Chapter 6. Double Vision. It's long. Happy reading.
Spike looks at those beautiful green eyes as he pulls away from the kiss. He wishes the kiss would last forever, but it couldn't. Spike remembers what she said before and he tries to be understanding about it.
"Well, I'm glad you're alright," says Spike as he moves closer and closer to the door. He tries not to stare at her straight in the eye, or he'll get sentimental.
"Spike," says Buffy. Spike stops at the door and turns his head around. "I know this is going to sound silly and lame, but here me out."
"What?" He turns to her and looks into her eyes. (Oh, no, he's not going to cry.) Spike gulps and holds it in.
"Can we be friends?"
"Um, I…Yeah." Spike gives her a smile. He lowers his head and continues to go out the door. Spike exits the room and as he gets out of the room, he sighs and then keeps moving down the hallway.
Buffy feels really bad about how Spike is feeling and that's another first. She remembers how he helped her, the Slayer Buffy, and how sweet he was. He may be a vampire, but deep inside he's a hell of a man.
Willow returns to the room with yummy snacks. She immediately notices Buffy's attitude change as she is talking to her about all the good foods she was able to get from the vending machines.
"Buffy, are you okay?" asks Willow.
"I'm fine, Willow," says Buffy. "I just wish I was two Buffy's again."
"Why?"
"Cause the Buffy that was regular Buffy…I kind of like being regular. Not worrying about the Slayer stuff and not making a guy feel less manly because I can bench press more than he can."
"Buffy, I think that regular Buffy and Slayer Buffy need each other to survive. Even if regular Buffy sounds more normal."
"I guess you're right, Willow."
"Come on, eat up. You need to get your strength back."
"Where is Xander?" She has concern in her voice and Willow noticed.
"I think he's outside. You want me to get him?"
"Please."
Willow nods her head and obliges with her friend's request. She steps outside and looks around for Xander. Willow sees him sitting in a nearby chair, thinking she assumes.
"Xander," calls Willow as she walks up to him. Xander looks up at Willow. "Buffy is asking for you."
"Oh, she is," says Xander a little jittery.
"Are you two together?" asks Willow out of the blue.
"What makes you think that, Willow?"
"I don't know. You seemed pretty close at your apartment. The way you two were holding each other when Toth came in. It's very, how do you say, together."
"We can never keep a secret from you, Will."
"Never."
"Yeah, you're right. We are sort of together." Xander sighs.
"What's with the sort of?"
"I can't believe it myself, Willow. You know the way I feel about Buffy. I mean…the moment she sees Riley again, I think she'll think twice for wanting to be with me."
"Don't say that, Xander. Buffy loves you, a lot."
"I hope a lot more than Riley because I'm just not so great with rejections."
"No one is."
"You know I've always loved her. Since the day she came to Sunnydale." Xander sighs and runs his hand through his hair. He looks at his best friend and she smiles at him.
"Well, what are you waiting out here for, you doof?"
"Okay, I'm going." Xander heads over to Buffy's room. He peeks in and Buffy smiles at him.
"Come in, Xander," says Buffy. She moves over on the bed. "Sit here." She pats next to her on the bed. Xander walks over and gets on the bed. She looks into his eyes and helps him lay down. Buffy cuddles with Xander and closes her eyes.
"Buffy?" says Xander.
"What?" Buffy has her eyes closed and Xander is looking at her.
"Can I have you?" Xander grins at her.
"Yes." Buffy smiles, still with her eyes closed.
"Love you." Xander rubs Buffy's arm with his hand as she lays her hand on his chest.
"Love you, too."
Xander closes his eyes and smiles. He is the happiest man on Earth at this point because now he has the woman of his dreams in his arms and she loves him. It's truly heaven for him and he wouldn't have it any other way.
Buffy stayed at the hospital for one day and Xander was there 24/7. When they took her home, Xander and Willow plan a welcome home party even if she wasn't gone for that long. They all surprise her at her house and Buffy was happy to be welcomed.
The party actually had presents and Buffy really likes that. It is like her birthday or Christmas. She thinks to herself, she should get stabbed more often. Willow hands her the present she has for her.
"It's from Tara, Dawn, and me," says Willow. Tara and Dawn are standing next to the lamp in the living room. Buffy looks at them and smiles as she unwraps her present. It's a pretty journal, with a matching pink pen that has a little feathery thing on top. Buffy loved the pen, but had no idea if she would ever write in the journal.
"Thank you, guys," says Buffy. "I love it."
Giles walks over to her, with a small box and hands it to her. He tells her it's from him and her mother. Buffy looks at both of them as Giles walks back to Joyce's side. Buffy then looks at her mother, beginning to grow suspicious of the two. She ignores it, then continues to open the box and sees a beautiful, heart pendant that says 'daughter' and in the back it says 'love G J'.
