Chapter Four: Spells
"We've got trouble," Buffy said, bursting into Spike's crypt.
He looked up from the bottle of blood he was drinking and said, "What kind of trouble? What kind of demon do we have to kill tonight?"
"Not demon trouble," Buffy said. "Xander saw us."
"When?" Spike asked, confused.
"This afternoon. He came by here and he saw us together."
"What was the whelp's reaction?" Spike asked, grinning at the thought.
"It's not funny," Buffy snapped. "He thinks that you had another robot built."
"Well we both know that I didn't," Spike said. "So how are you going to get out of this one? He saw us, you can't deny that." He was secretly pleased, now maybe Buffy would be forced to acknowledge their relationship.
"We can't let anyone find out about us," Buffy said, pacing the crypt. "There has to be something we can think of that doesn't involve anyone getting staked or humiliated."
"Oh so it humiliates you the thought that your friends would know about us," Spike snapped, hurt.
"That's not what I mean," Buffy protested.
"I know what you mean," Spike said.
"Spike…" Buffy said. "Wait, I know. Tara knows about us."
"What? I thought none of your mates were supposed to know about us?"
"I had to talk to someone and Tara was there. She could do a spell to make everyone forget what Xander saw."
"It's that simple for you, isn't it?" Spike told her. "A little spell and your reputation is saved."
"Well yeah," Buffy said. "Your life or unlife is saved too. Xander wants to stake you."
"Oh please, he doesn't scare me. And this spell isn't going to end it. You got away this time but how long until someone figures out that you come here for more than just slaying help and a little information?"
"No one is ever going to find out," Buffy insisted.
"Just go," Spike snapped, frustrated that she didn't understand what he was trying to say. "Cast your spell or whatever. I'll see you the next time you want your Spike fix."
Buffy started to protest but Spike didn't listen so she turned and walked out the door. She hurried home, stopping to slay a few vampires that were unlucky enough to get in her way. She couldn't believe Spike. She had just saved his pathetic hide from being staked and he wasn't the least bit grateful. She stormed into the house, being careful not to slam the door and alert Dawn and Willow.
"Did you talk to Spike?" Tara asked, startling Buffy. She was sitting on the couch. Dawn and Willow were no where in sight.
"Yeah," Buffy said, looking around to see if anyone else was listening.
"They're upstairs," Tara said. "I waited around to see if you wanted to talk."
"I need you to do a spell," Buffy said, sitting down next to Tara.
"What kind of spell?"
"A forgetting spell," Buffy explained. "So Xander forgets what he saw and everyone else forgets what he told them."
"Buffy," Tara sighed. "I…I can't do that. I'm not going to do spells that are going to mess with people's minds. I couldn't tolerate that from Willow and I'm not going to do that myself."
"Please," Buffy begged. "You have to do something. No one can find out about what I've been doing with Spike. I can't face them, the looks…"
"Of disgust, of wondering how can you possibly feel that way about another person, that in their minds it's wrong and there is no way that they can ever accept that kind of relationship?" Tara asked gently.
"Yes," Buffy replied, tears coming to her eyes. "How did you know?"
"Because that's how some people looked at my relationship with Willow. They didn't understand how I could be in love with another woman. You would not believe some of the things we had to deal with."
"But this is different," Buffy said. "You were in love with Willow. The two of you were in a committed relationship. I don't love Spike and I don't even know what we have together."
"Well whatever it is you don't have to be ashamed of it," Tara said. "We're your friends and we love you. You've had a tough year and if Spike helps you feel better than there's nothing wrong with that."
Buffy shook her head, "There has to be something wrong with me." She shut her eyes, "Besides this flu. I was feeling better but I think it's coming back."
"Why don't you get some rest?" Tara suggested. "You might feel better in the morning."
"I've tried that," Buffy said. "It's been coming and going all day and nothing I do seems to help."
"Why don't I do a spell," Tara suggested. "There's one that helps the body fight off infection."
"Sure," Buffy said. "Anything."
Tara gestured for Buffy to lie on the couch, "I have to do a diagnostic spell on you first so that I can know exactly what's wrong. Your aura will glow and the color will tell me what's wrong."
"What should I do?" Buffy asked.
"Just shut your eyes and relax," Tara told her. Buff obeyed her friend. She closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep.
