She turned around, finding him standing at the bottom of the staircase. Looking at her with the big puppy dog eyes. She smiled at him, glad he was ok, even though he had some scratches here and there.
“Buffy. Oh my god, it’s so good to see you.” He said, pulling her in for an embrace.
She let him hug her, before pulling away, walking passed him to create some distance.
“It’s good to see you too. And alive, not unimportant.” She said, still smiling politely.
“Thank you so much for saving the day again. We did not stand a chance.” He continued, taking a step in her direction.
“Willow did most of the work, but you’re welcome.” She said, taking another step in the opposite direction.
“It surprised me though. I though you had this huge law firm to fight this kind of things. It didn’t turned out to be what you expected?” She added. She had never agreed with his decision to take over the evil Wolfram and Hart. It had made her wonder which side he was really on.
“No, it didn’t.” He said, feeling her disapproval, but not wanting to get into it.
She walked into the now empty living room, expecting him to follow her, and sat down on a chair.
He took a seat on the sofa and fumbled with his hands. He expected something from her, she knew. Something she couldn’t give him.
“What now Buffy?” He asked her. She couldn’t stand the glint of hope that sounded trough his voice.
“I’m heading back to Rome as soon as I’m done here. After that, I’m not sure.” She said lightly, as if she had not noticed the looks he was giving her.
“Oh.”
“Yeah, and you?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Oh.”
She felt very unconformable being in this situation. She knew what he wanted, and also knew she had to tell him that it wouldn’t happen.
“Spike is here too.”
“Giles told me.” He said, suddenly more irritated, but also curious.
“Oh. Well, we found him. I though you might be worried.”
“I searched, but I couldn’t find him. I must have arrived the moment after you took him with you.” Still irritated and a little embarrassed he rose from his seat and started pacing across the room.
“Right.”
“I could also smell his scent of course. All the way across the street.”
“You know what I think about the smelling people thing, don’t you?” She joked, but he wasn’t done yet.
“The same scent you are bathing in right now.”
He waited to see her eyes widen, or to hear words of apology and lame excuses, but they didn’t come. She just gave him a tiny smile, and stood up in front of him. Saying nothing.
“But you were cookie dough.” He suddenly spat, desperation sounding trough his voice.
Spike awoke when a familiar scent washed over him. His sire was here.
He groaned, feeling tired, but wanted to know what was going to be said. He sat up, while rubbing his half shut eyes, and he stretched himself out till he could stretch no more.
He grabbed a black shirt that laid neatly folded on the chair beside him, and pulled it on. It was not his own shirt, because that one was soaked with blood and ripped by demon claws. Buffy must have given him this, or maybe Willow. Whoever it was, he was very grateful.
He heard voices coming from the living room, and did not bother to pull on his pants. What was going? How badly was Angel hurt anyway?
Only dressed in his black boxer and a t-shirt, he walked down the stairs. He did not walk in on them, but stood beside the doorway. He felt like he was spying, but couldn’t care less when he heard what they were talking about.
“I could also smell his scent of course. All the way across the street.”
He felt the tension in the room, and couldn’t help but feeling slightly delighted by this.
“You know what I think about the smelling people thing, don’t you?” Spike couldn’t help but stiff a giggle when he heard her say that. She had told him the same thing about Angel, that time in the basement.
“The same scent you are bathing in right now.”
He knew. He knew he knew.
Seeing Buffy smile like she was doing right now, warmed his heart more then anything. She obviously did not feel the need to explain it, nor hide it.
“But you were cookie dough.”
What? What the hell was wrong with him. Cookie dough?
“I know…I….I don’t know. When he died I realized I…I wanted to be…his cookie.” That last part came out a little softer and Angels hand flew up in the air.
“Oh my god.”
Spike had now idea what they were talking about, but it sounded really good.
“Angel, this has nothing to do with you. I’m not asking you for permission.”
