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Three

Burnt

The next morning Buffy sat at the kitchen table and began to sort through the mail. Tara and Willow had left and so had Dawn, Spike was asleep now that it was daylight and so she figured she may as well get it done. Three bills, a bunch of junk and two letters, one addressed to her and one addressed to Willow.

Curious, she slid her finger across the glued seal and pulled the paper out, unfolded it, and slowly began to read. As she did, a flood of emotion filled her to a point where she didn’t want to believe what was on the paper.

Miss Summers,

My name is Helen Adams Summers, and I am your father’s wife. This letter is very difficult for me to write, I don’t know you and I know you probably haven’t heard of me. Yesterday, the 26th, your father was killed in a horrible accident. I do have his Will and he’s left you and your sister Dawn $15,000 each.

You probably are upset with him for having remarried, as I understand your mother still hasn’t. But please understand that I am not your enemy. We have two twin boys, four years old and they want to meet their half sisters. Please consider it.

Your father also left your mother his Porsche, you know how he loved that car, and he wanted your mother to have something of him. Please let her know about all of this so she can break it to Dawn.

Don’t be a stranger

Helen Summers. (555-8972) Funeral Thursday at Sixth Yard’s Cemetery, Row 18, Plot 20





Sickened she backed away from the table, clutching herself in the chair as hot tears of memory and anger flowed down her cheeks. She jumped when a hand reached out from behind her and lifted the letter, held it as the person read it.

Buffy stood and moved to the windows, pulled all of the shades down so Spike didn’t have to wear the blanket anymore. He finished reading and turned and looked at her. “Are you going?”

She shrugged. “If- if Dawn wants to go.”

He sighed and moved to her, hugged her for a while then spoke. “You should call this woman, let her know about your mom and stuff.”

She sighed too. “Yeah, I guess I should. You’re up... really early.”

He sighed. “Woke up and got a bit restless. Hope it’s ok.”

She laughed. “Of course! You live here now bud, like it or not. I’m going to set Mom’s TV and VCR up down there, get the old bed set up, make it more cozy. Maybe a chair and some books if you want.”

He smiled. “You don’t have to.”

She shook her head, smiling and went to the counter. “Coffee?”

“What kind?”

“Regular.”

“Hit me.” He got a cup from the cupboard and sat down. She got the pot and went to him, poured it, more aware of his look than he thought. “What?”

He grinned. “I dunno, this just feels sort of... Homey, you know?”

She smiled and sat by him. “I guess, it’s kind of like playing house.” She paused to sip the hot drink. “So I guess that would make me the mommy, you the daddy, Dawn the baby, and Tara and Willow her Aunt and Uncle.”

He chuckled. “I always thought Dawn looked like my Mum.”

Buffy raised a brow. “Really?”

He shook his head. “No, just playing along.”

She chuckled and sighed. “Well, I guess I better call her before I don’t feel like it.”

“Want me to go back downstairs?”

“No, it’s all right. I might need you up here for if I break down.” She went to the cordless and picked it up, sat back down and dialed the number on the letter. A soft, broken voice answered.

“Hello?”

“Uh, hi, I need to speak with Helen Summers.” Buffy replied softly.

“This is her.”

“Hi Helen, this is Buffy Summers, from Sunnydale.”

“Oh Buffy! You’re Hank's eldest daughter, right?”

“Uh, yes I am. The reason I’m calling is to let you know that, well my Mom died back in 2001, I’m surprised Dad didn’t know.”

“Oh I’m... I’m so sorry to hear that. . .”

Buffy sighed. “It’s ok. Look, I um, I’m sorry about Dad, I’m not sure if Dawn and I will be coming, I just got your letter today and she’s in school so uh, yeah. How are the boys taking it?”

“Well they miss him, but they’re still little, hardly understand. Listen I have a lot of things to do before tomorrow, thanks for calling, I’ll be sure to talk to the lawyer about the Porsche.”

“Oh, uh, ok. Bye.” She hung up and set the phone on the table, with a deep sigh she sat back against the chair and groaned. “This is going to be one hell of a month.”

He laughed. “Oh but I’m sure the slayer can handle it. You’re tough Buffy, I’ve no worries about you.”

She smiled sheepishly. “I’m not as tough as I look.” she sighed. “I may be able to kick demonic ass but when it comes to emotions, I’m a bowl of mush.”

He raised a brow and shook his head. He didn’t say anything, had nothing to say, and she didn’t blame him. What could he say? She shook her head and stood. “I’m gonna go change, all the shades are down, feel free to move around.”


