligible bachelors in the world, on his knees, shuddering with tears.
"I...I can't do anything," Elizabeth said softly, "I'm not Buffy...and I never will be...but sometimes, I have wanted to be her...I want to feel what it felt like to be loved so unconditionally by someone...I really did want to be her sometimes, but I can't...you have to let go of her Spike...and you have to stop using me."
Spikes was now on the ground, one leg resting straight forward, and the other bent so that he could rest an elbow on it, and massage his forehead with his fingers.
"You've got to stop following me around, offering me things...and stuff..." Elizabeth went on...tears falling...she didn't know what to say. "I have to go now," she said quietly. She was about to get up, but found Spike at her knees again.
"Please...please...don't go..." Elizabeth's mind was screaming at her to go, to go and run to HER love, Aidan, but her heart was telling her different, and her body wouldn't move. It pained her, as much as she disliked Spike, to see him on his knees...and crying.
"Stop it," she said again. "I'm not Buffy...and I refuse to be. And I would appreciate it if you and I stop seeing each other...unless it's necessary and strictly for business."
Spike ran his hands through his gelled and spiked hair. What was he thinking? "I will stop it...if you come with be somewhere...for the last time, then I'll leave you alone forever."
Elizabeth looked at him before standing up, "Okay, and remember...only once." She grabbed her cell phone from off the ground, and dashed out of the dark room. Riley who had long finished his magazine, and had been cruising the internet on his thin Sony Vaio, quickly turned it off, and shoved it underneath the chair. He peered inside.
"I take it didn't go too well?" Riley said as he made out Spike's hunched over form on the ground.
Spike sighed, "She thinks I'm some crazy git."
"You know, she isn't too far from the truth," Riley commented.
Spike glared at him, "I ought to fire you for your cheek." he added.
Riley's eyes widened, "I was merely joking boss," Riley was a work-a-holic, he was the other half of the brains of the company, but he wasn't one to take the seat of CEO out from underneath Spike. His loyalty to Spike was the only stronger than his love of working.
"Come on Spike...time to get back to work." Riley held the door open for Spike. Spike stood up, and looked around. He picked up his jacket, and then saw the white box on the ground. Sighing, he picked it up, and pocketed it. He walked out of the room, "Make sure the janitors clean the place up." he called. Riley watched his friend disappear around the corner to the elevator with sad eyes. The poor fool...he was nothing but a fool in love...hopelessly in love.
Elizabeth ran into the bathrooms as she stepped out onto a random floor. She sat down on the plush couch in the lounge that adjoined the bathroom, and began to cry. What were all of these feelings washing over her? Damn them. Then she remembered her little 'date' with Aidan. Trying not to hiccup from her tears she turned on her cell phone and called him.
Aidan had been pacing back and forth by the scaffold, waiting for her when his cell rang.
"Hello?!" he said frantically into the phone.
"Hey Aidan," she said, trying to sound cheerful.
"Liz? Where are you? I've been waiting for an hour!" Aidan exclaimed.
"I know, but umm...sorry, but I think that we're going to have to lay off that lunch with you for a little bit..."
"Why?" Aidan asked. His voice was hard, angry, yet mingled with confusion, and hurt. 'What if she went out with Spike instead?' he thought to himself. No, he couldn't lose his Elizabeth...at least not yet.
Elizabeth bit her lip as she thought of a good lie, "Anya, Willow and I had lunch down at the café here, you know, we hadn't had our weekly lunch date for a long time...sorry."
Aidan mentally let out a sigh of relief. "Well okay then, but you owe me."
Elizabeth smiled weakly into the phone, "I know...bye."
Aidan smiled widely, "Bye Liz."
With that they both hung up. Aidan climbed back up to the top platform of the scaffold, and resumed painting while Elizabeth sat there...staring at the opposing wall. Unchecked tears flowing from her emerald eyes...she did too have love...Aidan...
Summary: ((Warning: Spuffiness!!! Everyone is human too...the story isn't as lame as the summary...seriously)) Starts off with everyone as young teenagers...Glory and Buffy are step sisters, and Angel is the step brother...blah blah blah ((Sorry, it's too juicy to give away)) And Buffy is hit by a car, loses all her memory...including all recollection of her love...Spike...this is a really vague summary...
((A/N: I WANT TO TELL ALL OF THE REVIEWERS WHO HAVE REVIEWED THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! IT REALLY ENCOURAGES ME TO CONTINUE!!! *muah* LOVE YOU ALL!!! REMEMBER MORE REVIEWES=MORE CHAPPIES!!!))
