Buffy awoke the next day feeling refreshed and happy. Both feelings had
been noticeable absent of late, so it was a nice change.
She met Dawn in the kitchen. "Where's Spike?" Dawn enquired.
"At his place sticky beak! Why would you assume anything else?"
"Oh," Dawn replied, "I thought by the way you two were looking at each other that he might have stayed the night." She said, cheekily.
"Well, he didn't. He was the perfect gentleman." She said, almost to herself.
"Anyway, I'm off to school. Is it ok if we invite him around again tomorrow night?"
"We'll see Dawn. He might have things to do." And with that, Dawn left.
Buffy made a decision, raced up to her room, got dressed and left. She was going to see Spike.
She hadn't been to the mansion in about two years. When Angel first left, she'd go up there every opportunity she could get, just to feel closer to him. But when Riley came on the scene, her visits became less frequent.
It had changed, on the outside it looked a little more rundown than usual. She walked up the steps and knocked on the door. No answer. She tried the handle and the door was open. "Spike?" She said, although very softly. She looked around and saw that he had indeed been cleaning the place up. The marble floors were scrubbed, the furniture cleaned. It looked like the same old place, except with notable differences. There was a TV for one thing, something Angel didn't possess, and a stereo next to the fireplace.
She made her way through the labrynth of rooms and found the bedroom. She quietly opened the door and saw Spike. He was asleep, curled up on the bed that had caused her so much joy, and so much pain all those years ago. He looked like a baby, laying in a fetal position, a small smile on his face. Buffy quietly entered the room and sat on a chair next to the bed, just watching him. There was a turned down book on the bedside table, "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert A Heinlein. She sat there for what seemed like hours, watching him sleep. Wondering what it was she felt for this man. When finally he opened his eyes.
"Buffy! What are you doing here?" He asked, incredibly surprised to see her.
"I was in the neighbourhood, so." she answered, with a mischevious smile.
"Have you been waiting long? Would you like a cup of coffee or something? You should've woken me." He had sat up and was covering himself, modesty and Spike? It was weird!
She realised he was genuinely upset that he hadn't known she was there, so decided to bluff a little. "Actually, I just got her, I must have woken you. Sorry."
"Don't apologise to me love, couldn't think of a better way to wake up." He answered with a smile.
Buffy was slightly embarrassed about his frankness, it was one thing about him that hadn't changed, and when realising that, it was a little comforting. "Well, I just came over to tell you that I'm going to tell Xander you're back tonight. Just thought I should warn you, you're not his favourite person. as you probably already know."
"Right. It's probably a good thing he doesn't know where I'm staying then." Spike said, with a small laugh. "Thank you again for diner." He added as an afterthought, looking into her eyes.
Buffy was captivated with how penetrating his gaze was, those blue eyes seemed to reach to the bottom of her soul. With that thought she noticed that there wasn't one menacing thing about him anymore. She was suddenly aware that everything he'd been telling her was the truth. He really did have a soul. He wasn't evil anymore.
"Oh, think nothing of it." She replied, breaking the contact. "Actually, Dawn wanted to know if you would like to come over again tomorrow night! I, um. told her that you'd probably be busy so please don't feel like you're obligated to come over."
"I'd love to come Buffy, if it's alright with you that is." Spike replied.
"Look, this is ridiculous" Buffy suddenly exclaimed! She got up and started pacing the room. "We're acting like we don't know each other! When it all comes down to it, you're Spike! You may have a different way of looking at things, but you're still Spike, and I'm still Buffy, and we've been through too much to be uncomfortable with each other. So let's just pick things up where they left off. that is, without the violence and sex - oh god, did I really just say that?" Buffy didn't know where all of that frustration had come from, but she did knew she felt much better after her little outburst.
"Yeah, you said it luv," Spike replied "and it's about time one of us did. I was going crazy with all this politeness! You're right, I'm Spike, so whenever you need a punching bag, you know where to find me."
She looked at him and saw he was smiling. She wondered how long it would take her to adjust to this knew Spike.
"Well, I guess I'd better go." She picked up her jacket and headed for the door. Before she reached it, she felt a hand on her arm, restraining her. "Buffy" Spike said, a look of desperation on his face "I meant what I said before, I will never hurt you again."
"I know Spike." And with that, she opened the door and left.
Spike paced the room for a while after she'd gone and wondered what would happen now. He was glad the initial meeting was over, but there was so much more to do! Trust to be built, love to be captured. He was in for a rough time, he could sense it. He felt claustrophobic in his room so when twilight came, he headed outside. It was a beautiful night. The stars were shining, and without realising it, he found himself in Buffy's neighbourhood. He stared at her house for a moment, and then turned around to leave, as he turned, he collided with someone, making them drop the parcel they had in their hands. "Oh, sorry mate, let me help you," he said as he bent down to pick up the parcel. As he prepared to rise, he realised the man he'd collided with was staring at him. "Oh you diabolical fiend Spike! When did you get back?" It was Xander.
