A/N: Thanks to all you lovely people who reviewed! And thanks to all you lovely people who stopped by to read even if you didn't review. I appreciate it:) This story is coming easily and for some reason is just writing itself. Btw, the hospital isn't as bad as it seems. It's the hours that are long and sometimes people can be a little mean, but it's understandable with a high stress job. I know S/B stories usually involve them at each other's throats, but this one is inspired by recent interactions I've had with some really nice people and some old friends I'd lost touch with coming back into my life as better friends. Hence the whole friendship aspect to the story. But since it's S/B and I'm a total Spuffy shipper, there's always some salty goodness underfoot, otherwise what fun would this be!
I've been good with updates because this was my weekend off (between rotations... switching from Neurology to Family Practice). I warn you that I might be very bad with updates in the next month only for lack of time not for lack of inspiration. I hope I'll have a chance to write more and finish this fic up rather quickly (well quicker than my others), but I sincerely apologize if updates are a little slower after this chapter. (Oh and no offense to any residents, nurses, attendings, or anyone else in the medical field who Spike rags on. It's the life.)
The Girl Across the Hall
by: Fashiongrrl
Chapter 3: ChattingSpike trudged out of the elevator, post-call from a hectic night in the hospital. His arms were full of books, his overnight bag, a backpack, his white coat, his house keys dangling precariously from one finger, and the apple he was trying to wolf down in the car wedged in his mouth. Dead tired he found his way to his front door, trying to balance all the items in his hands and get a grip on his key at the same time. He was tired, he was cranky, he had a test in three days, and he really needed get a lot of studying done. Spike felt his grip slipping on his bag and all of a sudden everything tumbled out of his items.
It wouldn't have been so bad had the contents of his backpack gone flying across the hallway. It really wouldn't have been so bad had he been in a good mood actually. In fact, it really wouldn't have been so bad had he managed to get some sleep last night, not had to worry about doing magnesium checks every four hours on his possibly pre-eclamptic patient on the Labor and Delivery suite, not been told by a resident that he needed to read more even though his books were open in front of him, and actually had some time to eat dinner the night before. No, if not for all that, it really wouldn't have been such a bad situation had Spike not been stressed beyond belief.
But it was.
"BLOODY HELL! STUPID FUCKING BAG! BLOODY TEST! WHO THE BLOODY HELL CARES ABOUT THIS STUPID FUCKING ROTATION! I WANT TO BE A BLOODY CARDIOTHORACIC SURGEON NOT AN OB/GYN! IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR THREE HOURS OF SLEEP WHEN YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A PATIENT WHO'S ABOUT TO DELIVER?" he began to shout.
A hand tapped him on the shoulder and he spun around, breath coming out in ragged gasps, ready to scream at whoever had intruded on his rant.
"Hey! What's with the yelling?" Buffy said, smiling. She looked colorful in a green off-the-shoulder t-shirt, jeans, and a silky green, gold, and purple scarf tied around her hair. Silver hoop earrings and flip-flops completed the outfit.
"Oh... uh, you heard that?" Spike replied sheepishly. When he was tired his emotions tended to run all over the board.
"I think everything in California heard it, but lucky for you it's only 2 pm," Buffy said. "Long day?"
"Try long 20 or 30 something hours. I've lost count," Spike grunted as he opened his door. He bent down to start retrieving his things and pushed them into his front hallway.
Buffy chased down a few of his textbooks that had made their way down the hall. "I'm sorry, doesn't sound like you had much fun! You okay?" she said, handing him his things.
"Yeah, just tired. Wait, why are you... oh I forget. Undergrad classes aren't scheduled back to back," he said, answering his own question.
"So I'm guessing I shouldn't taunt you with the fact that I'm done for the day, should I, Spike?" she grinned.
"No, it's all right, pet. I'm done for the day too, but the test is in three days. I'm just under a little pressure," Spike replied.
"A little? Stressed much?" Buffy said, gesturing to the death grip Spike had taken on his books. His veins stood out against his muscular arms.
He glanced down and smiled, relaxing a little. "Yeah, a little." He sighed and continued, "Bloody long night, lots of patients to take care of, and the worst part is that you feel helpless. I mean it's not like I can actually prescribe anything or know any real life saving maneuvers at this point. I just stand around looking..."
"Cute?" Buffy offered.
Spike grinned, "Always. But really, a lot of my job involves sitting and waiting until a resident tells me what to do. But it pisses me off when they're off doing something that I'm supposed to be observing, but no one tells me I'm not where I should have been. The wankers expect you to read their bloody minds half the time."
