A/N: Thank you soo much JayeMaru for the kindest review! It means a lot and they really do help me get more inspired for writing so thank you for that! I would also like to inform my readers that I am very excited for you all to read the chapters towards the end of season 6! They've been written for a little bit and I just can't wait for you to read them (I've also written the very last chapter of the entire fic which made me sad but there is sooo much to come I promise)! xoxo
Chapter 52:
Saffron ducked under the counter, crouching as if she had dropped something. She closed her eyes, her whole body was tense, everything had been happening at once. She was exhausted, she had barely slept and when she had he was in her dreams, tormenting her. It was becoming too much, if it hadn't been already. She wasn't sure if it was him or her own mind. She had the shakes since the spell that had made her act and feel drunk, much like she had when she had quit drinking the first-time around. It was as if she was back at square one.
She had been picking up as many shifts as she could physically manage – needing to keep busy and keep the house afloat. She smoothed down her pastel skirt and sighed before straightening up and standing behind the counter. She turned to pick up the coffee pot so she could make her rounds an offer refills to the customers. When she turned back to face the room, she jumped almost spilling the coffee. A man had managed to enter through the front and make his way to the counter without making a noise. The man's pale complexion was more prominent because of the excessive amounts of black he was wearing. Black t-shirt, jeans and worn boots with a black leather duster. She rubbed her head, relaxing when she realised who it was. She needed to stop jumping, Sunnydale was bad enough without her jumping at every figure that pops up out of nowhere.
He looked her over, the circles under her eyes couldn't be hidden by any amount of concealer. He had been there for the little sleep she had been having, noticing that she never seemed to relax even when she pretended that she was.
"Don't do this to yourself, love" He muttered, concern shone in those familiar eyes of his.
"I have to. Anyway, this is the closest to a maid's outfit you'll ever see me in" She posed suggestively before coming out from behind the counter with the coffee pot in her hand.
"Don't need that, love… I need you" He said, looking her over again. She was permanently exhausted. She led him to a stool at the counter and gestured for him to sit. He did, but gave her a look.
She went on her rounds, offering refills and taking down orders. She slipped in and out of the kitchen before coming back to stand beside Spike, wiping down the counter next to him. He still had the same look and a slight pout (that he'd mock-threaten her for calling it a pout) for good measure.
"Come on. I get off in ten minutes, just sit pretty while I finish up" She leaned to kiss his forehead and started to walk away with her cloth before he grabbed her wrist and spun her back towards him.
"I can get you off now, pet. All you had to do was ask…" he purred, an eyebrow arched suggestively as he pulled her flush to him and backed her against the counter. They smirked at each other, wishing they were alone. Martha cleared her throat loud, she smiled at the pair though. Saffron knew she felt protective of them as a couple, that's why she allowed Spike to stay around while she worked. She knew intimately what Saffron's hours could do to a relationship. Spike reluctantly let Saff go, not after kissing her soft lips, leaving saff breathless and scurrying away to grab an order from the kitchen as Spike started to sweet talk Martha instead.
When Saff finally got off her shift, Spike had been convinced to walk to meet Buffy after her first day flipping burgers at the DoubleMeat Palace. What Spike and the social worker said had hit a nerve, Buffy had promised to make things right but Saff had been the only one working.
Saff and Spike met Buffy as she was walking down the street. Saffron instantly skipped over to her cousin and squeezed her tight in a hug.
"Hey Buff! I'm proud of you for getting a job!"
"It was about time" Spike muttered. Saffron not able to feel how guilty Buffy had been since Saffron had been the only one working
"How's the world of work treating you?"
"It's not" Buffy said, putting her hands in her pockets as they started to walk in the general direction of home.
"Come on, who doesn't love the smell of grease in the morning, afternoon and night?" Saff sighed softly.
"That video was horrible, they get the chicken and the cow and… mix them. It's enough to make me want to go vegetarian" Buffy shuddered at the thought as Saffron perked up at her words.
"I think that's a great idea!" she gushed, "Let me show you the wonders of the humble vegetable"
"Yeah, wonders" Buffy repeated, unconvinced. She liked to eat healthy, but nothing except vegetables for the rest of her life? No thanks.
"these chickens and cows don't have a need for their blood anymore I wager, any chance of a nip here and there?"
"There's no blood. Just patties. Patties, patties and more patties" Buffy stared into the distance as she spoke.
"That's a lot of patties"
"There's a secret ingredient, I just can't figure out what's in it"
"The secret ingredient is corporate greed… and like, probably chicken feet or something" Saffron offered, nodding along with herself as the other too looked at her a little unconvinced despite her conviction.
When they arrived at the home, Buffy muttered some kind of excuse and went up to bed. She looked as if she couldn't wait to be away from them. Which, was true. This left Saff and Spike alone in the hallway with both staring at the now empty staircase, "Does the slayer seem… off to you?"
"Apart from being sent to heaven and horribly ripped out of it?" He nodded, looking back at the stairs.
"She's going through the motions, I am too. It's just until we have enough money to stay afloat. It won't be forever"
"Look, love, I'm, uh, y'know…" He tailed off, with Saffron shaking her head not really sure what she was supposed to know. To which he explains he was sorry. Sorry for not believing her about not drinking. Saff understood, remarking that she wouldn't have believed me either. Even with the convenient lie-detector.
He nodded, looking down, but he was still sorry. He was so ridiculously soft for her he sometimes felt as if his human counterpart was more dominant when she was around. William. The sensitive, snivelling person he had tried to run away from since he had been turned. Not aware what Spike was thinking, she leaned to kiss him full on the lips. It was sensitive and loving and he instantly took back all of his inner debate. Hell, he would give anything just to be by her side this way. She loved each part of him, every layer. He could be himself with her in a way he had never been able to with any other relationship, platonic or otherwise.
They kissed softly, pulling away and smiling at each other. Saffron was thinking as they kissed. Something within told Saffron that he needed to hear it, hear her thoughts intimately. They both sat on the couch, Saffron leading him into the living room.
"I've never worried about losing you to another person… I feel your love so intensely… but not being able to see you, be with you like we used to… it makes me worry. What if you find someone better? Someone that doesn't have to go up against their equal to save the world or isn't an addict…" She explained, "Someone that doesn't have to rely on you all the time. Doesn't it get annoying having to hold me while I'm fainting or crying?"
"I would wipe your tears for an eternity… drink the salt water that fell a thousand times over if it meant I was yours. I am yours, intrinsically so, Honeysuckle"
"Loving you is easier than breathing the air around me, you give me life, babe. You complete me in ways that I never knew I wanted. But if there was someone that could give you better than I do…" she smiled, she expected him to say something clever about how strange it was that a dead man could give her such life, but he was staring at her. That stare. That loving stare she could get drunk on. He had more to say.
"There is no one else for me. I'd give up my soul all over again for you, I'd walk into the sun for you. And all I ask for in return is to be next to you, bloody standing beside you. I'd call it a selfish love but you make me happy, for the first time in centuries I'm reminded what true happiness feels like… because of you"
"Spike… you're gonna make me cry… you really- you mean it?" She looped her arms around his neck, eyes glassy with tears. He nodded, he had never been so serious. His sincerity made her wish her words were as easily formulated. As easily cast and painted as his were. She made sure to allow him to feel her emotions as she hugged his neck.
"The shit you go through, the bollocks that gets thrown your way just for existing. I'm in love with your mind, your strength... your body. I wouldn't have it any other way. I've lived an existence without you in it, and it was grey. Like those old hat boring films we turn down low and make up the dialogue for. Without your voice there, it's nothing. It's just me bloody talking to myself"
"You are a brilliant man. A good man. Your past it really doesn't matter to me. You matter to me, everything we have… everything we have now is what matters. It won't always be like this will it? We'll get a flat somewhere nice and there could be a shared garden that we could let grow and Angie could roam"
"Cosy tomb with a view? Couple of white picket fences and a hell-hound on the door" he chuckled as she nestled into him.
"There's no chance we're having a tomb! You're not the bloody messiah!" she turned to face him teasingly.
"Well, wasn't it you that once said I'm pretty close to a God in bed?"
"Self-titled! You crowned yourself!" There was a pause as they smiled at each other and Saff continued her thought, "Any future with you would be perfect… even if it was in a tomb"
"Mm, this is ours… always" he confirmed, the tug of a smile on his lips that belonged to her surfaced again, "Doesn't matter where we end up, love, as long as it's together"
They kissed with an emotional warmth that ignited between them. His hands tangled into her hair before slowly sliding to cup her cheek. He stroked the soft skin with his thumb as his eyes remained closed. He knew every part of her body and yet made her feel like he was touching her for the first time. Their lips parted, but their faces remained close. Their foreheads pressed together as Saff caught her breath. This meant everything. To have this time. They relaxed into each other, eventually moving from that spot and settling into the sofa and cuddling.
"Will you still love me when I'm old and grey?" Saff hummed slightly after a while, the love vibrating through them both.
"'Course Honey… but a blue rinse is where I draw the line" He smiled and she rolled her eyes.
"I mean it… won't it be weird if we're together in say several decades time and I'm all old and you're still all hot?"
"Won't matter what other people think, you know that more than anyone love. It's all about the feeling. Besides, I could always…" He gave her a look and left the rest unsaid. He had wanted to turn her since he first met her, but they hadn't had a serious conversation about their future before. They were usually live in the moment types (which is why prophecies pissed them both off so much). She didn't say anything, but they both continued to cuddle well into the night.
xoxoxo
The soft glow of the moon behind the clouds cast an almost heavenly glow along the street. A glow that Sunnydale residents weren't used to describing their town as. There was a slight chill in the air, but not one that couldn't be helped by a leather jacket.
Even so, Saffron pulled her jacket around her, covering her work uniform and looking up at the sky. It was almost… pleasant. She couldn't remember a time where she had felt this walking around Sunnydale at night. She didn't feel the familiar chill of anticipation over a demon and the group seemed content enough although Willow was missing Tara.
The group were all walking to the Doublemeat. They had picked Saff and Spike up on the way, they were going to support (or annoy) Buffy while she worked at her new job and get some real research done on Oleander while they were there. Saff and Spike stayed at the back of the group, their hands clasped together as they started to follow the others in through the glass doors.
"God, your hands are cold"
"And you're what? Surprised? There's no bloody circulation love"
"I know that, but you could try to warm them up a little, considering you're always wanting to hold my hand"
"Well, you know what they say Honeysuckle" He shrugged.
"What's that?"
"Cold hands, warm heart" He grinned as she smiled warmly at him. She definitely saw the truth in this saying, especially when it came to him. They entered through the front, Spike letting her walk in front of him but he was still clasping her hand firmly, not wanting to let go, as Xander held the door for them to enter through.
Saff felt it as soon as she walked in, bad vibes. Fast-food places were up there with Butchers on the empath pain-o-meter but it was Buffy's work and they wanted to show their support. She winced, walking further into the brightly lit restaurant. The unnatural lighting cast an eerie feel that she only ever felt in the presence of demons that wanted to kill her. Spike squeezed her hand, knowing this, hoping that she could feel his comfort over the discomfort she usually felt from the meat.
"Every product we sell has a meat derivative" The server told Saffron as she got up to take her order.
"Every product?"
"Apart from our shakin' shake and bake milkshake shakes" The man replied, no enthusiasm in his voice. Corporate torture, making minimum wage workers waste their breath on complicated brand names where one word will do.
"I'll, uh, have a milkshake then… strawberry blast will do" She cut in, before the poor guy had to reel off all of the stupid names. He nodded, thanking her and ringing up her order. She went and sat down with the others who had already placed their orders and taken out the heavy duty research books and print-outs.
Willow, Xander, Anya, Dawn and Spike were sat waiting for her in the booth. Spike had saved a spot beside him for her to sit in. They were here to support Buffy at work as well as try and support Saff with her, well, life.
Saff couldn't get the prophecy out of her mind, it was spinning through her head at an alarming rate. It was almost making her go dizzy.
The True Sight is possessed by the one that is pure of heart and mind. The light deceives and time shall cease as the apocalypse nears. They must defeat The Corrupted. They alone can fight their equal and become whole before the world's end.
She couldn't concentrate properly on the book in front of her. Everyone else was trying to research Oleander the best that they could. Trying to absorb as much information to prepare them all as possible.
"So what do we reckon to the… reckoning?" Xander asked, he had started humorous but the idea of losing his friend actually sobered him. Saffron shivered and he shot her an apologetic look that she shook her head at, understanding.
"Why don't you tell us about the steps, it's kinda like a how-to-kill-the-bad-guy, right? Y'know the time where Giles went all ooky and possessed"
"Total exorcist type our G-man" Xander said fondly.
"That actually might help, apparently it's ten times easier to process things that are explained verbally than reading after long periods"
"I don't know about those stats, Red" Spike said, not convinced by the statistics she had plucked out of nowhere. He was also giving Saff a chance to get out of it.
"Such a poet's mind" She whispered into his ear. She had noticed he had been scrawling in that notebook of his more often.
"So, there's the order of the Eye. Which, we're already reading about. It's the first step. Because Lee thinks he's the real 'true eye'. It's my job to, uh, get their facts straight... The next part is where we're at now. The test. It goes something like, 'The true eye must face the test, feeling it is proof that they have the pure connection and can protect world from the Corrupted One. Feel it but overcome. The pure of heart must conquer, with their sight providing the balm to the people'" She said as if she didn't have that part memorised. She was nervous about this. She knew it was going to get tougher than it already was, "The final part is, as Xand has already said, 'the reckoning of the corrupted one'. I have to 'defeat the shadow self' and blah blah blah. It's the type of stuff we always have to defeat, it just never tells me how..." she tailed off, twisting her silver rings as she spoke.
"We'll figure it out" Spike said, not sounding so enthusiastic at the moment but it was the thought that counted.
"It says here that the order founded ten years ago, but they're kind of insular, you won't see them preaching on the streets…" Willow said, moving on, scanning through the research she had printed out on the Order.
"Yeah, 'cause then they'd get a viewpoint other than the one they're bloody forcefed."
"Also, they 'give their souls to the cause', but I can't tell if that was, um, sort of a metaphor or… well…" Willow pulled a face as did the rest of the booth at that implication. Saffron knew instantly that this was completely literal but didn't want to worry the others.
Willow says she found a recording of an old speech, and plays it just as Buffy comes with their order. They thank her by nodding, but everyone was listening to the recording. "Our plight shall be long, arduous. But remind yourself that we are the light. The only light that is true. We do this to spread the hatred, the anger that is alive in each and every heart. That's billions of people, darlings! And we will touch every last one of them" Oleander's voice spoke through the crackled recorder.
"Billions! Billions! Billions!-" An excited chant could be heard before the recording cut off.
"He's horrible. He wants us all to die, doesn't he?"
"Sounds about right. The Priestess didn't have much help to offer. All she told me was to keep you guys close" Saff shrugged, looking away slightly as she said this. As if they would all collectively decide to give up on her now of all moments.
"Well, I don't think I'm going anywhere" Anya said unexpectedly, smiling towards where Spike and Saffron sat as she nodded her head.
"Thanks An" Saff smiled. A silence fell over the group as everyone started to eat. Buffy stares for a moment before snapping out of it and mentioning she thinks something bad in burger. Everyone spits it out instantly as Saff snorts at the disgust on the other's faces.
The only one unaffected was Spike. He just shrugged, taking someone's burger and smiled as he bit into it. Buffy pulled a disgusted face and went back to her job as they all sat in silence for a while, reading and trying to take as much as they could from the limited information they had recovered about.
"Why don't I get my own cult" she whined, "Why does Lord bloody Voldemort get a cult and I don't!" she repeated.
"We're your cult, the Sight has Scoobies" Xander offered.
"That sounds like an std"
"All hail SP!" They chorused which made Saff smile at them for being able to boost her mood despite everything.
Meanwhile, Oleander was holding the weekly support group before the ritual sacrifice. It used to make him cry, when he was younger. He felt everything. Every lie, every horrible insult thrown his way. The feeling behind it was so real. His parents always fought, so much animosity in the household. He found himself blacking out most nights from pure rage running through his veins.
He had felt the horror and pain since he was young. Too young to have to feel that kind of pain and he hated the world for it. He hated humanity. Self-involved and inflicting harm as a hobby. There was so much evil in the world, it was bad to its core. So, if you can't beat them. Join them. He was doing the world a favour by bringing it to its knees, removing the Honeysuckle who was poisoned with hope.
The usual room that held prayers and held the occasional traitor hostage had the pews moved to the corners of the room. Today's meeting was personal. It was almost as important as the praying and the plotting. This is how the message was strengthened.
"Welcome, one and all! Lovely to see some new faces, my dear disciples"
"O Leander! O Leander! May your eye see us through! The corrupted shall perish and our one true eye we shall cherish! We promise our soul for the truth, we will fight nail and tooth!" They removed their hands from their eyes as they bowed their heads slightly before Oleander. He nodded, allowing them to feel the slight relief they all craved. Him allowing them the relief from their problems, their pain was how he got them hooked. He promised salvation in the form of the end of the world.
"Oh, you do spoil me, darlings! That is my favourite prayer. So, let us begin! Let the hate be upon you"
"And also with you" They all chorused. He smiled, satisfied. Feeling their faith fuelled him in a way that no other feeling could. The fear helped too.
"Welcome Brother Grant" everyone chorused monotonously. He nodded and stood to speak.
"I first learned of hate when my bitch mother left me to get high every night. Then there was my stupid girlfriend… ex-girlfriend. She cheated on me. Hatred has followed me my entire life. I'm just trying to show everyone else what it feels like" He nodded, before sitting back down. A slow clap rang out, from the leader himself. He was impressed at the level of hatred he harboured. He approved despite the hardened individualism this businessman possessed, it was good to have people high up in his organisation.
As the rest of the room stood in turn, explaining when they first discovered the 'truth' about the real world. While his followers were talking, Oleander zoned out. He was staring into the centre of the circle. He usually managed to block out his own personal horror. The past that hurt him, created him into who he was today. But today, as sometimes would happen, he couldn't extract this thought from his brain. He was suddenly taken back almost twenty years ago.
A young Oleander was walking down the sidewalk, dragging his feet. He didn't want to go home. He would be alone and he hated being alone. He preferred being outside or with friends. Not that he had many. He had one close friend at school but he lived almost an hour away from him.
He was watching the floor as he walked, his eyes widened in recognition as he saw what he was looking for. A glass soda bottle. He picked it up and put it into his knapsack. His bag clinked as all of the bottles moved against each other. He would get the equivalent of 2p for every bottle he handed in. He might have some money for bread and milk or even a bar of chocolate if he found enough.
He prayed that he didn't see the people from school. They would only bully him outside of the school gates as well. He felt so insignificant in school. Powerless to the masses. They looked upon him with such disdain. Such obvious hatred. He turned the corner, becoming almost face-to-face with one of the people that hated him the most.
There was a group of them. Sat on their bikes outside the corner shop. The shop he needed to go to to get the money for the bottles. He avoided eye contact. Looked to the floor before doubling back and running. The bottles in his back crashing dangerously against each other. He would have to go without, for today at least.
He ran the entire way. Managing to turn into the estate and take the quickest route to where he lived. Alone for the rest of the evening. His father was away for long periods of time, he wasn't aware of what he was doing until much later. His mother was always working and now everyone knew where she worked. They saw her. She cleaned their school every morning and night. He was teased relentlessly for it. And so he blamed her. She was never home, with her multiple jobs. And when she was she had little time for him. He felt neglected. Alone. Stewing in his own hatred. His own powerlessness.
Without stopping to reflect on the intrusive flashback, he rose from his seat. In one swift motion, he pulled Brother Grant up by his robe and moved right into his face.
"Stupid, low-life, bitch! You think hatred only follows you? Hatred follows us all! It's sentient! Omni-fucking-prescent! You think you're special?! You're nothing! You're less than nothing!" He started wailing on his follower, pulling him into the middle of the circle. He punched him as his follower tried to plead to him, "Do not speak to me!" He warned kicking him to the ground before pouncing, projecting his voice so the others would hear, "Without me, without my True sight, how do you expect to show the world? You're stupid! You're not worthy! You're-!" Brother Grant was past unconscious when he finally cut himself off and stood up. His body would be left there. He cracked his neck on each side before looking upwards. He smiled, a cruel smile, laughing at the ceiling maniacally. He licked his lips as applause erupted around him.
He could feel their fear but they all clapped and he bathed in it. As he allowed them to feel the light by his side. They barely blinked at the sight in fact, this was a common occurrence. The bouts of rage. And yet, new members joined all the time. Brother Grant would be replaced within a day at most. It was a contradiction wrapped inside a contradiction, and yet it gave them purpose. A reason to live knowing they held the truth. They were superior. And that feeling was addictive.
"The idiots will never see it like us. Our truth. The true sight. Enjoy it. Love that you are above the sheep that hang on to hope and kindness over the reality of it all" he announced, "I feel it as you now see it. My true disciples. The only ones that shall be spared in the end… I've seen my fair share of final moments, darlings, and let me tell you: The only thing they feel at the end is the hopelessness and despair of this world. The truth as we already see it. The hatred and anger will swallow them before the end"
xoxoxo
Saffron had a banging headache, the kind she got from strong, negative emotions, although she was definitely feeling tension from the amount of shifts she had picked up this week. She had hardly had time to breath, let alone eat or sleep. But this headache, it was the kind that told her that something was coming. Something that she wasn't going to like.
She was catching up with Tara, thankful that it was a slow night. They were chatting and doing some research of their own. On the cold feeling they couldn't escape. Tara didn't come to the Doublemeat, the breakup was still fresh.
"Could I have some tea? Chamomile?" Tara asked, she was sat on a stool at the counter as Saffron stood behind it.
"You not sleeping T?"
"I haven't slept alone in a bed for so long…" Tara sighed sadly as Saff turned around to check if they had any tea. The diner didn't have the biggest range of teas in the place and Saff decided if worst came to worse she could make her own experimental tea for Tara using ingredients lying around the place. Luckily for Tara, Saffron found a box of chamomile gathering dust at the back of one of the cabinets in the back. She slipped out of the kitchen, coming back in victorious, holding the tea above her head with glee. She started brewing the tea as Tara poured over another dusty old book.
"We missed you at the Doublemeat, you know…" Saffron said tentatively, setting the cup of tea down in front of her good friend.
"I couldn't, Saffy… not when…"
"I know, it's hard" Saff said as Tara nodded, knowing Saff must feel how she was feeling.
"H-how is she?"
"She's determined, I can feel it. She's recovering, but it's not gonna be a quick fix. Like with the alcohol, if I wasn't so busy all of the time, I know I would have caved at some point. Nearly fucking have so many times since that day when – you know – but Spike was always there…" Saff tailed off shaking her head at herself. She should be letting Tara talk, she clearly needs it.
"Saffy, you're the only one that has the power to stay sober. Spike is your support, we all are, but you are the one that's fought to stay sober. Just like you've fought to protect everyone"
"Uh, thanks, T. How are you coping?" Saff looked down awkwardly, Tara just stared into her drink "I can already feel it, T… and you never know, it might help to let it all out"
"I feel cut off from you all, but I feel like I need the distance and then some days, I don't want the distance at all"
"We're all here for you, T. Just as much as we're there for Will. I'm usually stuck in here, chained to the coffee machine, so please pop in and chat whenever" She said, showing Tara how genuine she was being.
"I love her. I love her more than anything and it hurts so much… missing her hurts more than what she did, Saffy" Tara admitted, "Would I be weak to give her another chance?"
"N-no, not weak. Just perhaps misguided at the moment… maybe you should work on being friends first before things get complicated again. What she really needs is support, you know? Recovering is hard. Really fucking hard and it's not as simple as just stopping and I know she misses you… so why don't you call her sometime? Come to a Scooby meeting and say hi to her?" Saffron spoke, hoping that she was helping. She really cared about both Tara and Willow and she hoped they could at least be friends again eventually.
After this, Tara asked about everything going on with her and Saff spoke about the Corrupted. How she felt his hatred for her and of the weird fascination with her. It's as if it's a game of cat and mouse. He thinks she's young and naïve. She spoke of how he wants not only to destroy the world but to destroy her friendships and ties before he kills her. Blocks her, lets her feel his hatred but that's mostly it. Has seen some flashbacks of his life though.
Saff was on her break, she had left Tara researching and Martha watching over the empty diner while she had a smoke outside. Customers were allowed to smoke inside, but staff couldn't. She enjoyed her smoke breaks, ironically, they were the only moment she could allow herself to actually breathe. It could be hard sometimes; the fake smile made her lips ache and her back was in so much pain from standing up for so long she had started hobbling around like an old person. Spike had teased to say he was going to find her a Zimmer frame from the dump. She inhaled a thick drag of smoke, savouring the feeling. It was nice to just be, not having to think or serve customers or feel emotions. She was just out of the way enough to avoid the sharp emotions around her. She could dial it down easily, but it was nice to just have to deal with her own shit and not everyone else's on top.
Suddenly, her peace as shattered. Hate like boiling lava started to seep into her pores as two figures came towards her, faster than she could make them out. Her shoulder was pushed back into the brick wall making her hiss in pain, throwing her cigarette to the ground and tried her best to block the figures. All white. Berets. Fuck sake.
"We will take you to O Leander, but we will teach you a lesson first!" the woman said through gritted teeth, punching the wall next to Saff's head as she moved out of the way. She had been working on reflexes with Spike and it had actually paid off. But as she stopped to congratulate herself, the man punched her full force in the face.
"Please, you don't have to do this… I don't want to-" She was cut off by a blow to her stomach, "Please… I don't want to hurt you!" she wheezed, she hadn't even tried any offensive blows, she had only been deflecting the best she could.
"You hurt us by existing" One said, landing another blow to her stomach, this time winding her. She struggled to breathe, crouching to the floor as the pair started to pull her to her feet to take her through the streets. She was trying to fight them off but they were strong. She was preoccupied and hadn't noticed that more people were running towards the fight.
Martha and Spike both ran onto the scene at the same time, Spike pulled the pair away from his girl, willing them to take him on, beckoning them. Martha came barrelling out, a shotgun in her hand that she pointed towards the sky, letting off two warning shots. Saff's eyes widened, a fucking shotgun?! In a diner?! She fucking loved Martha. This left the pair scrambling away and down the street. Martha hurried over to them, "You alright hon? Spike?" she checked on them both. Saff was going to be bruised pretty good and she had a bit of blood running from her nose, but she was okay. Martha was fond of the kids, they reminded her of being younger. She could tell that they were soulmates and she wanted to make sure they were safe. She wasn't entirely sure what Spike did for a living, but he looked the type that wouldn't expect his girl to be working unless she absolutely had to. She could see that he took good care of her, and she knew from the way that Saffron spoke that she took good care of him.
"Take her home, hon, look after her"
"I will, don't have any bloody question about that. I'll take good care of her"
Martha nodded and walked back inside, no doubt to hand out as many complimentary scones as was necessary to buy the remaining customers silence. If management found out they would be fucked. Saffron saw Tara and smiled as the girl came over to them. She had kept out of the way of the fighting.
"Thanks for calling me, Terror" he dipped his head in thanks, "You need me to walk you home?" he offered before he had chance to stop himself, for some reason he liked the shy witch. She was good to his girl.
"That's okay, I think I'll stay and research a little longer" Spike nodded, wiping the blood from Saff's nose and waiting for Tara to be out of eyesight before he licked the crimson liquid from his thumb. Saff rolled her eyes, but he shrugged and hauled her arm around his shoulder so he could take on her weight and walk to their crypt.
Saffron, now recovered as it was mostly just shock, was stood over the old porcelain basin that Clem had helped Spike install now that a human was still mostly living in the crypt. Running water was a blessing. She was brushing her teeth while Spike watched her with one of those smiles on his face. Then he remembered something, taking a wad of bills from his pocket and counting them up. He split it, walking towards the jar and shoved the wad in. The nasty word jar was now the get-them-out-of-debt jar and he put most of his earnings into the pot, leaving the rest for necessities such as his and Saff's smokes and his blood. Saff wasn't sure how he made his money, but she was grateful all the same. She knew they were in it together. She landed a kiss on his cheek, wiping the toothpaste from the side of his face and pulling a face that told him she was sorry. She was grateful to him and the best way she knew how to show him was soft kisses like that. She knew he could feel her emotions when she did it too. It was habit and she had forgotten she was brushing her teeth.
"Tell me about your day?" Saffron asked before she spat the toothpaste into the basin and swilled her mouth out with bottled water (she didn't trust the water that was connected that much). The pair had made a tradition out of telling each other detailed accounts of their days now that they barely saw each other. It was nice to hear it through the other's perspective, but they wished they could spend their days together instead.
"Got woken up at bloody midday by that evil little furball trying to catch a spider again, have to hand it to the little thing she doesn't give up easy. Maybe we should train her up, help with the demon fighting?" Spike suggested as Saffron raised an eyebrow and started to wash her face, Angelina walked into the room at the sound of her name and started to wind around Spike's legs. Spike shrugged, stroking her slightly and carried on his story, "Had some more visitors again, asking me to direct them to the right plot. It's as if someone's told them I buggering work here! Next person that comes in will be reserving their own spot on the other side of the cemetery, far bloody away from me!"
"And you'll be doing that through sheer mind power will you?" Saffron teased, drying her face and turning to him with a smile and Spike pulled her to him giving her a warning look, before she kissed him and walked to take some clothes from her drawer.
"Got you for that haven't I pet? Anyway, I went to wait for the nibblet at your house to keep her company when she got home and then we played rummy until I had somewhere to be – the butcher's and all that" Saffron noticed his pause after he said he had somewhere to be, but she trusted him enough to know he would tell her eventually if it was important, "I was on my way back and Terror called up your cell, knowing I had it to tell me you were talking to them rather than beating them into a bloody pulp like I taught you. I ran, just in time to see you getting thumped pretty good by the terrible-two and tried to rush in and save you, only to be bloody beaten to it by dear Martha – I'm surprised at the old bird, didn't think she'd have it in her at her tender age"
Saffron had changed into an over-sized t-shirt and fluffy pyjama pants while Spike was finishing up his day. He had been getting so animated in his description he barely stopped for breath, not that he needed it, "Your turn, love" He said as he watched her take the hairbrush from her drawer and start to brush through her hair.
"Started at the Magic Box, it was a stock day and Anya's like a bloody army general at the moment making sure we triple-check everything because things keep going missing, it's a right fucking pain! Oh, lunch today was the blood of the innocent, because I took a flask of your pig's blood instead of my soup that I was planning to heat up-"
"I was bloody wondering where that went, I had to buy double – Mikey thinks I'm part of a bleeding satanic cult" Spike muttered, referring to the butcher he went to for his fresh blood, before taking the hairbrush from her hair softly, "Here – let me" Spike took the brush from her and started to brush her hair through as she spoke again. She closed her eyes, enjoying the way he softly brushed through her hair.
"Then I took some readings, not sure if it's since Oleander grew in popularity round here or just another Hellmouth sitch but there's a lot of weirdos creeping out the woodwork lately. Namely, two of my customers tried to pay me in shrunken heads. Shrunken-fucking-heads! Then I had another great visit from Ollie, I'd say he was trying to get in my head but he's already done the final fucking victory lap" She sighed at this and Spike dropped a kiss on the top of her head as he felt her stressing, "Then it was job number two, Xander dropped in cos I left, uh, my- my bag at the Magic Box but he didn't stick around for long and then T came in for research but we pretty much just chatted cos I haven't seen her in ages. She's upset over Will and missing us all – Ow – that bloody hurts you know!" Saffron paused the story to complain when Spike hit a knot and got the brush stuck in her hair.
"Sorry, it's all sodding tangled!" he said frantically trying to unwind her hair from the brush before she realised it was stuck, "Carry on – I think I've got it"
"Anyway, so, I went for my smoke break, management's said we're only allowed two a shift now, but Martha's been letting me off 'cause she used to smoke too, now she just knits. Then I got beat up and my knight in shining leather came and took me home" She finished, wincing as Spike hit another knot in her hair. In her defense, it had been tied up out of her way all day.
"Bloody hell love, do you ever brush this mop? It's full of knots!"
Saff yawned widely and Spike threw the hairbrush across the room, calling it a day. It was only going to get messed up during her sleep anyway. They both slipped under the covers, turning to face each other after turning out the lights. Saff's eyes were already starting to close and Spike smiled at her sleepy state.
"Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms… So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle; Gently entwist" Spike whispered, his past showing as he quoted the Shakespeare line, wrapping his arms around her slowly. He couldn't escape being such a romantic, but Saffron loved him for it. She melted into him, smiling softly and whispering her love for him as she fell asleep in his arms.
xoxoxo
Saff was aware of Spike's presence in bed next to her. She smiled at the feeling, letting herself relax back into a blissful sleep. The kind she only ever got when she slept in bed, wrapped around Spike. The blankets were bundled around them and Spike's body was wrapped around hers. Everything felt light and cosy. She never wanted to leave this spot.
Just as she had that thought, she felt herself being pulled, as if by her ankles, under the bedcovers. She was being dragged off the end of Spike's bed. She clawed into the mattress trying to stay in place but she was pulled violently off the end; instead of hitting the floor she was falling. She fell for what felt like an age before landing with a thud on her arse, surrounded by white light.
"Hello?" she called, "High priestess is that you?" she squinted around the area.
"Wrong. Try again" The voice sounded amused.
"What a sight for sore eyes!" The figure came into view properly, "Fish-features!" She ran over and hugged him warmly. His thick scales seemed to glisten, reflecting off the white light surrounding them.
"Don't hug me, you have made untold hell up there! Dying when I specifically told you not to. Coming back and giving me my horrible job back" He told her, pulling her off him and making sure his hair was still gelled firmly in place.
"I've missed you, man!" She couldn't help grinning as she stepped back a few paces to give him some personal space, "You managed to hit the high C yet?"
"Do not pretend we are old friends. You are a nightmare in double-denim" Saffron looked down at her jeans and denim jacket and shrugged. He had dressed her for the insult.
"Well, you did keep sending me to death, what was I supposed to think!?"
"Do not blame me! You died. You, a teeny tiny human, went up against a Hell-God and thought you'd survive. You died shortly after you touched that bratty little Hell-bitch-"
"Oh, so you know Glory?"
"I do, luckily your friend killed the human that was harbouring her which catapulted her into my realm. I'm, as you can imagine, ecstatic about that" He told her sarcastically before moving on, "As I was saying, you died after you kissed your vampire-friend and anything after that was merely damage control on our part"
"I'm confused… I didn't fall in?"
"Yes, you definitely did, which was stupid and not what I told you to do. But you were on borrowed time. The powers decided the prophecy must be completed at all costs so they… cheated a little"
"What the fuck!?"
"Now, don't get bitchy, this is still all your fault. You died because of, well, I'm not sure if it was arrogance or peer pressure. Something had to be done, all three of you had to be there. You and the key as witness to the sacrifice" He explained as if it had been obvious, "And, as you had already technically died earlier after your run-in with Glory, you had to still go that very day. It was just a little nudge over the edge, your own feet tripped you up technically"
Saffron sulked, but the knowledge made her feel slightly better. At least with this news, it meant it wasn't her fault that she died. It had been her fault earlier in the day however, but she decided to ignore that fact.
"Listen up" He said eventually after she had been uncharacteristically silent while she thought through how she felt about this new information.
"Not another one of your boring, yet beautifully performed crosswords from hell?"
"I'll keep it short and sweet-
"Like yourself?" Saffron cut in, smiling sweetly as fish-features' scowled.
"He can't leave the Hellmouth" He couldn't help but sing the sentence, habit was a hard thing to break, before adding "Enjoy" with a wink.
Something popped into her brain as she started being pulled backwards out of the scene. "Wait, who killed Ben?!" Fish-features just shook his head and waved goodbye.
She braced herself, knowing how this was going to go. But instead she landed gracefully in bed. Lying on clouds and feathers. She looked around confused and weirdly disappointed. Her gut churned as a whisper said, "You deserve a break, worse is coming" it terrified her more than any death scene.
She turned back to Spike, wrapping her arms around him, holding his head to her as he slept soundly. He wrapped his strong arms around her despite still being fast asleep. She closed her eyes, willing herself to get lost in this feeling. The safety and warmth of the embrace ensuring her peace of mind after that nightmare. As long as she had Spike, she would be okay.
Later that day, as the crypt door opened slowly, somebody made a lot of noise walking across the floor of the crypt. Thankfully no direct sunlight had filtered in as the lovers lazily curled up together in bed. Spike heard the noise, but relaxed back into Saff's side as he recognise who it was by the unfamiliar scent of old pennies and cherry blossom spritz, lovingly stolen from either Buffy or the store.
"Saff! Wake up! We're gonna be late for our shift!" Dawn called, checking her watch as she descended to the lower level of the crypt. She knew to announce her presence before coming down there. It was late afternoon anyway, so she didn't feel too bad for separating the pair. Saffron groaned, rolling over in Spike's arms and nestled into the crook of his neck, clutching his back pulling herself into him closer.
"Bloody push off nibblet, can't you see we're busy!?" Spike grumbled, throwing a pillow at her before resting his throwing arm back over Saff, pulling her in closer to him. She sighed, inhaling his familiar smell. She felt so happy like this in his arms as she started to doze off again. He wasn't embarrassed of cuddling Saff so intimately in front of Dawn, but he was annoyed that she always seemed to be interrupting. He was fond of her, feeling as if he and Saff were her much cooler minders, secretly enjoying the family style dynamic. However, it didn't give her the excuse to start interrupting their intimate moments.
"Saff you promised!" She shouted at her sleeping cousin, knowing waking her up had always been a task, "Anya thinks I was a money goblin in a past life because of the stealing and you promised we were going to prove her wrong!" Spike's hand started to pat the bed down, looking for something else to throw at the girl who just wouldn't shut up.
"Platelet, I won't tell you again!" he warned, as Saffron started to stir from her place in the crook of his neck. She had remembered through her sleepy state that they were supposed to go to the Magic Box to give her some informal training so she could convince Anya to give her a Saturday job.
"But she said! No, she totally promised and a promise is legally binding! I'll find a lawyer if I have to, I think there's a mystical one in LA, they would definitely like to hear how the apparent true sight, supposed kindest soul in the known universe was going against her word!" Dawn barely paused for breath as the pair groaned. Saffron really had promised but spending this rare time lounging in bed with her lover felt too good. Spike took the pillow from under his head and launched it at Dawn trying to make her go away, but she ducked, barely missing her head, "I mean it! Anya won't pay you if you don't turn up and then she'll hate me even more and I need a job! All my friends have jobs, but Anya told me that I can't be trusted in the store!"
"No, love, don't-" Spike said as he felt her slip from his grip, he groaned shooting Dawn a one-eyed glare as he was still waking up himself, "If you give into her every whim she'll expect the bloody world!" he complained to his love who was now shrugging on a soft grey hoodie as she rubbed her eyes.
"Dawn, we've already been over this, you're 15, wait another year and show how trustworthy you are and Anya might consider it"
"Even if I have to wait, I still need the practice!" Dawn pleaded. Saffron sighed, telling the girl she would be as quick as she could.
They arrived with saffron only a mere two hours late, but Anya was, unfairly in Saffron's eyes, threatening to dock her pay. Why should she pay someone to lie in bed and have sex with her attractive vampire boyfriend? Saffron had pleaded with her, telling her that she would deal with the refuse collectors every week for a month (there had been an ongoing battle and the demon rats were starting to run riot in the back alley). Anya finally nodded, saying she would pay her half of the two hours she missed, claiming that it was because she pitied her and her debt as well as her being a good friend. Anya scowled at Dawn before taking herself to the cash register, eagerly awaiting another customer. Saffron started teaching Dawn the basics, knowing the stock. If you didn't know the stock, you couldn't sell to customers and if you couldn't sell to customers, Anya would sack you before you could convince her otherwise.
"I'm bored! Can we do something fun now?" Dawn whined, eying some of the merchandise when she thought no one was looking. She couldn't help herself.
"Work isn't fun Dawny, believe me" Dawn looked a little ashamed, she hated that the other two worked and she couldn't do anything to help, that was why she was so adamant to train at the store, "Hey, sweet girl, I wouldn't change it for anything. As long as we've got food on the table and all that… even if it is usually a cat-burger from the Doublemeat" Saff teased, trying to make Dawn smile.
"How about I teach you- hang on" Saff answers phone "Hello you're speaking to the Magic Box, feeling tragic? We've got the magic!" She waited as the person on the other line spoke, "Yes! We open until 6pm tonight and we have just started to open until midnight on Samhain and other wiccan holidays! Aw, no problem! See you soon, bye!" Saffron said enthusiastically before dropping her voice back to its usual register.
"Do you have to say that part?"
"What part? The tag line?" Dawn nods "Just make it up on the spot nobody will question it. I think it's nice, usually puts people in a better mood… people can get mean when they talk to shop workers on the phone. I think it's because they don't have to look you in the eye"
"How do I make it up on the spot?"
"Easy, just make a cute little rhyme: Feeling like hell? We've got just the spell… or, in need of a potion? We can set you in motion!" She reeled off with ease, "Oh! How about: Has somebody caused you harm? We can find you the charm!"
"I think the Hellmouth has given you ooky rhyming power, I can't do that!"
"It's easy, it'll come to you in the moment. Anyway, it's not the most important part of the job, you just need to answer the phone and be friendly! Next time it rings, it's your go!" Saff had barely finished her sentence and the phone started to ring "As if by magic! Go on Dawny, your go!"
"This is the Magic Box…" Saff put her thumbs up encouragingly, "Um… uh, who needs new boots when we have newts" Dawn finished and Saff tried not to pull a face at her attempt, it at least rhymed.
They spent the afternoon counting up stock and then reading tarot cards together. Dawn had been getting good at leaning into her intuition and since she had been gifted her own pack, she was almost better than Saff at shuffling. By closing time, Dawn said she was meeting a friend to go to the Bronze, waving at her cousin through the window as she skipped over there. Saffron had been too distracted to notice that Dawn couldn't help but slip a few items from the store into her bag.
Saffron was tidying up, sorting the shelves before it was time to lock up as Spike walked in, hidden under his blanket as the last rays of sun were still setting.
"All right, pet, thought I'd walk with you to pick the Slayer up from her job. God bloody knows why she can't make it from the fast-food joint to the front door without you holding her hand" He grumbled, but he knew her family was important to her.
"Will you stop it, you know I'm just trying to be supportive, it's hard working and not barely seeing anyone. Getting up, walking to work, working, slaying, going to bed… it's shit" she muttered.
"I know, love, you could always let me take care of you…" he held her, but she shook her head, moving away to the main table with a giftbag. This was a discussion they had often, Spike trying to take care of the money and Saffron insisting she needed to take responsibility alongside Buffy.
"Oh, here, this-it's for you…" She passed him the tiny giftbag with lots of tissue paper poking out of the top. He eyed it suspiciously but started to grapple with the large reems of tissue paper she had decorated the gift with, throwing the tissue to the ground. He finally felt the cold metal object at the bottom of the gift bag and pulled it out.
"Don't think you can win me over with shiny trinkets, pet, won't make up for you leaving me longing in bed for half the day" He said as he pulled out the object to look at it. It was a chunky silver chain with a padlock attached, he recognised it and then raised an eyebrow, "Love… this is mine. You can't just gift wrap whatever you find in the crypt whenever you bloody feel like it-"
"No! it's… I, uh, hope you don't mind… I did a little bit of crafting. I wanted something romantic and I knew you'd never wear a 'girly' locket…" She quoted her fingers as she said girly not entirely agreeing with him on that one, "So I, uh, the padlock can open now and inside is…" He popped it open, to find a tiny pressed purple flower. One of the ones he had bought her a long time ago. Honeysuckle. She had saved some of the flowers and pressed them before she planted it outside. She had some help from Xander to half the chunky padlock and allow for there to be a hollow space for the pressed plant to go inside. She had added tiny hinges and then made sure it would last. Tara helped her do a tiny charm inside it as well, "Dawn let me borrow her Herbology book… Honeysuckle is supposed to bring luck to the wearer and I thought… it's like a piece of me for you to wear – it-it's stupid isn't it? I'm sorry"
Her idea was that if anything was to happen, he would always have luck. She worried about him sometimes out fighting and with Oleander looking to target those she's close to, she wanted him to have something. Something special to them, that could protect him in some way.
"No it's- you're- I really fucking love you, Saffron" It was so thoughtful, his eyes watered. Nobody had ever thought to do something like that for him. Only ever her. He was the one that usually got swept up in the emotion of it all and started getting grand tokens to prove his affection. But since being with her, he knew he didn't have to prove anything. They just loved each other.
"We missed our anniversary what with my death and we barely see each other and, well, you've been so good to me… I just wanted to-" she tripped over her words.
"I love it" he assured her, cupping his hands either side of her cheeks and peppering her face in soft kisses as she stumbled over her explanation, clearly embarrassed now she had presented him with the gift.
"It's also a promise, Spike… that you'll come back to me. The charm is only small, but my love for you is immense… I can't lose you, babe. I want to make sure you have my love and a little luck when you're out there fighting the big bad of the week and if he- if you're ever targeted because of me…"
"Promise, love. Always" He nodded, "Hey, I've got you ain't I? you're already my good luck charm… why do you think you've got the pet name?"
"Uh, because you said I tasted sweet and sour like a Honey-" cuts her off with a kiss, it was hot his love and gratitude pouring between them.
"You know, speaking of your taste… the flower is also meant to make you horny for your partner, love…" He smouldered, looking around the empty store with a suggestive eyebrow raised.
"Oh God, you don't need any more of that" She joked, rolling her eyes at him and pushing his shoulder before grabbing her leather jacket and shrugging it on. She switched the lights off the Magic Box and locked up behind them. He shrugged, following her out, putting the thick chain around his neck, not able to stop himself grinning.
They held hand through the streets, on their way to find Buffy. They leaned against the brick wall in the car park, Spike boxed her in. She was pressed against the wall and his body. The lights of the restaurant had been shut off so they guessed that Buffy was being taught how to lock up, not thinking much of the bad vibes as she usually got them from fast-food places.
She was too caught up in Spike's love. His kiss. The way his thumb traced her features before returning to tangle into her hair. They hear some crashing in the distance but don't look up, not sensing any danger.
After a while, Willow and Buffy left the back of the restaurant, looking a bit worse for wear. The four of them just stared at each other, not sure what to say. It looked as if they had just been in a pretty big fight.
"Rough day at the office?" Saffron inquired, looking at the state of Buffy who looked like the fastfood place had been turned into a cage-fighting ring and Willow who had ground demon in her hair.
"Wig Lady. Big demon. Slayage complete" Buffy said simply, before adding, "Oh and there's no meat in the burgers"
"Fucking-A! Do they taste good? Can you rustle me one up now?" Saffron asked enthusiastically.
"I'm not going back in there again… not until the next shift" Buffy suggested, not explaining to Saff that she might be fired. Luckily for Buffy, she wasn't lying, after finding out the recipe of the burger, she would be allowed to keep her job with a nice little bonus for her trouble. The four of them walked into the night, mostly in silence except for the loved-up whispers between Spike and Saff as they all went home to Revello.