Revenge chapter 20
It took Buffy quite some time to recover fully and she probably never would, the wounds inflicted on her by seeing such tragic events went far too deep. She still felt guilty about what happened to Riley. She hadn't gone to his funeral, simply because she hadn't known or even cared at that time. Now, two months later, she prepared herself to go to his grave to say goodbye.
"Do I have to go with you, Buffy? Just say the word." Willow asked her friend as they sat at the kitched table of the dorm together. Buffy didn't want to enter the house where she spent the last few years… she had been happy there, but the memory of the killing clouded her mind.
"No, I can do this alone… I have to. I just wish Spike was here. He understands me."
"He'll be with you soon enough, honey, wait and see."
"You know, I want to go visit him."
Willow as caught by surprise, it was the first time Buffy had spoken about something like this. Usually she was okay with the fact Spike was in gaol, but in good health and that he loved her. He sent her small notes from time to time, saying nothing at all except that he was doing well and hoped she would recover soon.
"It would be quite a surprise for him if he saw you. Do you think you would go if we found some way to arrange a visit?"
"Maybe." Buffy answered with a slight smile. "I have to do this first… say goodbye, then maybe I can work up the nerve to see him."
"But you saw him before."
"I was drugged and I fought with him… it's not the same. I barely knew it was him."
Now it was time for Willow to smile. "Maybe you didn't see him ,but he saw you in the worst state and he still loved you. This wouldn't change a thing."
Buffy nodded and stood, just another thing she had to think about on her way. Willow hugged her and she barely felt it, she didn't want to attach herself too much to anyone, as every day could be a last one. She walked out the door and took the long road to the cemetery, not through the woods as she normally would have done. She thought about it, going to the prison to visit Spike… would it be a good idea… she didn't know. Willow had told her the tombstone of Riley stood at the far end of the cemetery, but she stumbled across another on her way towards it.
"Angel." She whispered as she glared at the small piece of stone which marked the place where the young man whom she had seen as a lover and an enemy now lay.
"It's tragic, isn't it?"
She startled at the voice, but only saw an elderly man who walked up towards her.
"Did you know him? It was a nice gesture of the parents to bury the boys close together. Well.. one was a criminal, but he had done his time, he didn't deserve that. Why somebody would do something… I hope they punish him good. He's always been bad news."
With that, the man walked away and left Buffy standing there, not knowing what she should have answered and in tears because Spike came out of this as the bad guy… and he didn't deserve that. She walked further and deposited the flowers she had brought onto Rileys grave, touching the tombstone and whispering a prayer.
"I'm going."
The words were spoken softly, but behind them lay a massive decision. Buffy would go and visit Spike in prison, with full support of Willow. Her mother wasn't all too happy with it though.
"Buffy, I know you loved him once and that he helped you, but that does not mean… he's a murderer!"
"He defended himself! You don't know what happened!"
"It was in every paper, I've seen all the damage to our house, I've seen what it did to you. That's enough evidence for me!"
"That was Angels fault, not his. Mum, we've been through this… It was Angel, not Spike, whatever the newspapers said. I was there."
"Buffy…"
"No mum, you can't stop me, not this time."
Discussion closed. Buffy walked up to her room and laid on her bed. She still had nightmares, but they had decreased, she was even able to sleep in her own room, although she still didn't do it willingly. The doorstep was still huge for her to cross, but she did. And now, her next step would be to the prison.
"Isn't your trial coming up soon, man?"
"Yeah mate, won't be long now. A few years maybe." Spike answered with a small grin as he watched his cellmate and leaned on the small cots which were their beds.
"Oh come on, they won't let it drag on like that. You're big news! All of Sunnydale and the surrounding towns were talking about you, you were in all the newspapers… this will be gigantic, I tell ya."
Spike shrugged, it really didn't matter. He knew that he was just going to be sent back to the state prison, to spend about the rest of his entire life. Not a sight he was looking forward to, but all evidence was against him. He was caught red handed, what else did the police want… so they had stopped searching. He had a motive to murder Angel and one to murder Riley… old hatred and jealousy. Why would anyone not find him guilty?
