Spike was vaguely aware of someone shaking him and calling his name, but stubbornly tried to ignore it. He was still half asleep, and wasn’t about to open his eyes if he didn’t have to, his head was throbbing enough as it was. Grunting, he rolled over on his side, and pulled the blanket Buffy had given him over his head. The shaking stopped, much to his relief, and he tried to go back to sleep. Unfortunately, someone else had other ideas.
Hannah pouted, but wasn’t about to give up. The first thing she’d spotted when she’d gotten downstairs this morning was Spike, asleep on the couch, and she wondered if her mom knew that he had shown up last night after all. She’d tried to wake him up, but he had just turned away from her and continued to sleep. Of course, she wouldn’t let him. If she would have to get up this early, so would he! She pulled the blanket away, cupped her hand around his ear, and yelled at the top of her lungs; “SPIKE!”
“Bloody hell!” Spike jumped up from the couch in panic, then noticed the little girl standing in front of him, a pleased expression on her face. He groaned. “Hannah! Why did you have to do that?”
The girl shrugged. “I was calling, but you didn’t hear me. It’s morning, you have to get up. Mommy says school starts in an hour.”
Spike sighed, leaning back down on the couch. “I don’t go to school.”
Hannah giggled. “I know that, silly! But it’s not fair that you get to sleep and I have to get up.”
Rolling his eyes, Spike sat up again. “I suppose you have a point there. But…”
“Mommy’s coming!” Hannah rushed over to greet Buffy, who’d just made her way downstairs. “Mommy! Mommy! Did you know Spike was here?”
Buffy looked from her daughter to Spike, an amused expression on her face. She smiled at the girl. “Yes, sweetie, Mommy knew that Spike was here. He came here last night, after you’d gone to sleep. We were… talking and it got kinda late, so we decided that he should stay here for the night.” She turned to Spike, looking at him for confirmation. “Right?” He nodded, still looking a bit shaken from the unwanted awakening.
A wide smile spread on the girl’s face. “See, Mommy, I told you Spike was coming! Are you guys in love now?” She was practically bouncing up and down, waiting for the answer.
Spike’s eyes widened comically, and Buffy blushed. “Hannah!” She realized that her voice was a little too shrill for her liking, and cleared her throat. “Why don’t you go to the kitchen and start setting the table? I’ll be right there, starting with the breakfast.”
Hannah’s smile disappeared. “I’m not hungry.”
Buffy gave her a firm look. “You have to eat something before school.” She looked at her watch, and sighed. “And we’re already late. Come on, honey, we have to hurry!”
But Hannah gave her a stubborn look. “I don’t wanna go!”
“Hannah…” Buffy closed her eyes for a moment, not wanting to start the morning with a fight. “You know you have to…”
“But I don’t feel very good, Mommy. I think I have a fever. And my stomach hurts.” Hannah pouted, trying her best to look as miserable as possible, but Buffy didn’t buy it.
“Forget it, Hannah, you’re going. I let you stay home the other day when we went to the zoo, remember? Besides, I have to go to work. Come on, off to the kitchen!”
Instead, Hannah turned to Spike, a pleading look on her face. “Can’t I stay with you today? Please? I’ll be ever so good!”
Spike opened his mouth to speak, but Buffy beat him to it. “No, Hannah. You’re going to school, and that’s it.”
“But why?!” Hannah stomped her foot, angrily. “He doesn’t have to work, why can’t I stay with him?”
“Hannah, that’s enough!” Buffy immediately regretted yelling at her daughter, and took a deep breath. When she spoke again, her voice was strained, but at least a bit calmer. “Not today, sweetie.”
“But I don’t want to go to school! The other kids are mean to me and I hate it there! And I hate you, too!” With that, Hannah burst into tears and ran back upstairs, leaving Buffy to stare after her in shock.
“She didn’t mean it, you know that, right?” Spike gave Buffy a look he hoped would be convincing, and pulled her into his arms. She sighed, snuggling closer into his embrace.
“Maybe not.” She pulled back a little, so she could look at him. “But that doesn’t change the fact that she’s very upset with me right now.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “I just don’t know what to do, Spike. She really doesn’t want to go to school, but she has to, right?” Spike was about to say something, but she went on; “Or maybe I should just let her stay home. I mean, I know how it’s gonna be, she knows it, and I know it. Sometimes I wish I could just go to school with her and make those little brats leave her alone.”
“I know.” Spike placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “But even if you’d let her stay home today, it won’t change anything. I mean, face it luv, you can’t protect her forever.”
“Why not?” Buffy glared at him for a moment, then lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry, I know you’re right. But it just kills me inside to see my baby getting hurt.”
“I understand, pet, I really do. But…” Spike stopped for a second, unsure of how to go on. “Don’t you rather wish she could just stand up for herself? Not letting those bloody kids get to her?”
Buffy let out a bitter laugh. “Of course I’d rather want that, but that’s not gonna happen. Hannah’s way too shy to ever talk back to anyone.” She frowned. “Anyone but me, that is.”
Spike couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sorry, luv, but I just don’t get it. I know I’ve only known her for a couple of days, but ‘shy’ would be the last word I’d use to describe her.”
Rolling her eyes, Buffy smiled a little. “I know, I don’t get it either. I’ve never seen her act so comfortable with someone she hardly knows before.”
“Yeah?” Spike got a warm feeling inside, touched by Buffy’s words. “Never?”
She had to smile when she saw how proud he looked. “Nope, but don’t let it get to your head.” Then she became serious. “I should go talk to her.”
“Can I…?” Spike hesitated. “Do you mind if I'd try talking to her?” Seeing the surprised look on her face, he suddenly felt stupid for asking. “Never mind, it was a bad idea. I’m sorry. This is between you and her, I shouldn’t....”
“No, that’s…” Buffy sighed. “It’s just that I feel bad as it is for putting you in the middle of this. I mean, last night was…” She blushed. “It was really nice. And thanks by the way, for not minding sleeping on the couch. I mean, if Hannah had woken up in the middle of the night and found the two of us in bed together… I just wanna be able to sit down and explain things to her first, I don’t want her to get the wrong idea.”
He nodded. “I understand.”
“Not that I didn’t want…” Buffy looked down at her feet, suddenly feeling embarrassed. “I really wanted you to sleep in my bed instead, but…”
Spike leaned over and kissed her, and she closed her eyes with a soft moan. When he pulled back she pouted, and he had to resist the urge to start nibbling on her bottom lip. Instead, he gave her a sexy grin. “Liked that, did you? Kitten wants to play?”
Buffy smiled, trying very hard not to jump him right there. “She does, but she can’t.” She giggled at the disappointed look on his face. “Hannah.”
“Oh, right.”
She gave him a thoughtful look. “You really wanna go talk to her?”
Spike nodded. “Sure. If that’s okay with you, that is.”
“Yeah, go ahead.” He nodded again and started towards the stairs. “Wait!”
He stopped, frowning. “What?”
Hurrying over to him, Buffy wrapped her arms around him and stole one more, long kiss. Finally she let him go, smiling sweetly. “Okay, you can go now.”
TBC
Saving You by Pet
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