((A/N: Luv to all my steady reviewers, Shitaka, Cho-Freak-Dragon, Ruthie2, and ekmw511. Thanks for reviewing, 'more' and Roxie. Ekmw511, just hang on a couple more chapters...and for a SNEAK PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER, I will give you a little taste of what it will be about. Spike will be using his 'last' favor from Elizabeth in that chapter, and what the favor is will scare Aidan out of his wits, and make Darla and Glory ANGRY. ^^))
((Sorry for not updating sooner, hope you guys enjoy this little chapter, and I will update more faithfully this week because it's Spring Break for me!!! By the way I got my first flame! Can't say I'm proud though ^^. I don't really care about the flames, but if you are going to flame me, at least read past the first couple chapters because Buffy of course is going to be a little OOC, and not only that she was only 13 then. Thank you^^ And how many of you are distracted by my 'in-text author notes'?))
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
If love was meant to be between two people, Then they will always find each other, No matter how long it takes, No matter how far, No matter how many obstacles stand in the way, In the end, they will always end up in each other's arms.
* * * * * * * * * *
Spike drove into the underground parking lot. He opened the car door, and tossed the keys to the valet. Instead of opening the door for her like he usually did he stalked off. Elizabeth glowered at him, and opened the door herself, and stomped after him. "Hey! Aren't you going to wait for me?" she yelled, her voice echoing in the parking space.
Spike winced, and stopped walking. Elizabeth finally caught up, "Are you okay?" she asked, hesitantly.
Spike turned his head, and looked at her, "Yeah...I'm fine..." He and Elizabeth continued to walk in silence. They finally arrived outside, "Thanks...for today," Spike said as he shoved his hands into the silk pockets of his slightly wrinkled suit, "It really meant a lot to Xander."
Elizabeth bit her lower lip, "No problem...and I'm sorry for your loss..." she replied, her voice now a mere whisper.
Spike smiled slightly and looked at her. Her eyes were cast toward the ground, trying to avoid his gaze, "You don't have to be sorry luv, it's not nearly as painful when there is an equally beautiful woman nearby..."
Elizabeth's eyes widened, flustered she turned around, and ran off. 'The impudent pig...' she thought to herself. She took a taxi back to the little house, and found it empty. "Giles? Aidan?" she called out hopefully. Seeing no one, she took a shower, and changed into a different set of clothes. There were an hour or two before Aidan would be home, and she was sure that he was anxious to see her. She made a face, she wasn't sure if she wanted to see him now.
She flipped open her cell phone and turned it on. She groaned when a little box popped up, 'You have 25 messages' it read. "Let me guess...Aidan..." she checked all of her messages, at least the first three, and then deleted them all. There was no point in listening to the rest, they were all similar, altered, and elaborated forms of, "Where are you? Why isn't your cell phone on? Why aren't you answering? Are you OKAY? You better get home soon, I'm really worried about you."
Smiling half hearted to herself she text messaged him.
Hey Aidan, Sorry about not answering your calls last night. Come home soon because I'll have a good dinner waiting for you.
~Lizzy
Aidan began to paint the beginnings of the perfect sky when his cell phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his paint streaked pants, and read the message. His eyes widened. He quickly dropped the paintbrush back into its correct pot of paint, and began to text her back quickly.
Elizabeth! Do you have any idea how worried I was? Where were you?
-Aidan
Elizabeth smiled as her cell phone hummed. She set the large pan down onto the counter, and wiping her hands on the white apron she had put on opened her cell phone.
Gee, I guess you were worried just a little...I mean, I got a hint from all the voicemails you left on my cell. By the way, I'm going TO COOK for you.
~Elizabeth
Aidan had been sitting on the upper platform of the scaffold waiting for his cellular to light up. Once it did he immediately messaged her back.
That doesn't mean anything...do you know how afraid I was? I was afraid that you weren't going to come back. You know that I can't live without you right? I know...I must sound like some five-year old, but it's true Liz...I can't live without you.
Aidan
Elizabeth tentatively dropped two pork chops into the sizzling pan. The sizzling of the pan drowned out the slight humming of her phone. She bustled around the kitchen, and shrieked when she smelled something burning. Aidan sighed, and climbed down the ladder, and ran all the way to the house.
"I'm home!" he yelled as he slammed the door behind him. "What's that smell?"
Riley who had been watching from a black Lexus SUV with tinted windows, pulled out his cell phone, and called Spike.
