The First Wish…Joyce
Disclaimer: All Buffy-type people belong to Joss. Sean is the property of Squirly Childe Productions.
Summary: The results of Spike's first wish.
Reviews: Yes, please. Readers Rock but Reviewers RULE!
A/N: When this story is finished, all other collaborations will be posted under our new penname Squirly Childe. We have a bio, picture and everything. Please, read, enjoy and most important, review. Thanks.
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Spike felt a moment of disorientation and a dull pain flared in the back of his head for a moment. He swayed before righting himself. A few minutes later, he felt much better. The sensation that he'd had since he'd discovered the existence of the chip was gone. He smiled at the leprechaun.
"Thanks, Mate." The vampire said. "I think this calls for a drink." He picked up the discarded bottle of whiskey and poured them both a glass.
"I'm glad I could help." Sean told him sincerely. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes.
"What's next on your agenda?" Spike asked.
"I'll be sticking around for a bit. I have a couple of old friends to look up." Sean told him. "It's time I was getting along now." He finished his drink and handed Spike the glass with a nod. He made sure he had his cane and sauntered over to the door. He tipped his fedora and left.
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The next day.
Spike made his way through the sewer to the hospital with butterflies in his stomach. He was sure his wish had been granted but he couldn't wait to see for himself. He was so fond of the Slayer's mother that he couldn't bear the thought that something could happen to her. He paused for a moment before dashing through the sunlight to the safety of the shaded entrance of the hospital. He checked to make sure the flowers he'd brought were still presentable and that he wasn't sizzling anywhere. Then he swaggered up to the information desk to ask for Joyce's room number.
He approached the others with trepidation. Buffy and Dawn were sitting next to each other on an old sofa. Riley was hovering looking like a Neanderthal, at least to Spike. Willow and Tara were quietly talking in a corner. Spike assumed the others would be around later.
"Why are you here?" Buffy asked wearily.
"Brought your mum some flowers. Thought I'd check to see how she was doing. Have the results come back yet?" Spike answered her a little defensively.
Dawn stood up and took the flowers going in search of something to put them in. "Thank you, Spike." She said, happy for something to do. She returned with the bouquet in a plastic water container.
Tara and Willow had ceased their conversation as soon as they'd heard Buffy speak. Tara was distracted by something different about the blond vampire the others seemed to dislike so much. If she could watch him for just a little while maybe she could figure it out, she thought.
Everyone's attention was caught by the appearance of the doctor. He was scanning the chart in his hands intently. Tara's attention was diverted back to Spike when she saw a look almost like…anticipation on his handsome face.
"Miss Summers, we have run every test we can think of and…I don't know how to explain it but…" The doctor stopped.
"It's bad isn't it?" Buffy asked tearfully as the doctor paused.
The middle-aged man looked up from his papers. "Oh no! It's good. We couldn't find anything wrong with your mother. I could have sworn her symptoms indicated a tumor but we couldn't find anything. Your mother is in perfect health."
Only Tara noticed the expression on Spike's face. The quiet satisfaction reflected in the startling sapphire eyes. She got the feeling that he was the only one not surprised by the test results.
Buffy and Dawn were squealing in joy, hugging everyone in reach including, to his surprise, Spike. When they realized what they'd done, they backed away from the vampire quickly. He smirked at their slip and turned away to leave. Tara, who was still watching the blond, noticed that he winced at their rejection as soon as his back was turned. It was gone almost before it registered. If Tara hadn't been watching him so closely, she'd have missed it. There was something…almost familiar about him.
"Can we see her?" Dawn asked the doctor.
"Of course, she'll be ready to go home soon." The doctor smiled and withdrew to attend to patients who were actually sick.
Dawn noticed Spike as he reached the door. "Spike? Don't you want to give mom the flowers you brought?"
He stopped on the threshold. Tara saw his shoulders tense. He turned and nodded. "Sure, Bit."
Spike lagged behind the rest as they made their way to Joyce's room. Everyone was chatting happily about the good news. The blond vampire had an unaccustomed lump in his throat that his wish had actually worked the way he'd wanted it to. He'd heard horror stories, mostly from Angelus, about how wrong wishes to leprechauns could become. He would have to make sure it was a good long time before he said the 'w' word again. He was afraid to even think it. It suddenly occurred to him that if this wish had come true so well, then maybe…He broke off that train of thought abruptly when he heard Dawn telling Joyce that he'd brought her a bouquet. He shyly held out the plastic container with the flowers.
"Why, Spike. They're lovely. Thank you." Joyce sniffed the fragrance as she took them. She set them on a table next to where she was sitting. Spike sidled up to the opposite side.
"Only the best for you. You know that." Spike sometimes felt like a small boy when in Joyce's presence even though they usually talked as adults when he wandered by the house for tea.
"I heard the news. So they're springing you, yeah?" He asked, as he moved slightly closer to the bed where she sat. He reached past her to tweak a flower into place unobtrusively inhaling as he leaned near her. He backed away with a tiny sigh of relief. The scent of old blood and illness he'd detected the last time he'd seen her was gone. It had only been a few days and he'd been relieved when Buffy had told him the night before of the tests.
Joyce smiled brilliantly up at the vampire. "Isn't it wonderful? They were so sure it was something serious."
"Okay, Spike. You've given your flowers. You aren't winning any points here. Go away." Riley spoke belligerently from his position next to Buffy.
Spike opened his mouth to retort when his blue gaze was caught by Joyce's reproachful hazel one. His mouth snapped closed so fast his teeth hurt. A sheepish smile curved his lips as she nodded in approval. Almost everyone tensed when he leaned down and kissed her cheek.
"I'm really glad you're feeling better." He murmured before backing away.
"Thank you." Joyce smiled.
"You can leave now, Spike." Buffy snarled.
Joyce glared at her elder daughter. "Buffy." She said warningly. "Be nice."
"It's okay, I gotta be going anyway. Lots of evil things to be doing, you know." Spike winked at Dawn and left while she was still giggling.
Later, Buffy and the others were passing the wonderful news to Giles, Anya and Xander. They were all gathered in the Magic Box. Giles began his characteristic cleaning of his glasses at the news that Spike had dared to bring flowers to Joyce.
Willow and Tara were sitting together at the research table. Dawn was lounging on the stairs behind them. The three of them exchanged rueful glances while the others verbally bashed the absent vampire.
"Why do you find it so hard to believe that maybe Spike just wanted to do something nice?" Tara finally dared to ask.
Xander scoffed. "Like Fangless could ever do anything nice. He's a vampire, they don't do nice." The bell on the door rang as he spoke.
Anya turned a bright smile toward the front door. "Hello, welcome. Come in and spend your money." She chirped.
"Anyanka, me darlin. I heard you were here. I didn't believe it. Thought me leg was being pulled. But as I live and breath, there you are big as life and just as lovely." The diminutive visitor said cheerfully.
Buffy turned to Giles. "I thought you told me leprechauns didn't exist."