"That sucks," Buffy could only reply, not knowing how he felt.
He rolled his eyes at his own melodramatics, "Perhaps I'm being a bit unfair. Labor and Delivery is a busy service with expecting mothers that need a lot of care, and a lot of that care ends up being urgent when a delivery is imminent."
"I would imagine so, especially when you're trying to push something the size of a basketball out of you," Buffy said. "Thank God you're not a woman."
"Ugh," Spike grimaced. "I think I don't want to look at another bird after all the vaginas I've got to look at every day."
"Hey! We're not so bad," Buffy said, punching him lightly in the arm.
"Sorry," he laughed.
"Well, Lorne is still single... or at least I think he is this week," Buffy laughed.
"Be still my heart," Spike laughed.
"Hey, don't joke. If I gave him your number he'd be all over you in a heartbeat!" Buffy said.
"Mmm, I'll have to think about that since I'm lacking prospects at the moment," Spike replied.
"Prospects? Are you on the hunt or something?" Buffy teased.
"School leaves little time for a social life, it's a wonder how some of my friends stay married since they rarely see their spouses this year," Spike commented. "It's the lifestyle we lead, no worries," he shrugged.
"I wish I was that busy. Leaves less time in the day to think about how much life sucks," Buffy said.
"What's your major?"
"Art history. Kind of seemed inevitable," she shrugged, looking at him. "My mom runs a gallery in my hometown. I used to help her on weekends. At first I thought it was really boring, but somewhere along the way I started to love it."
"Where's home?"
"Sunnydale, it's a little town a couple hours south of LA."
"Sunnydale? I've got a classmate from there. Dan Osbourne?" Spike asked.
"Oz! You're kidding me. Oz went to med school? Wow, he barely passed high school!" Buffy said. "He was a couple years ahead of us. He and Willow dated briefly. All I remember about Oz is that he was in a band called the Dingoes Ate My Baby and he never said more than three words in conversation."
"Yeah, Dan's mother passed away from breast cancer when he was in college. Kind of had to change his focus on life. Decided that medical school would help him work out his frustrations in life and help him make a difference," Spike finished.
"My God. I had no idea, I'm so sorry," Buffy said solemnly, putting a hand over her mouth.
"It's all right, bad things end up happening to good people. You didn't know."
"But still..."
"Buffy, honestly, don't worry. You didn't know," he reassured her.
She nodded in response.
Spike glanced at the floor, his forgotten and half-eaten apple at his foot. He picked it up, took one look at it and said, "Ah well, there goes lunch. I'm sorry, I've got to run. Studying."
Buffy looked at him and laughed, "You're kidding right?"
"Afraid not, pet. No time to worry about food. No time to sleep either," he said.
"Being busy is no excuse! Go get changed and come over to my place in five minutes," she commanded.
"No really, I couldn't. I'll be fine," Spike said.
"No you won't be. I can hear your stomach grumbling. Friends take care of each other when someone's got a project or something coming up. Willow and I always get stressed and between the two of us someone always forgets to eat. Usually it's Willow. She's all big with the braininess and stuff. And I just got groceries," Buffy said, pointing to the bags she'd set down when she came upstairs. "You have no excuse!"
Spike glanced at Buffy, took in her serious face, and no-nonsense tone and knew he couldn't argue. "Fine," he sighed. "You're too nice."
"I'm not as nice as you. You spend all day taking care of other people's problems, someone's got to take care of you!" Buffy said as she turned and entered her apartment. "See you in a few!"
Spike shook his head as he went into his own apartment. It was the strangest thing in the world, being friends with someone who was so outside his everyday realm of medicine. Life was always moving at light-speed for him, and to slow down and be reminded that other people existed was always a strange experience.
What was stranger still was that Spike was developing a soft spot in his heart for Buffy. If he'd met her at a club, chances are he'd be more than willing to ask her out. Especially had it been a few years ago when he was a little less mature. But considering the circumstances under which they met and considering that for some reason he ended up evolving into a redeemable guy, Spike was content to be in Buffy's company.
It had been quite a while since he'd had any semblance of friendship. Everyone around him was so busy, time left to see friends was few and far between. Most precious free time was taken sleeping or cleaning his place or running errands. It was amazing that even though he saw patients every single day and interacted with doctors and nurses every moment, he still longed for some human contact. He didn't have to be on point around Buffy, there was little talk of school, and she wasn't actually expecting anything from him. It was almost refreshing. If only she wasn't so damn hot, Spike thought to himself with a laugh. Bloody hell, when did I turn into such a ponce? he laughed. But that was a question better left to be answered some other day.