"We've got trouble," Buffy said, bursting into Spike's crypt.
He looked up from the bottle of blood he was drinking and said, "What kind of trouble? What kind of demon do we have to kill tonight?"
"Not demon trouble," Buffy said. "Xander saw us."
"When?" Spike asked, confused.
"This afternoon. He came by here and he saw us together."
"What was the whelp's reaction?" Spike asked, grinning at the thought.
"It's not funny," Buffy snapped. "He thinks that you had another robot built."
"Well we both know that I didn't," Spike said. "So how are you going to get out of this one? He saw us, you can't deny that." He was secretly pleased, now maybe Buffy would be forced to acknowledge their relationship.
"We can't let anyone find out about us," Buffy said, pacing the crypt. "There has to be something we can think of that doesn't involve anyone getting staked or humiliated."
"Oh so it humiliates you the thought that your friends would know about us," Spike snapped, hurt.
"That's not what I mean," Buffy protested.
"I know what you mean," Spike said.
"Spike…" Buffy said. "Wait, I know. Tara knows about us."
"What? I thought none of your mates were supposed to know about us?"
"I had to talk to someone and Tara was there. She could do a spell to make everyone forget what Xander saw."
"It's that simple for you, isn't it?" Spike told her. "A little spell and your reputation is saved."
"Well yeah," Buffy said. "Your life or unlife is saved too. Xander wants to stake you."
"Oh please, he doesn't scare me. And this spell isn't going to end it. You got away this time but how long until someone figures out that you come here for more than just slaying help and a little information?"
"No one is ever going to find out," Buffy insisted.
"Just go," Spike snapped, frustrated that she didn't understand what he was trying to say. "Cast your spell or whatever. I'll see you the next time you want your Spike fix."
Buffy started to protest but Spike didn't listen so she turned and walked out the door. She hurried home, stopping to slay a few vampires that were unlucky enough to get in her way. She couldn't believe Spike. She had just saved his pathetic hide from being staked and he wasn't the least bit grateful. She stormed into the house, being careful not to slam the door and alert Dawn and Willow.
"Did you talk to Spike?" Tara asked, startling Buffy. She was sitting on the couch. Dawn and Willow were no where in sight.
"Yeah," Buffy said, looking around to see if anyone else was listening.
"They're upstairs," Tara said. "I waited around to see if you wanted to talk."
"I need you to do a spell," Buffy said, sitting down next to Tara.
"What kind of spell?"
"A forgetting spell," Buffy explained. "So Xander forgets what he saw and everyone else forgets what he told them."
"Buffy," Tara sighed. "I…I can't do that. I'm not going to do spells that are going to mess with people's minds. I couldn't tolerate that from Willow and I'm not going to do that myself."
"Please," Buffy begged. "You have to do something. No one can find out about what I've been doing with Spike. I can't face them, the looks…"
"Of disgust, of wondering how can you possibly feel that way about another person, that in their minds it's wrong and there is no way that they can ever accept that kind of relationship?" Tara asked gently.
"Yes," Buffy replied, tears coming to her eyes. "How did you know?"
"Because that's how some people looked at my relationship with Willow. They didn't understand how I could be in love with another woman. You would not believe some of the things we had to deal with."
"But this is different," Buffy said. "You were in love with Willow. The two of you were in a committed relationship. I don't love Spike and I don't even know what we have together."
"Well whatever it is you don't have to be ashamed of it," Tara said. "We're your friends and we love you. You've had a tough year and if Spike helps you feel better than there's nothing wrong with that."
Buffy shook her head, "There has to be something wrong with me." She shut her eyes, "Besides this flu. I was feeling better but I think it's coming back."
"Why don't you get some rest?" Tara suggested. "You might feel better in the morning."
"I've tried that," Buffy said. "It's been coming and going all day and nothing I do seems to help."
"Why don't I do a spell," Tara suggested. "There's one that helps the body fight off infection."
"Sure," Buffy said. "Anything."
Tara gestured for Buffy to lie on the couch, "I have to do a diagnostic spell on you first so that I can know exactly what's wrong. Your aura will glow and the color will tell me what's wrong."
"What should I do?" Buffy asked.
"Just shut your eyes and relax," Tara told her. Buff obeyed her friend. She closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep.