Chapter Eleven
Buffy awoke with a start, not knowing where she was or what she had just done. But as the memories of the previous night came crashing back to her she glanced to her left and saw Spike lying next to her sound asleep and, not to mention, naked.
"Oh my God," she whispered frantically.
She slowly crawled out of bed, careful not to wake him. She looked around for her purse and when she couldn't find it, grabbed Spike's cell phone from the chair next to his bed and quietly shut herself in the bathroom. She dialed her home number anxiously and when no one answered she breathed a sigh of relief. Angel wasn't home yet. She probably shouldn't have been worried about that. She had to get out of here. She dressed quickly and placed the phone back where it was, then tiptoed down the hallway and out the door to Spike's apartment. As soon as she was out she caught a cab and headed home with tears in her eyes. What had she done to Angel? How could she face him? She had to tell him the truth. She was a terrible person. He would hate her for all eternity and she would never be happy again as long as she lived because that was her punishment. What would Angel's parents think? What could she possibly say to them? Hey future mom and dad, I slept with your son a week before my wedding with your other son, but don't worry everything is going to be fine, she thought. Yep, a conversation like that was sure to fix everything.
When she got home she saw her purse sitting on the kitchen table with her cell phone right beside it. She had two missed calls. The first one was from Angel.
"Hey sweetie. Sorry I couldn't make it home last night. Things just got really crazy here at work. Anyway, I'll probably be home at lunchtime. Maybe we can go out or something. Anyway, I'll talk to you later. Love you. Bye."
The second message was from Cordelia:
"Shut up Xander, huh? Oh sorry. Hey Buffy! It's Cordy. We haven't talked since the day after that night at the club when you like totally disappeared on us, and we were wondering if you wanted to get together and have lunch before we head back home. Give me a call when you get this message. Love ya. Bye."
The third message was from Spike:
Hello love. I woke up this morning and you were gone. We need to talk about last night. Buffy I know it meant something to you. Just like I know your not in love with my ponce of a brother. Just call me. Please."
"We have nothing to talk about," Buffy said back to her voicemail. "Nothing at all. You've ruined my marriage. My life. Everything."
No. Wait, something in her mind told her, that was me.
There was a list of last minute wedding details lying on the table, but Buffy couldn't even bear to look at it. Her wedding, she knew, wasn't going to happen.
Angel didn't arrive home until dinner time and he was too exhausted to go out. Buffy offered to cook for him (even though she was terrible at it), but he told her he wasn't hungry and that he was going to bed. Buffy, however, remained on the sofa overcome with guilt. She had to fix things. She had to tell Angel. Unfortunately for her he had already gone to bed and would leave for work before she even woke up the following morning. However, she was determined. Tomorrow she would go to Angel's work and tell him everything. Maybe there was still time to save her wedding. She had to tell him. She had to make things right.