"And now my night is complete!" Spike muttered under his breath. "Harris." Spike said nodding his head in acknowledgement.
Before he knew what was happening, Xander had grabbed Spike by the collar and had him pined up against the tree. "Why did you come back Spike?" He breathed in his face. "Didn't finish what you started? Thought you might get another chance to rape Buffy?" Spike didn't know how to respond. He started to tell him that it wasn't his intention but Xander kept going. "If I ever, and I mean ever see you anywhere near this house or near Buffy and Dawn, I'll personally drive a stake through your heart. It should've been done a long time ago. You're nothing but a demon, and you'll keep your demon hands away from my friends."
Spike had finally had enough of Xander's tirade. He broke away from his grasp and stared at him. Finally, he said "what ever way you try to wound me Xander, whatever you say in the hopes of belittling me, I've already said it to myself. Save your breath mate. There's nothing, nothing you could do or say to me that would have any impact on me."
"Care to make a wager on that?" Xander replied, punching Spike in the face.
Dawn heard the commotion outside and opened the door to investigate, when she saw what was going on she ran outside and pulled Xander off Spike. "Xander, what the hell are you doing?" She screamed. "Stay out of this Dawn" Xander replied, "he's not going to be allowed to get away with this anymore." Xander kept punching Spike, over and over again.
"Buffy" Dawn screamed, knowing she couldn't do anything to stop this. Buffy heard her cry and ran out to see what was happen. She grabbed Xander and threw him into her front yard, then she turned around and helped Spike up. "I told you not to make an appearance tonight! I haven't told him yet!" She said with vengeance. "Told me what?" Xander said, still seething with rage. "Xander, Spike's back because he now has a soul". Buffy said. "Ha! And you believe him when he tells you that do you?" Xander asked in disbelief. "What is it with you women?"
That was it. Buffy was through with the condensation "Whether you care to believe it or not, it's true. He DOES have a soul. He's not hurting anyone. And you're not to touch him. Now, both of you come inside. I think our neighbours have seen enough entertainment for one night." And with that she marched into her house. Dawn grabbed Spike by the arm and pulled him in, not looking at Xander, who gradually followed.
She met Dawn in the kitchen. "Where's Spike?" Dawn enquired.
"At his place sticky beak! Why would you assume anything else?"
"Oh," Dawn replied, "I thought by the way you two were looking at each other that he might have stayed the night." She said, cheekily.
"Well, he didn't. He was the perfect gentleman." She said, almost to herself.
"Anyway, I'm off to school. Is it ok if we invite him around again tomorrow night?"
"We'll see Dawn. He might have things to do." And with that, Dawn left.
Buffy made a decision, raced up to her room, got dressed and left. She was going to see Spike.
She hadn't been to the mansion in about two years. When Angel first left, she'd go up there every opportunity she could get, just to feel closer to him. But when Riley came on the scene, her visits became less frequent.
It had changed, on the outside it looked a little more rundown than usual. She walked up the steps and knocked on the door. No answer. She tried the handle and the door was open. "Spike?" She said, although very softly. She looked around and saw that he had indeed been cleaning the place up. The marble floors were scrubbed, the furniture cleaned. It looked like the same old place, except with notable differences. There was a TV for one thing, something Angel didn't possess, and a stereo next to the fireplace.
She made her way through the labrynth of rooms and found the bedroom. She quietly opened the door and saw Spike. He was asleep, curled up on the bed that had caused her so much joy, and so much pain all those years ago. He looked like a baby, laying in a fetal position, a small smile on his face. Buffy quietly entered the room and sat on a chair next to the bed, just watching him. There was a turned down book on the bedside table, "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert A Heinlein. She sat there for what seemed like hours, watching him sleep. Wondering what it was she felt for this man. When finally he opened his eyes.
"Buffy! What are you doing here?" He asked, incredibly surprised to see her.
"I was in the neighbourhood, so." she answered, with a mischevious smile.
"Have you been waiting long? Would you like a cup of coffee or something? You should've woken me." He had sat up and was covering himself, modesty and Spike? It was weird!
She realised he was genuinely upset that he hadn't known she was there, so decided to bluff a little. "Actually, I just got her, I must have woken you. Sorry."
"Don't apologise to me love, couldn't think of a better way to wake up." He answered with a smile.
Buffy was slightly embarrassed about his frankness, it was one thing about him that hadn't changed, and when realising that, it was a little comforting. "Well, I just came over to tell you that I'm going to tell Xander you're back tonight. Just thought I should warn you, you're not his favourite person. as you probably already know."
