“Eventually you will come to understand that love heals everything, and love is all there is.”
~ Gary Zukay
Buffy barely stirred as Spike carefully took off her dress and laid it across the chair in the room. It was covered in blood and badly ripped now. He looked down at Buffy who was naked and covered in bruises, looking horrible. He gently cupped her face then pulled back to undress and climb into bed with her.
This was not how he imagined this time together. He wanted it to be fun and exciting and a chance to really enjoy each other’s company. Not for Buffy to be beaten to a pulp and then having to be bailed out by Oz.
He could have lost Buffy tonight if it weren’t for the smell of her blood echoing through the building and reaching his nose. He fought the tears that were threatening to fall from his eyes and gently moved next to her to wrap his arms around her, careful of her bruised rips and bruises. He gently kissed the spot next to her hair where she had been cut and sighed. He had never been so scared in his life for anyone else other than her. He knew in that moment that he was as sure as ever that he wanted to spend forever with her. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Spike awoke to Buffy’s cell phone ringing. He frowned noticing it was barely charged but answered it with a rough, “Hello?”
Willow’s voice echoed through the phone, “Um Spike?”
Spike replied, “Yeah it’s me, Red?”
Willow sounded so confused as she asked, “How? I didn’t do anything this time. Buffy did magic? She doesn’t have that kind of power. How?”
Spike sighed and looked at his sleeping Buffy. He listened to her heartbeat that was still slow and stead as he replied, “Anya came back as a vengeance demon and Buffy’s wish was for me so poof there I was thrown into her room on the floor with a pounding headache that thankfully went away.”
Willow stated with the shock showing in her voice, “Wow” and was really quiet for a few minutes so Spike asked, “Red?”
She replied seeming more in control, “Oh right I called for Buffy. Is she there?”
Spike sighed, “I almost lost her tonight Red. She was jumped in a demon bar in the bathroom. I smelt her blood and came running and she was all beat up and bleeding badly. There were 3 against one and of course when I took off to the bathroom their mates followed me so then the fight was 6 against one. It was bad. Then…Oh. I was supposed to let Buffy tell you about him.”
He had forgotten they were immortal being so worked up in the moment. Willow questioned sounding very curious, “About who Spike?”
Spike sighed and run a hand through his hair being speaking, “Well we were saved by a chair held by the wolf boy. “
Willow whispered in shock, “You were saved by Oz? Oz is in Ohio?”
Spike shook his head then stopped looking down at Buffy, “Nah we aren’t in Ohio. We are in Vegas for Anya and Xander’s wedding. The two are hitched and happy as can be as far as I know. Considering they are a floor up and I imagine we would have heard if they weren’t in heaven right now.”
Willow asked quietly, “So how is Oz?”
Spike shrugged before giving in to talking about something that was supposed to be Buffy’s job, “He seems good. He seems lonely though. He asked about you and Buffy told him about Kennedy but said you weren’t happy. Aren’t you happy Red?”
Willow frowned and said admitted, “No I’m not really happy. That’s why I’m calling Buffy actually. Kennedy and I broke up I think. She wants forever, I just don’t have the same feelings for her that she has for me. I’ve only loved two people in my life, Oz and Tara and when Tara died, a part of me died and the other part of me has never been able to be touched since. Kennedy just deserved better than that.”
Spike was tempted to say that should be up to Kennedy but Willow continued, “I told her I couldn’t love her the way she loved me so she picked up her stuff and left. I’m not sure where she went but it’s been a few days and I haven’t heard from her so I was hoping I could go to Ohio and pick up with Buffy. So I called Faith and she gave me this number saying she could be reached there. So um…here I am.”
Spike felt Buffy stir next to him and whispered in her ear forgetting he still had the phone to his ear, “Morning Cutie, how do you feel? Oz gave me more drugs for you.”
Buffy whispered in a soft voice, “Drugs would be nice. I’m sorry to ruin our first real date night together.”
Spike hugged her close, “I’m just glad you’re safe.”
Buffy nodded and gestured towards the phone still in his hand, “Um Spike? Who’s on the phone?”
Spike chuckled a little realizing he had forgotten about it, “Oh right, here, talk to Willow.”
He got up to turn the television on in the other room of the hotel and enjoyed the sun seeping through the windows. He had pulled on a pair of pants just so he wasn’t sitting in front of an opened window naked.
Buffy groaned as she closed her eyes and came to sit on his lap with just his shirt on. She frowned, “My dress is ruined. Willow’s due in another minute to pop in. Do you need your shirt or are you ok in just your pants?
Spike shrugged, “Another teleporting person?”
Buffy nodded, “She started that right after you died. The Scooby gang was far apart and she couldn’t bear it so she started biweekly visits to everyone. Once people were settled into their life, Kennedy complained about Willow never being around so Willow stopped.”
Spike nodded and there was a flash of red and black light and Willow stepped into the room. She looked at Buffy on Spike’s lap, “I’m not interrupting anything am I?”
Buffy tried to stand up and groaned in pain as Spike frowned, “Honestly Red, I couldn’t touch her hurt like this if I wanted to.”
Willow went and sat in front of Buffy, “Want some healing girl? You should have said something on the phone. I would have recharged but I should still have enough to at least lessen the pain for you when you move.”
Buffy nodded and Spike helped her to sit down opposite of Willow and held her hands. Buffy felt the power rush through her as some of her pain lessened.
Spike yelled, “What the Hell do you girls think you are doing? