Chapter 11

Buffy and Spike were out walking the streets of London about a month later. She loved every minute that she got to spend with him and knew she could never have this freedom in Sunnydale. She has kept in touch with Dawn and her other friends, but she refused to talk to her parents. She didn't think she was ready to face them yet. Buffy liked talking with Anne. She was a very kind and gentle person and Buffy found herself opening up to the woman. She only wished she could have that same relationship with her own mother. Buffy only had one worry at the moment. School would be starting again soon and she knew that she would have to go back to Sunnydale to finish her senior year. She wanted to graduate and maybe she could come back to England for college. She just didn't think she could go back home and deal with the same rules. Things had to change if she was ever going to be able to live in that house again. Buffy pushed all those thoughts away for the moment and instead focused on the man that was walking next to her. She saw that he was also deep in thought and wondered what he was thinking about. She pulled on his hand to get his attention. "Hey, what's on your mind?" She said to break the silence and he only gave her a small smile.

"Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about." He told her and she wasn't about to let it go.

"Come on, Spike. I know something's bothering you." He let out a sigh as he thought about what to say to her.

"I'm just worried about what's going to happen when I have to take you back. I know you can't stay here forever, but I guess a part of me wishes you could." Buffy nodded and had a feeling that's what he was thinking about.

"I have to finish school, Spike. As much as I would love to stay here with you. It doesn't have to be so bad though. We'll still be able to see each other and I can come back once I graduate." Spike didn't seem convinced.

"You really think your parents will let you continue to see me?" He wondered and Buffy took a deep breath.

"It doesn't matter. They can't make my decisions for me, not anymore. I'm hoping the time that I spent away from them will help them realize that. They have to see that I'm an adult now and start treating me like one. No one will ever stop me from seeing you, Spike." Spike smiled as he lowered his head and planted a sweet kiss on her lips.

"I wouldn't let them." He told her with a wink as he took her hand in his. Buffy sounded more confident than she actually was. She just hoped everything would work out.

Spike and Buffy were headed back to the house about an hour later, when someone bumped into them. She clearly wasn't watching where she was going as she looked at them. "Oh, terribly sorry." She stated with a giggle, her eyes going big when she recognized Spike. "William, is that you? It's been quite a while. You're looking rather good these days." Buffy didn't know who the woman was and the look on Spike's face said that it wasn't someone he liked to see. He only glared at her and Buffy wondered why he looked so upset.

"I would say it's good to see you, but then I would be lying." He told her and the woman looked a little ashamed.

"I suppose I deserve that. Are you going to introduce me to your little friend?" She said as she looked at Buffy and Spike decided to introduce them as he kept the glare on his face.

"This is my girlfriend, Buffy." Buffy gave the woman a small smile and then her smile faded when Spike said the rest. "Buffy, this is Cecily." Buffy then felt anger inside of her when she realized that this was the girl that Spike used to date. The one that broke his heart. She decided to be civil for Spike's sake.

"It's nice to meet you." She said with a fake smile and Cecily looked her up and down, clearly not pleased with what she was seeing. She was shocked that he had a girlfriend and an American one at that. She didn't even acknowledge Buffy and turned her gaze back on Spike.

"So, I see you've been busy." Spike nodded as he put his arm around Buffy.

"You could say that. We'll just be going now. Oh, one more thing." Spike said as he got in Cecily's face. He was tired of being polite. "I don't appreciate you looking at Buffy like she's beneath you. She's a far better woman than you could ever be. It's funny that I had to go all the way to America to figure that out. I guess England is just filled with heartless snobs that I would rather not associate with." Buffy had to smile at what Spike said, while Cecily looked outraged.

"How dare you talk to me like that! Do you have any idea who my father is?" Spike rolled his eyes.

"I know who your bloody father is and I could care less. You can't depend on daddy for the rest of your life. I never told you this, but you ending things was the best thing that could have happened to me. It brought me to Buffy and I wouldn't change that for anything in the world." He told her with a smile and Cecily looked beyond pissed at this point.

"You actually think this trollop is better than me? You must be out of your mind." She spat and Buffy looked like she was about to rip into her, but Spike shook his head and placed his hand on her arm. He only gave Cecily a look of pure malice. He wouldn't let her get to him anymore.

"Have a nice life, Cecily." He told her and she knew the conversation was over. She glared at both of them as she turned and walked away. Buffy had a smile on her face and stepped on Cecily's long skirt, causing it to fall down and reveal her white underwear. Cecily was mortified as she let out a scream. She pulled her skirt up and ran off, without even bothering to look at them one last time. Buffy gave Spike an innocent smile.

"Oops, she really shouldn't have been wearing that." Spike laughed as he put his arm around her again and led her in the other direction.

"You really are an amazing woman, Summers." He told her and she gave him a smile in gratitude.

"I do what I can." She replied as they continued their walk back to his house.

They were smiling when they finally walked into the house, only to stop when they saw Anne standing there with the phone in her hand. She was looking at Buffy. "There's a young girl on the phone for you." She said and Buffy figured it was Dawn as she took the phone from Anne and walked into the living room. Spike smiled at his mother and couldn't hear what Buffy was saying, until she got off of the phone a few seconds later and came back over to them. Spike was concerned when he saw the look on her face.

"Love, what's wrong?" He wondered and Buffy took a deep breath before she spoke.

"It's my dad. He's...He's in the hospital. Dawn said he was in a car accident." Spike noticed the tears in Buffy's eyes and went over to give her a hug. She wrapped her arms around him in return and buried her face in his chest. Spike sighed as he held her. He knew they would be going back to Sunnydale sooner now.