Buffy used the elevator to go up to Angel’s waiting room.
He had made sure to shower every carefully and change his clothes before asking for Spike to ensure he wouldn’t catch her scent.
Buffy walked into the waiting room and got an overpowering since of Spike. She sat down in the cry not even telling Angel she was there as she sat down and cried. She smelled his cigarette smell and the scent of leather and she knew none of these existed but she smelt it so strong.
She decided to change her mind and just went back down using the elevator. Angel who sat at his desk never even noticed Buffy had been there nor heard her tears as he was too caught up in his latest instructions from the Senior Partners.
Buffy ran into her room and flung herself on her bed. She could almost swear she could feel Spike’s presence as she rubbed her scar and closed her eyes rolling onto her back feeling as though she were laying on a gentle moving plane and felt Spike pulled her against him and kiss her tears away and then wrap his arms around her whispering, “Good night sweet girl. You’re safe, I have you.” She could smell the familiar scent smell of leather and tobacco and the added bonus of hearing Spike’s voice comforted her so she fell right to sleep.
Spike yawned and stretched out in the plane. This bloody plane was becoming his new home and he didn’t like it.
He was tired of Angel’s wild goose chases and decided if this one didn’t pan out to be real, he was going to do some serious ass kicking when he got home. He really didn’t mind missions as long as they had a purpose. Lately these had not.
He grabbed a blanket then sighed remembering covering Buffy up for the night with her and always making sure she was warm since he knew he couldn’t keep her warm. He closed his eyes feeling an unwelcoming amount of sadness. He rubbed his scar for comfort and he was half way in the dream state when he felt as though he was back in that white walled room with red silk sheets. He heard soft crying which reminded him of Buffy’s tears. He felt his lips brush against her tears as he kissed them away and smelled vanilla and strawberries as he pulled her close and whispered, “Good night sweet girl. You’re safe. I have you.” He could almost hear her sigh as she slept into sleep and soon her followed comforted by the smell of vanilla and strawberry.
Buffy awoke and sighed realizing she lived for yet another day. She rolled out of bed hearing repetitive pounding on her door.
She opened it to find Harmony. Harmony said, “I brought you some breakfast. I hope you don’t mind. Fred’s busy today and Angel’s in a meeting for another hour. He said you can eat up and he’ll call you for you in an hour. Do you mind if I ask you a question Buffy?”
Buffy shrugged and said, “Come in Harmony,” figuring if she decided to eat her, at least life would be over.
She sipped her juice as she spread cream cheese on the bagel she had no intention to eat but wanted to appear as though she was too busy to eat. She didn’t want Harmony butting in and making trouble.
Harmony said, “I heard rumors that you and Spike were involved at the end….did you love him?”
Buffy looked a little shocked by her question and her statement. She was involved with Spike at the end. She did love him.
She replied, “Did Angel tell you to ask me?”
Harmony shook her head saying, “Actually we aren’t allowed to say Spike’s name in his building for fear of dying a horrible bloody death.”
Buffy giggled thinking that sounded so much like Angel it wasn’t funny so she shrugged.
Harmony said, “You just look like someone killed your best friend.”
Buffy said softly, “Someone did.”
Harmony frowned saying, “so you loved Spike?”
Buffy sighed and before she realized what she was saying, “Yea I love him. I couldn’t help it. It doesn’t mean I love Angel any less, just differently I guess. Angel was my childhood love, my knight in shining armor. Spike is my grown up love. We went through a lot together and grew really close. He was my best friend.”
Harmony nodded saying, “So that’s why you look ill, because of Spike.”
Buffy nodded but didn’t say a word. Harmony was a ditz but sometimes she was pretty darn smart.
Harmony said, “I don’t think I ever really loved Spike but he was pretty sexy.”
Buffy slightly smiled at Harmony.
Harmony stood up saying, “I’d better go back to answering the phones.”
She disappeared from sight before Buffy could realize the troubled look in her eyes. She did care about Spike but wanted Spike happy. Spike loved Buffy and Buffy loved Spike so if that’s the case, why didn’t he just go to her in the first place? Harmony shook her head determined to focus on her job thinking love was just too complicated for her little head.
Spike touched down in Egypt. It was nighttime in Egypt so Spike was able to step off the plane in style. The whole smoking blanket tended to cramp his style so thank some power for time differences.
He had a map Angel had given him along with directions and transportation arrangements. He looked up to see his ‘transportation’ in front of him.
He groaned thinking Angel was a definite poofer this time. Before him stood 3 men on camels and an extra camel which he presumed was for him.
He grumbled as one of the three wise men jumped down from the camel saying, “We need to travel today to get there by sunrise so we can get you to shelter. Sitting in the middle of a desert gets really sunny. It is a good night for camel traveling.”
Spike rolled his eyes but got up on the bloody camel imagining how when he got back to L.A. he could rip out Angel’s dead heart and sell it on the black market. He was on a bleeding camel looking lost treasure. His camel started to walk and he could swear he could feel the steam rolling off him as he realized he had a full night’s travel to make on this bloody thing.
Harmony walked into Angel’s office saying, “You know boss, I usually stay out of romantic affairs around here.”
Angel spoke grimly, “Well I hope that continues Harmony. I appreciate not hearing the gossip about office romances.”
Harmony looked at her feet and said, “I think Spike should meet up with Buffy.”
Angel’s head snapped up at Harmony’s statement and he said, “WHAT??”
Harmony sighed and took a step back saying, “Well…Spike really loves her just thinks he’s not good enough and it’s really your fault he feels that way. Buffy seems mopey and unhappy and did you ever ask her why?”
Angel shook his head still not liking Harmony’s statement from before. Harmony continued taking a step back closer to the door, “Well I think Buffy misses Spike. She might even love him.”
Angel stood up and paced, “No she is just unhappy because her life changed. Buffy never did like changes in her life. She’s like a sort of puppy who follows the same path everyday, well that’s bad.”
Angel clears his throat to try again, “Like some sort of car that follows the road in front of them and when they come to a fork and they have to change lanes, they hesitate not knowing which way to go. Buffy’s like that. She’s at a fork in the road, she has friends in every state and town. She herself isn’t needed in the same place so I’m hoping she will stay here with me.”
Harmony looked at Angel cocking her head to the say saying, “Boss, Spike works here. How can you possibly hope to keep her here and Spike here at the same time? Aren’t you sending him away to keep them from meeting?”
Angel rolled his eyes saying, “I’m keeping them apart so Buffy doesn’t get so annoyed on her first few weeks here that she jumps ship. You know how much Spike annoys her. Hell he annoys everyone. I’m just trying to make her want to stay before I break the news Spike is here to annoy her.”
Harmony was tempted to believe it but she knew better but decided to say nothing.
Angel said, “Shouldn’t you be answering phones or something? Why don’t you be useful and get Buffy up here.”
Harmony took the empty mug off his desk and exited the room thinking that was a total waste of her time.