"Yeah, Spike?" ... "I found out where she lives, it's kind of in the outskirts of the urban part of the city," ... "Umm...no..." ... "As far as I can tell, she lives with the man who's doing the mural for you," ... "Sorry Spike," ... "I know, I'll be right there boss."
Riley sighed, and starting the engine, drove off down the street as the sky began to darken to the oncoming night.
* A WEEK OR SO LATER *
Elizabeth sighed, time had passed by as usual. Sure, Spike pestered her every now and then, and she sadly she found that she couldn't reciprocate feelings for him...right? She said 'bye' to Willow, Anya, Wesley, Harmony and a few others and left through the glass doors of the office room. She and Aidan were going to meet up during her lunch break, and go eat somewhere. She opened her cell to check if he had left a message. She waited patiently for the elevator doors to open when she felt a friendly tap on her shoulder.
She whirled around, and found herself looking up at Riley's kind face. He smiled down at her, "Spike wishes to see you," he said.
"Oh...really?" she asked, almost timidly.
Riley nodded, "You should go now, it's not good to keep him waiting..."
Elizabeth nodded in reply. Riley escorted her to a room that she had never been in before. Riley opened the door for her. As soon as she went it, he closed it, and locked it with the key card, and seated himself on the chair beside the door.
Glory who had been listening to Elizabeth and Riley speak came storming down the hallway. "Where is she?" she demanded.
Riley turned up from his magazine, which he sheepishly tried to hide the issue of Us Weekly. "Who?" he asked, slightly angry that someone had interrupted his scanning of the best dressed ladies, not only that he never really did like Glory anyways.
"Elizabeth! She's with Spike in there, isn't she?" she seethed. She tried the door handle, but found it locked.
Riley gave her an innocent look. Glory was about to pound on it when Riley smoothly stepped in between her and the door. "I believe that Spike had something for you to do anyways..." He shoved a manila portfolio into her hands, and sent her down the hallway. Riley smiled to himself and resumed reading his magazine.
Elizabeth blinked her eyes several times before they began to adjust to the darkness of the room. A few sun rays peeked through the heavy curtains that covered the windows. With squinted eyes she looked around the room; she could make out a table, and chairs...all of the sudden one of the curtains opened to reveal Spike sitting on the cushioned shelf by the window.
Spike's outfit lacked the usual suit, instead he wore just a white collared shirt and gray slacks. His blonde hair shined in the sunlight that came streaming out of the single window. He smirked slightly, "Hullo there pet,"
Elizabeth's eyes flashed, "What do you want?" she asked coldly.
"Nothing...just sit down," he replied gesturing to one of the large arm chairs that was placed by a white-clothed table. Elizabeth warily made her way to the chair, and sat down while Spike lit all of the candles. He closed the curtain again, and sat down. "You know, sometimes being around you hurts," he said finally.
"Why because I remind you of Buffy?" she snapped back sharply.
"Don't say that...you're your own person you know..." he managed to say.
Elizabeth's cell phone rang, it was Aidan, she was about to answer it when Spike grabbed it and pulled the battery out. "What the hell?" she demanded. "I happen to have a little date right now...I am going to leave."
Spike stood up, and placing his hands on her shoulder, shoved her down. "Don't...go..."
"Why?" she asked.
"Be...because it's my birthday..." That was when Elizabeth actually looked at the table, to see a birthday cake...lit with candles. "Why don't you celebrate with someone else?" she asked, her voice softened.
"Because I don't want to," he managed to reply through his gritted teeth.
Elizabeth couldn't take it anymore...she felt her heart breaking for him. She stood up, but he spoke again, his voice pleading.
"Please...don't...leave...yet...please...wait until I blow out the candles..."
Elizabeth sat down again, but looked up in surprise when a small white box was tossed into her lap.
"Open it," came the voice, just slightly tremblingly.
Elizabeth opened it, and raised an eyebrow when she saw a ring in there. "I can't take it," she replied.
"It's just a gift...it doesn't mean anything," Spike told her.
"I don't care...I'm going," Elizabeth said again with some difficulty.
Spike made no move to stop her, "You promised..."
Elizabeth sighed. Her emerald eyes met his blue ones of the flames of the candles, together they slowly blew out the candles. He then stood up and opened up one of the curtains.
Elizabeth slowly stood up, half of her wanted to stay...but half of her was nagging her...reminding her that she had promised to meet Aidan during her lunch break. "Please don't go yet," Spike requested again.
"I have to go," she said firmly.
All of the sudden Spike was on his knees and Elizabeth was sitting on the cushioned seating of the window seat.
