Stormy Night
Summary: What happens right after Buffy shuts the door in ‘Crush’ and what happens throughout that night.
“What part of the punching you in the face do you not understand?” Buffy asked as she took long struts towards her front door.
“So we had a fight. It’s not our first, love, and it doesn’t change anything.” Spike simply said.
Buffy stopped in her front lawn and turned and faced him angrily, “It changes everything, Spike! I want you out. I want you out of this town, I want you off this planet! You don’t come near me, my friends, or my family again ever! Understand?” she yelled and turned around and kept moving away.
Spike shook his head at her words in denial and continued to follow her up the stairs toward her front door, “No, it’s not that easy. We have something Buffy. It’s not pretty, but it’s real, and there’s nothing either one of us can do about it.”
Buffy opened her door and entered, standing by the threshold.
“Like it or not, I’m in your life, you can’t just shut me out.” Spike continued but he stopped suddenly at her front door when he found he couldn’t venture any further.
He examined the entrance and then looked back at Buffy’s face and saw the grim look she was giving him. She took a step back and then shut the door in his face.
*~*~*~*
Buffy leaned against the door for a few moments, recapping on her night’s events. She closed her eyes and let out a small whine. “Everything is so screwed up.” She mumbled to herself and ran her hand across her face.
“Buffy, is that you?” the call from Joyce in the kitchen caught Buffy’s attention.
She started to walk down the hallway and saw Willow and Joyce standing near the kitchen counter enjoying a cup of coffee.
“How’d it go?” Willow asked and gave her a sympathetic look.
Buffy just shook her head in disbelieve and turned back around without a word and ventured up the stairs to her room.
Joyce and Willow shared a glance with one another.
*~*~*~*~
Buffy walked into her room and found Dawn sitting on her bed waiting for her.
”Leave…I’m not in the mood.” Buffy said as she took off her coat and hung it up.
“Did you stake him?” Dawn asked in concern.
“No. Now go.” Buffy said more sternly. This time Dawn took orders without question and walked out of her room and into the hallway.
Just as Dawn retreated out, Joyce walked into Buffy’s room.
“Buffy?” her voice was soft and concerned.
”Mom, can we not talk about this? I’m already embarrassed and tired and—“ Buffy was about to let her mouth start to get into the ‘Spike bashing’ but Joyce cut her off.
”Spike’s standing outside on our front lawn.” She mumbled.
Buffy blinked at Joyce’s comment and then slowly walked over toward the window, as if afraid to see if he really was standing outside. She moved the curtain a few inches away and took in the view.
Spike was standing in the wide-open yard and looking up into Buffy’s window, looking as if he had no intention on moving the entire night. Their eyes met one another and didn’t lose contact.
“What are you going to do?” Joyce asked as Buffy continued to look out the window.
“Nothing…” Buffy mumbled and stared a few more minutes at Spike and then turned away.
*~*~*~*~
Even though Buffy was nicely tucked under her covers and in the most comfortable position in her bed, she could not let her eyes drift shut. Her eyes were focused on the shadows that appeared on the ceiling that danced from the moonlight coming from her bedroom window.
’I know he’s still out there.’ Buffy thought to herself. ‘He’s out there, standing and not bugging from his spot till I come out and talk to him.’ She glanced at the clock on her nightstand and read quarter till three in the morning. ‘Two hours till the sunrise’ Buffy thought with a sigh.
A gust of wind came out of no where and rattled Buffy’s window hard. Then a few moments later the sound of thunder was heard in the distance.
Buffy sat up straight in her bed, startled by the active weather taking place outside her home. She stared at the window and saw raindrops start to trickle down the glass.
*~*~*~*~*~
Downstairs in the kitchen Joyce was stirring her coffee with a small spoon and a frown on her face. A few seconds later Willow walked in from looking out the window in the living room.
”He’s still out there?” Joyce asked Willow.
Willow nodded and leaned against the doorframe.
”This is crazy…” Willow mumbled and shook her head. “I don’t understand why he’s just standing out there in the rain…soaking.”
”Maybe…to prove a point to Buffy.” Joyce said as she stared into her coffee cup.
“The point being?” Willow asked with a raise of the eyebrow.
”That nothing is going to stop him.” Joyce explained and looked up and met Willow’s eyes.
They stood in silence for a few minutes until they heard the front door open. Joyce and Willow shared look with one another and then took off to see what was going on. However, once they got in site of the front door they stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Buffy in her pajamas at the door entrance and Spike standing across the other side of the threshold.
He was soaked head to toe. His hair was all messy and raindrops still dropped from the tip of his nose and cheeks. When a flash of lighting lit up the sky behind him he didn’t blink an eye. He just stared at Buffy, waiting for…something.
Buffy’s eyes traveled up from his wet leather jacket to his drenched face and hair. She frowned a little bit, feeling a little bad for him.
“You’re soaked…” Buffy whispered, stating the obvious.
“It’s not bad…” Spike whispered back with a shrug, but still not taking his eyes off her.
“Are you cold?” Buffy asked.
”Vampire, luv…always cold…but…I guess you can say I’m a bit nippy more than usual.” Spike said.
“Well…you can throw your things in the dryer and I can get you a towel.” Buffy said as she bowed her head down in embarrassment.
“Is that an invitation?” Spike tilted his head to the side, trying to see her hidden face expression.
Buffy looked up at him and nodded a little, “I invite you in.” she whispered.
Spike gave a little smile and was about to pass the threshold when she heard her speak again, “And…I’m sorry.”
”Me too…for…everything.” Spike said.
“Guess we’re even.” Buffy commented quietly and reached out and took his hand across the doorway.
Spike glance down at their joined fingers and then back up at her face and smiled.