“Are we talking about Spike here? The sarcastic, cruel and annoying vampire that used to drive you up the wall?”
He could see her hiding a smile and knew she was thinking the same thing. More against the wall these days.
“Don’t tell me you believe that. No matter how much you tell me how you two despise each other, I’m not buying it. You care, and so does he. Why else would you have stayed together as long as you did, these six months?”
“Because…..”He paused and let out a long sign.
“Because he is my child, so I do care, ok. But that doesn’t make him a good man. Will he make you happy?” He asked, with a hint of disbelieve in his voice.
“He already was, and still is. I’m sorry Angel, but….This is not up for discussion. I love Spike, and I want to be with him. That is just how it is.”
He smiled, and wondered if it was time for him to enter the room. But remained where he was. Perhaps not yet.
“And us? Is that all gone?” Puppy dog eyes back in full force.
Spike saw her grabbing his hands, and looking at him with a smile. “Angel, I love you. I always will. But you now as well as I do there had not been an ‘us’ for a long time now. And you know what I feel for Spike”
He saw Angel opening his mouth, but she carried on, dropping his hands. “We are leaving as soon as possible. Probably tomorrow. Do you know where you are staying?”
Spike smiled. He had not known how real this was, until he heard her say it, to Angel.
“I’m staying with a friend, until I find my own place.” He said, and gave a deep sign before looking at her.
“I’ll be fine. Will you be?”
“I will be. I am.”
“I just want you to be happy.”
She smiled, and opened her arms to give him a hug.
“Thank you Angel. You can always contact us.”
As they stood there for a short moment, exchanging a friendly hug, Spike found it the perfect moment to interfere.
He painted on a shocked expression and walked into the room, barefoot.
“I am not interrupting something I am.” He said, and enjoyed the effect it had on the two of them.
Angel spun around a little to fast, and was obviously not pleasantly surprised. Buffy on the other hand, flashed him a wide smile, and he gave her a grin before walking up to his granddad.
“Hello Peaches, looks like you are still here.”
“That I am Spike.”
They stood in the middle of the room, facing each other. For a moment, Buffy though they were going to throw punches, but suddenly the corner of Spike’s mouth lifted. He gave his sire a smile, and not the usual cocky once, but a friendly smile.
She looked at Angel and saw him returning the smile of his child.
“Glad you’re ok. Sorry about the others mate.”
“Yeah, you too. Good fight.”
“Thanks man.”
Before Buffy realized what was happening, the two of them were engaged in a manly hug. It looked so unreal, a giggle escaped her.
“What are you laughing at?” Spike asked with a smile, letting go of Angel.
“That was so sweet.”
He rolled his eyes and laughed. “Women.”
“And a good one you have Spike. Make her happy.”
“I will, you can count on it.”
Angel walked towards the door, trying to push Spike out of the way as he did. Buffy noticed this and rolled her eyes in turn. Some thing really never changed.
“See you all later. I’ll keep in touch.” He said kindly, for Buffy’s sake, no doubt.
Although he was obviously not that happy about her dissension, she felt good when she closed the door behind him.
She had made a choice, and knew it was the right one. She would always care for Angel, but Spike was the man she wanted to be with. The man who made her happy.
Before she could turn around, his hands slipped around her waste, hugging her close to him, and his mouth rained kisses down her neck.
“Are you ok, pet?”
“I’m very ok Spike.” she moaned, leaning into his touch.
“And tomorrow we will go home. We can make a fresh start. How does that sound?” Her hands run over his abs, as she spun around in his arms.
“Sound very good love, and you know what else sounds good?”
His hand ran over her spine, covered by her night blue sweater.
“You, me, bedroom, now.”
She gasped, and laughed as he lifted her off her feet, and flung her over his shoulder.
“Even better. Let’s go.”
The house filled with laughter for the first time in ages, as he carried her up the stairs.
She had made a choice. And it was without a doubt the right one to make.