Chapter Thirteen
Another Visitor
Angel drove Buffy to Rosedene house in the Viper that he’d stolen and hidden away before the big fight with Wolfram & Hart. The vampire-friendly glass in its windows made getting around in the daytime that much easier. He was just going to have to park the damn thing right outside of the front door so he could get inside quick enough to avoid bursting into flames. He glanced at Buffy. She’d been silent on the journey over. Both of them were nervous about what would greet them when they arrived.
It was a beautiful day and many patients were outside, some with their families and others with members of the medical staff.
“Christ, he’ll be hating this,” thought Angel and Buffy simultaneously.
Luckily for Angel the front of the house was in deep shade and by pulling close to the door he got inside without so much as a wisp of smoke. They checked in at reception and waited to be taken into Moira Stephenson’s office. Neither could sit down, both preferring to stand, with Buffy pacing restlessly.
“Buffy, hello again,” said Moira as she approached them, “And this must be Mr. Angel, Spike’s friend and benefactor.”
“Just call me Angel,” he said, extending his hand to her, “I’m not big into titles. I’m hoping that I can see Spike today.”
“I will check with him that he wants to see you, as he didn’t appreciate a surprise visitor last time, did he?” she smiled kindly at Buffy to reassure her that no grudges were being held, whilst shaking Angel’s hand.
Buffy nodded, “Good idea.”
“I saw him go out into the garden with Brad so I’ll get someone to show you to his room and then they’ll check with him and see what he wants to do. While you’re doing that Buffy and I can get everything arranged in my office,” said Moira. She turned to the receptionist, “Pamela, can you please ask Carol to show Angel to Spike’s room and then check with him to see if he wants to see him? If the answer is no, please ask her to let Angel know.”
“Thank you. Just make sure that he gets anything that he needs or wants. Money is not an issue,” said Angel, offering his hand once more, “It’s been a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Moira was glad that she didn’t blush easily as the intensity of the tall man’s gaze made her tingle. He was almost the total opposite of Spike, tall, dark and broad whereas Spike was shorter, more leanly built and well…peroxide blond, but both men were stunning in their own way.
Carol appeared and led Angel away and Buffy and Moira made their way to the office.
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Spike had taken over propelling himself for a while and Brad had let him have his way because it obviously meant a lot to Spike’s self-esteem. He was walking alongside the wheelchair, neither man talking. Brad knew by now that Spike hated it when people constantly babbled at him for no reason. Brad suddenly realised that Spike had stopped. He glanced back and saw that he was staring at a car coming up the driveway. Spike was rigid, his already pale face ashen.
“So Granddaddy’s back,” whispered Spike, his gaze following the car’s progress until it went out of sight behind the shrubs near the front of the house.
“Spike, are you okay?” asked Brad, “What did you say?”
“Um, what? Oh.” He glanced in the direction where he’d last seen the car. “Um…it’s Angel.”
“About time, too,” thought Brad, remembering how Spike had said that he hadn’t really seen him since he’d regained consciousness.
“Do you want to see him?” asked Brad gently, “You don’t have to.”
“I dunno,” said Spike. His heart was racing. Why was the great poofter here? To see how he was getting on or to try to get him to see Buffy?
Carol walked over the lawn towards them.
“Hello, Spike, you’ve got a visitor. Do you want to see him? It’s Angel and I have shown him to your room but I can soon tell him no, if you’re not up to it.”
Spike hesitated, but the truth was he’d missed Angel.
“It’s okay, Carol. I’ll see him, thanks.” He glanced up at Brad who put his hands on the chair’s handles and began to push Spike back towards his room.
“I could bring him out here if you’d prefer?” said Carol, “It seems a shame to be inside on such a lovely day.”
“Thanks, Carol, but I reckon I’m ready for a bit of a rest when he’s gone so I’ll see him in my room.”
Spike let Brad push him until he was almost back to the door to his room. He put his hands onto the wheels and, without being told, Brad let go and walked beside Spike, who gave him a brief grateful smile and then took a deep breath and pushed his way into the room.
Angel was stood near to the bed and turned as they entered.
“Spike,” he said quietly.
“Angel.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” said Brad after a second or two, “I’ll see you later on, Spike, and don’t try to get out of the chair on your own, okay?”
“Yeah, thanks mate.” Spike knew he was being rude by not introducing them but he just wanted Brad to leave.
Vampire and former vampire stared at each other until the door closed behind Brad.
“Why are you here?”
“How are you doing?”
Both spoke at the same time. Spike inclined his head indicating that Angel was to go first.
“How are you doing?” he asked, wishing that he could think of something more eloquent but he’d never been the best with words. That was Spike’s speciality; he normally had more words than anybody wanted to hear.
Spike gaped at him. “Do you really want to know or are you just being polite?”
He wished Angel would sit down. He was too bloody tall next to him even when he could stand. He pushed the chair back a few feet so that he didn’t have to look up at him so sharply
“Of course I want to know, Spike,” said Angel quietly.
“Really? What, like you wanted to know how I was feeling about being operated on? Oh sorry, I forgot, you didn’t ask me ‘cause you weren’t soddin’ there, you git.”