"Let me go! I refuse to sit here, and serve as some puppet for you...just because you can't get over a dead girl!" she yelled.
Spike didn't say anything...his blue eyes bored into hers. "You're right...I can't...so what the bloody hell am I supposed to do?" he asked, his voice full of sorrow and pain. "What AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?"
Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut, and a single tear escaped.
"I don't know what to do...I sometimes think that I am a soddin' lunatic because I can't stop loving her...I can't stop thinking about her...what am I supposed to do? Please, tell me, what am I supposed to do?" Elizabeth looked down at Spike's sad blue eyes, it tore at her heart...she was also shocked...shocked speechless. Never in her life had she imagined that she would be seeing Spike...THE Spike Cornelius, one of the most eligible bachelors in the world, on his knees, shuddering with tears.
"I...I can't do anything," Elizabeth said softly, "I'm not Buffy...and I never will be...but sometimes, I have wanted to be her...I want to feel what it felt like to be loved so unconditionally by someone...I really did want to be her sometimes, but I can't...you have to let go of her Spike...and you have to stop using me."
Spikes was now on the ground, one leg resting straight forward, and the other bent so that he could rest an elbow on it, and massage his forehead with his fingers.
"You've got to stop following me around, offering me things...and stuff..." Elizabeth went on...tears falling...she didn't know what to say. "I have to go now," she said quietly. She was about to get up, but found Spike at her knees again.
"Please...please...don't go..." Elizabeth's mind was screaming at her to go, to go and run to HER love, Aidan, but her heart was telling her different, and her body wouldn't move. It pained her, as much as she disliked Spike, to see him on his knees...and crying.
"Stop it," she said again. "I'm not Buffy...and I refuse to be. And I would appreciate it if you and I stop seeing each other...unless it's necessary and strictly for business."
Spike ran his hands through his gelled and spiked hair. What was he thinking? "I will stop it...if you come with be somewhere...for the last time, then I'll leave you alone forever."
Elizabeth looked at him before standing up, "Okay, and remember...only once." She grabbed her cell phone from off the ground, and dashed out of the dark room. Riley who had long finished his magazine, and had been cruising the internet on his thin Sony Vaio, quickly turned it off, and shoved it underneath the chair. He peered inside.
"I take it didn't go too well?" Riley said as he made out Spike's hunched over form on the ground.
Spike sighed, "She thinks I'm some crazy git."
"You know, she isn't too far from the truth," Riley commented.
Spike glared at him, "I ought to fire you for your cheek." he added.
Riley's eyes widened, "I was merely joking boss," Riley was a work-a-holic, he was the other half of the brains of the company, but he wasn't one to take the seat of CEO out from underneath Spike. His loyalty to Spike was the only stronger than his love of working.
"Come on Spike...time to get back to work." Riley held the door open for Spike. Spike stood up, and looked around. He picked up his jacket, and then saw the white box on the ground. Sighing, he picked it up, and pocketed it. He walked out of the room, "Make sure the janitors clean the place up." he called. Riley watched his friend disappear around the corner to the elevator with sad eyes. The poor fool...he was nothing but a fool in love...hopelessly in love.
Elizabeth ran into the bathrooms as she stepped out onto a random floor. She sat down on the plush couch in the lounge that adjoined the bathroom, and began to cry. What were all of these feelings washing over her? Damn them. Then she remembered her little 'date' with Aidan. Trying not to hiccup from her tears she turned on her cell phone and called him.
Aidan had been pacing back and forth by the scaffold, waiting for her when his cell rang.
"Hello?!" he said frantically into the phone.
"Hey Aidan," she said, trying to sound cheerful.
"Liz? Where are you? I've been waiting for an hour!" Aidan exclaimed.
"I know, but umm...sorry, but I think that we're going to have to lay off that lunch with you for a little bit..."
"Why?" Aidan asked. His voice was hard, angry, yet mingled with confusion, and hurt. 'What if she went out with Spike instead?' he thought to himself. No, he couldn't lose his Elizabeth...at least not yet.
Elizabeth bit her lip as she thought of a good lie, "Anya, Willow and I had lunch down at the café here, you know, we hadn't had our weekly lunch date for a long time...sorry."
Aidan mentally let out a sigh of relief. "Well okay then, but you owe me."
Elizabeth smiled weakly into the phone, "I know...bye."
Aidan smiled widely, "Bye Liz."
With that they both hung up. Aidan climbed back up to the top platform of the scaffold, and resumed painting while Elizabeth sat there...staring at the opposing wall. Unchecked tears flowing from her emerald eyes...she did too have love...Aidan...