"Right. It's probably a good thing he doesn't know where I'm staying then." Spike said, with a small laugh. "Thank you again for diner." He added as an afterthought, looking into her eyes.
Buffy was captivated with how penetrating his gaze was, those blue eyes seemed to reach to the bottom of her soul. With that thought she noticed that there wasn't one menacing thing about him anymore. She was suddenly aware that everything he'd been telling her was the truth. He really did have a soul. He wasn't evil anymore.
"Oh, think nothing of it." She replied, breaking the contact. "Actually, Dawn wanted to know if you would like to come over again tomorrow night! I, um. told her that you'd probably be busy so please don't feel like you're obligated to come over."
"I'd love to come Buffy, if it's alright with you that is." Spike replied.
"Look, this is ridiculous" Buffy suddenly exclaimed! She got up and started pacing the room. "We're acting like we don't know each other! When it all comes down to it, you're Spike! You may have a different way of looking at things, but you're still Spike, and I'm still Buffy, and we've been through too much to be uncomfortable with each other. So let's just pick things up where they left off. that is, without the violence and sex - oh god, did I really just say that?" Buffy didn't know where all of that frustration had come from, but she did knew she felt much better after her little outburst.
"Yeah, you said it luv," Spike replied "and it's about time one of us did. I was going crazy with all this politeness! You're right, I'm Spike, so whenever you need a punching bag, you know where to find me."
She looked at him and saw he was smiling. She wondered how long it would take her to adjust to this knew Spike.
"Well, I guess I'd better go." She picked up her jacket and headed for the door. Before she reached it, she felt a hand on her arm, restraining her. "Buffy" Spike said, a look of desperation on his face "I meant what I said before, I will never hurt you again."
"I know Spike." And with that, she opened the door and left.
Spike paced the room for a while after she'd gone and wondered what would happen now. He was glad the initial meeting was over, but there was so much more to do! Trust to be built, love to be captured. He was in for a rough time, he could sense it. He felt claustrophobic in his room so when twilight came, he headed outside. It was a beautiful night. The stars were shining, and without realising it, he found himself in Buffy's neighbourhood. He stared at her house for a moment, and then turned around to leave, as he turned, he collided with someone, making them drop the parcel they had in their hands. "Oh, sorry mate, let me help you," he said as he bent down to pick up the parcel. As he prepared to rise, he realised the man he'd collided with was staring at him. "Oh you diabolical fiend Spike! When did you get back?" It was Xander.
"And now my night is complete!" Spike muttered under his breath. "Harris." Spike said nodding his head in acknowledgement.
Before he knew what was happening, Xander had grabbed Spike by the collar and had him pined up against the tree. "Why did you come back Spike?" He breathed in his face. "Didn't finish what you started? Thought you might get another chance to rape Buffy?" Spike didn't know how to respond. He started to tell him that it wasn't his intention but Xander kept going. "If I ever, and I mean ever see you anywhere near this house or near Buffy and Dawn, I'll personally drive a stake through your heart. It should've been done a long time ago. You're nothing but a demon, and you'll keep your demon hands away from my friends."
Spike had finally had enough of Xander's tirade. He broke away from his grasp and stared at him. Finally, he said "what ever way you try to wound me Xander, whatever you say in the hopes of belittling me, I've already said it to myself. Save your breath mate. There's nothing, nothing you could do or say to me that would have any impact on me."
"Care to make a wager on that?" Xander replied, punching Spike in the face.
Dawn heard the commotion outside and opened the door to investigate, when she saw what was going on she ran outside and pulled Xander off Spike. "Xander, what the hell are you doing?" She screamed. "Stay out of this Dawn" Xander replied, "he's not going to be allowed to get away with this anymore." Xander kept punching Spike, over and over again.
"Buffy" Dawn screamed, knowing she couldn't do anything to stop this. Buffy heard her cry and ran out to see what was happen. She grabbed Xander and threw him into her front yard, then she turned around and helped Spike up. "I told you not to make an appearance tonight! I haven't told him yet!" She said with vengeance. "Told me what?" Xander said, still seething with rage. "Xander, Spike's back because he now has a soul". Buffy said. "Ha! And you believe him when he tells you that do you?" Xander asked in disbelief. "What is it with you women?"
That was it. Buffy was through with the condensation "Whether you care to believe it or not, it's true. He DOES have a soul. He's not hurting anyone. And you're not to touch him. Now, both of you come inside. I think our neighbours have seen enough entertainment for one night." And with that she marched into her house. Dawn grabbed Spike by the arm and pulled him in, not looking at Xander, who gradually followed.