“You know where I went. I went to see Buffy.”
“Couldn’t phone then? Christ, I know you’re old but phones have been around for years. I thought you’d’ve got the hang of them by now.”
“She kept hanging up on me,” said Angel.
Spike snorted. “That figures. Didn’t want to know, did she? Not until you dragged her back.” He managed to turn the chair around so that he had his back to Angel.
“That’s not…”
“Shut up!” shouted Spike. “I don’t want to know. I don’t want to talk about her so unless you’ve got anything else to say you can go now.”
Angel gritted his teeth. God, Spike could be infuriating. He counted to ten before he spoke.
“That’s okay, I won’t mention her at all. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you before the operation.”
“Or after it,” muttered Spike.
“Can we just sit down and talk?” asked Angel.
“It might have escaped your notice, but I already am sitting down,” said Spike bitterly.
He spun the chair around again to face Angel who walked over and sat on the couch.
“I think I’ll just shut up. I’m not going to end up saying anything that doesn’t piss you off.”
“Nothing new there then, Peaches,” said Spike, with a hint of a smile.
Angel glanced up at him, grateful for his more conciliatory tone. “Yeah, we’ve had our share of spats, haven’t we?”
“We have at that,” agreed Spike.
There was an awkward silence.
“Um, so has anything changed since the operation?”
Spike bit back an angry retort about how sitting in a wheelchair sort of answered that in the negative already. Peaches was trying.
“I can wriggle my toes, look.”
Angel glanced at Spike’s toes and then his face with such discomfort that Spike had to snicker.
“I can also piss again. Yay bonus!”
Angel looked like he was going to heave.
“Sorry Peaches,” said Spike, “They all seem to think that both are good signs but I’m…I’m not so sure.” He took a deep breath. “Got lots of shooting pains in my legs since the operation so that’s got to be better than feeling nothing, right?”
“Christ, Spike,” murmured Angel, the guilt at seeing his friend like that was almost unbearable.
“Yeah, well. At least I’ve got a good room, eh? Courtesy of your ill gotten gains, I reckon.”
“Courtesy of Wolfram & Hart. There’s millions, Spike. You’ll want for nothing.”
“What a stupid expression,” mused Spike, “Does anyone ever really want for nothing? Surely there’s always something that they can’t have?” He shook his head sharply.
“I saw that you’d nicked the Viper too, though I can understand why you didn’t let me know ‘cause that car is really mine.”
“You saw the Viper?” said Angel, worried that Spike had also seen Buffy.
“Yeah, just as you came down the drive. How did you get in without spontaneously combusting anyway?”
“The front of the house is in the shade,” replied Angel with relief. He hadn’t seen them get out of the car.
“Could’ve been a bit risky otherwise,” said Spike, “Why didn’t you come when it was dark? There’s no rules about visiting times.”
“Will do next time. I didn’t know that. I just thought that I’d have more chance of seeing you in the daytime. So what…er…therapy are you having?”
“Um, well…we’re starting on the legs tomorrow. Had to wait for a bit after the op but Brad, that’s who was here before, says that I’m doing well enough to start a bit sooner than expected.”
“That’s got to be good then,” said Angel.
“I don’t know but…” his voiced trailed away and he looked off, avoiding Angel’s eyes, “…I’m not sure that I can live like this.”
Angel closed his eyes praying that Spike wouldn’t ask him to turn him again. He opened them when Spike said nothing more. He got up and walked over to him, then put a hand on his shoulder. “You’ll be all right, Spike, I know it.” Then he bolted from the room.
“Yeah, Peaches, I’ll be just fine,” Spike said to the empty room.
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Moira and Buffy had discussed the terms of her stay in one of Rosedene’s cabins – basically absolutely no contact with Spike until he requested it. They planned to tell Spike that Buffy was staying on site in a few days time depending on how Spike seemed. It was decided that Angel would visit Spike each evening and they’d be able to gauge Spike’s emotions by his reaction to those visits. Moira knew that many patients pushed their loved ones away but really were desperate to be with them.
Moira walked with Buffy to the cabin. It was out of sight of the main house and Buffy was glad of having slayer strength to tap into as she carried her suitcase across with her.
“Thanks for letting me stay here, Moira,” said Buffy as she put her case down on the bed in the larger of the cabin’s two bedrooms.
“That’s all right. It’s going to be easier for you than staying in a hotel. The nearest one is four miles away. None of the cabins are being used at the moment so it’s not a problem at all. The telephone will connect you to our switchboard unless you dial 9 first. If you contact our kitchens you can have all of your meals delivered here. The menu is by the telephone,” said Moira, “Are you sure that you won’t get lonely staying here?”
“No, I’ll be fine. I’ll be seeing Angel every evening and hopefully it won’t be too long before Spike will allow me to see him again,” said Buffy, trying hard to keep her voice as positive as her words. She really wasn’t sure that Spike would ever want to see her again.
tbc
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BANNER BY DAWNOFMEAuthor's Chapter Notes:
thanks as ever to Carol for her beta work and to all the readers and reviewers!