"I love it," says Buffy almost in tears. Xander is sitting next to her. "Xander, could you…"
"Oh, sure," says Xander as he takes the pendant and puts it on Buffy. "Thank you." Buffy gets up and hugs both Giles and Joyce. She then heads back to the sofa with a smile.
Then someone knocks on the door. Everyone looks toward it as Giles walks over and opens it. The person outside is Spike, with a bouquet of flowers. He is actually not wearing the duster. Giles is impressed and invites him in. As he enters the living room, everyone stares at his attire and he heads over to Buffy.
"Are those for me?" asks Buffy, looking at the pretty flowers.
"Saw them and I thought of you," says Spike as he hands her the flowers.
"Thank you." Buffy moves closer to Spike and kisses him on the cheek. He blushes a little, but no one notices.
"Okay, my turn," says Xander. "This is actually from all us. Even Spike. They all helped me pick it out."
Buffy raises her eyebrows and sees Xander stand up from the sofa. He pulls a small box from his pocket and gets on one knee. Buffy begins to hold her breath.
"Buffy." Xander sighs and looks deep into her green eyes. "I've been in love with you since you walked up those steps into Sunnydale High School and I never gave up on that love, even when it was hopeless."
"Oh, Xander," says Buffy, touching his hand.
"So, I've only got one question. Would you make me the happiest man on Earth and be my wife?" Xander opens the box and inside is a diamond ring in platinum.
Buffy gasps at the question and the ring, even though she knew it was coming. She has so much love for Xander inside her that she never knew. Tears start to stream down her cheeks and she tries to compose herself to reply to his question.
"Yes," replies Buffy. She cups his face and kisses him before he has any time to react to her answer. After she lets him go, he puts the ring on her finger.
Everyone in the room cheers for the two, even Spike. He's finally seen that Xander is not a bad guy at all. He just hates vampires. Spike is just glad that at least Buffy is happy.
Buffy hugs Xander tight. She is so happy and she heads around to hug everyone in the room. They congratulate her as she hugs them.
After the party is over, Buffy and all the girls help Joyce clean up. The guys sit down on the sofa, talking to Xander about his proposal.
"I still thought you should have waited," says Giles to Xander. "I think it is a little too soon."
"Too soon," says Xander. "Come on, Giles. I could be dead tomorrow, or Buffy could pull one of her I'm dead again bring me back routines. Besides, it's not like we're going to get married tomorrow."
"Hey, that's not funny," says Spike, not liking Xander's comment about Buffy dying a lot and then coming back to life.
"It was a joke, Spike. I know the Slayer duties put her in danger a lot and I'm not that good of a fighter…" Xander pauses for a second. "Where was I going with this?"
"Well, if you die, I'll make sure Buffy is happy," says Spike. Giles and Xander stare at Spike. Then the girls come into the room. Buffy comes over and sits in between Giles and Xander.
"So, do you like the ring, Buffy?" asks Dawn.
"I love it," replies Buffy as she admires it.
"I'm going to be maid of honor, right?"
"Um…" Buffy looks at Willow. "We're not like getting married tomorrow?"
"No, we'll wait," says Xander.
Giles and Joyce release a sigh of relief. Xander knew they wanted him to wait. He had asked Joyce that morning before they were going to pick up Buffy at the hospital. The others, including Spike, had gone to a jewelry store that had good prices for diamond rings the night before and they all helped him find the perfect ring for Buffy.
"I'll decide all that when the time comes," says Buffy, trying not to hurt anyone's feelings. "Right now, I just want to rest." She looks at Xander and gives him a grin.
"Right, good idea," says Xander.
"It is getting late," says Giles. "We should all get going."
Everyone that did not live in the house got up and headed for the door. Buffy, Dawn, and Joyce say their goodbyes to their guests.
"Well, Buff, let's get you to bed," says Xander as he pushes her up the stairs.
Dawn and Joyce watch the two as they run up the stairs. They then look at each other as Joyce closes the front door. Dawn rolls her eyes.
Upstairs, Buffy and Xander are in her bed cuddling up together. Xander has his arms wrapped around Buffy.
"You think they'll come?" asks Buffy.
"Nah," replies Xander. "I am so tired."
"Me too and I'm the Slayer. I didn't get my beauty sleep because of you." Buffy points at Xander with her index finger pooking his chest.
"Hey, why do you blame me? I wasn't the only one doing it."
"Okay, so last night, it was worth it, but now I only want to sleep." Buffy grabs the covers and puts them over her head.
Xander grins at her, even if she doesn't see him. He kisses her head, still covered with the sheets, then lays back and falls asleep.
Author Note: I know the proposal was too soon, but I didn't want to wait. Xander didn't want to wait. It's all his idea, anyway.