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Buffy bit her lip as she gazed at the clock, seeing Dawn would be coming in any minute now. She was at the Magic Box, where Dawn went after school, and she was waiting for her little sister to tell her the bad news. The others knew, she’d told them earlier, and they were all silent and desolate, so she knew Dawn would know something was going on the minute she walked in. Spike of course was at home, as it was daylight, he’d found a copy of ‘Interview With the Vampire’ and he’d popped it into the VCR, mumbling about how off Anne Rice was.

Just as she planned to sit down the door opened and Dawn came in, smiling. “Hey everyone what’s...”she froze as she saw the grim, unpleasant expressions of her sister and friends. “What?”

Buffy sighed deeply. “Dawn, can I see you in the back?”

Warily her sister followed her and Buffy had her sit with her on one of the rest benches Giles had for practice. “Look, you know I love you right?”

“Yeah.” Dawn said softly, beginning to be creeped out.

“And you know I would never want to hurt you?”

“Buffy what’s going on?”

Buffy sighed and met her younger sister’s gaze. “Dawn Dad died a couple days ago. He was in a car accident. His wife wrote to me.”

“Wait a minute, wife?” Dawn said.

“Yeah, her name is Helen, I spoke to her on the phone too. His funeral is tomorrow if you want to go.”

A tear coursed down the fifteen-year-old’s cheek. “So we’re parentless? We haven’t got anyone now?”

“We have each other.” Buffy said slowly. “Dawn look, Hank Summers wasn’t exactly the ideal father. I know you loved him, I did too, but you have to admit, there was never anything really special there.”

“So this doesn’t bother you?”

“Of course it does, I could hardly think when I read that letter. Mostly since he left us so much, he even left Mom the Porsche.”

“But Mom’s...”

“He didn’t know, Dawn.” She interrupted quickly so she wouldn’t have to hear those hateful words. “He’s left us each $15,000. So we’ll be ok with money. We have each other and so many friends that are more like family.” Dawn nodded and sniffled, wiped her tears away. Buffy grinned. “Know what’s good for making you feel better?”

“What?” Dawn looked at her.

“A nice cuddle.” Buffy wrapped her arms around the smaller brunette and Dawn laughed. “Look, Dad’s in a better place, believe me. When they say heaven’s worth waiting for, they aren’t kidding.”

Dawn nodded slowly. “Buffy?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you’re back.”


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Rain poured down on the small gathering in black, a pastor spoke words that no one understood and three women and two little boys stared at the black, flower covered casket that sat above it’s grave. The ink on cards from the little boys was smudged, but legible, and one of the women, a fair blonde used no umbrella, let the rain beat down on her head. Her fine, straight hair clung to her cheeks in wisps, and her sad eyes stared at the ground, unaware of anything as she went deeper into thought.

A younger woman, darker hair and a slight resemblance to the blonde stood under a black umbrella with the other woman, much older than her. Tears eased down both’s cheeks every so often, and the younger woman looked up as a figure approached, and nodded at his pat on her shoulder, and then he moved to the blonde, taking her under the refuge of his own umbrella and into his arms. She looked at him, startled then smiled and nodded her thanks, leaning her head against his chest.

Spike watched her as she went back into thought, staring at the muddy turf, her dark eyes lost. It pained him to see her withdrawing into herself again, and he wished desperately that he could somehow bring her back. The bandaging on her throat was gone now, the wound from the vampire healing slowly, it would scar, but would be easy to cover up with clothing and makeup. It was an ugly reminder to him on how she had been, and she had been so much better for the past week, and here she was, staring into space, hiding once again.

He rested his cheek in her soaked hair, relishing in her scent. She sighed and slipped an arm around his waist on one side, then the other so that she was buried in his chest, able to hide her sadness and anger from her sister, half brothers and stepmother. Helen had offered to take her and Dawn in, but Buffy had declined. They had all agreed Dawn could go spend every couple weeks with Helen and the boys, but she didn’t feel she could handle it. There would be too much Dad, a Dad she had resented since he had left her mother. And here he had gone off and replaced them, married another woman, had other children... She was surprised he had left them anything in the will.

She shifted slightly in the embrace to breathe easier. She had not asked Spike to come and yet he had. In daylight to top it all off! His umbrella had shielded him from the sun but she could see some small burns on his hands, showing he hadn’t completely avoided it. He’d risked his very existence just to comfort her today, and she wasn’t sure how she could thank him. She moved so she was in front of him, her back to his front and she leaned back to rest her head on his shoulder as his arms tightened around her. “Thanks Spike.” she whispered. “I don’t know how I would have made it without you.”

He smiled. “You wanna go home?”

She nodded and moved to Dawn, they hugged and Buffy left emergency contacts with Helen for if anything should happen and Buffy couldn’t be reached. Spike led her to his car, stolen, quite expensive with tinted windows. He had nabbed it off some old bit on the street, only after killing and drinking off them. It was a long, silent drive, full of awkward glances and unshed comments.

Once they got to the house it was dark, and so Spike didn’t need the umbrella. He went into the kitchen and got a glass of orange juice (she’d convinced him to drink as least booze as possible, better example for Dawn), began to drink it. She went into the bathroom, grabbed some burn treating cream and bandages and went into the kitchen, sat next to him and began to work on the burns. He was surprised but was helpful, stayed still for her. Just as she finished one hand Willow and Tara came from upstairs and exchanged looks, smirks. “Hey, how was the funeral.”

“Nice.” Buffy said softly, almost too shortly. She didn’t turn to look at her friends, emotion beginning to swell, seeing her expression Spike made a gesture for them to drop the subject. Both’s smiles vanished and looks of worry appeared. Again, he shook his head, moved his lips to say it was all right.

Buffy finished her work and sighed, throwing away some cotton swabs. “So, what do you guys wanna do for dinner?”

Willow shrugged. “Well, we can go out if you’d like.”

Tara nodded and Buffy shrugged carelessly. “Sounds like a plan, Spike?”

“Why not? C’mon, I’ll drive.” He stood and slipped into his coat as the women went to get theirs. He slid his hands into his pockets and felt his fingers brush some cold metal, and a memory hit him. It was a necklace, something he actually hadn’t stolen, and he wanted to give it to her in front of her friends. He went into the hall and ascended the stairs.


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“So... Buffy. What’s with you and Spike?”

Buffy looked at Tara and smiled. “He’s my friend.”

Willow grinned. “Yeah? I’m your friend and you don’t cuddle with me like that!”

Buffy couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s easier with him, he’s like... Well an angel, he gives comfort I cant describe.”

“So you love him?”

“I... Willow don’t do that.”

“But you must, if he gives you that comfort, there must be something....”

“It does make sense Buffy.” Tara added.

“Look, there is nothing ‘between’ me and Spike!” Buffy felt the heat in her cheeks leave as she gazed over her friends sad and surprised faces. They were watching something behind her...

She turned and gazed at Spike, he was hiding the pain, his face tight and somehow more pale than usual. He took a deep breath and in a thin, feeble voice asked them. “You girls ready?”

Willow and Tara nodded and walked out, leaving the two alone. He tried desperately not to go into hysterics or scream at her, instead he just murmured. “Nothing Buffy? Nothing? Is that really what you believe about us?”

“Spike we’re just friends...”

“Bull, Summers! Friends, they don’t feel like we do, friends are close but friends, they never feel electricity when they touch! They can’t derive the sort of comfort we take from each other! Why do you just lie to yourself?”

“I’m scared, ok? I’m afraid that if I let myself love you you’ll just run off and I’ll never see you again! I’m afraid that there’s no way we can be together and that if Dru shows up you won’t just go back to her!” Tears coursed down her cheeks.

He stared at her in awe. “Buffy you thi- - Oh God Buffy, I’d never do that! I may be dirt but stop me seconds aren’t my style! I love you! I’m not Angel, I’m nothing like him! I would never leave, dammit you mean too much! You’re life for me, a dead man! And God we’ll find a way, let’s not forget your best friends are witches!” He moved forward and pulled her to him, hugged her. “You’re all I have and I never want to lose you.”

She shivered and he gazed at her, saw the deepness of her eyes, he reached up and cupped her cheek and she fell into his embrace. “Give me a week, a week and if I don’t change by then promise me you’ll let go.”

He thought about this, he really didn’t want to agree, but he knew he couldn’t wait here an eternity just to be hurt, rejected. He nodded, their noses touching he whispered. “I promise, but only if you let me do a little convincing.”

She blinked, the spell of his voice and closeness broken. “Huh?”

He dipped and claimed her lips, pressing a hard, hungry kiss to them. He pulled her waist against him and she stood for a moment, shocked and enveloped in the heat of sensation but soon her arms were around him, imploring him to continue and he deepened the kiss, full of the taste and feel of her to a point where he thought he’d explode. When he opened his eyes and parted from her he saw that she’d managed to pin him between her and the wall and her fingers were wrapped in his short, bleached hair.

“We’d . . . We’d better get to the car. They’re waiting.” He mumbled against her mouth, she groaned and nodded, grabbed her coat and headed downstairs and out the door with him.


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Yeah, fluff again, but this one was deeper. R&R





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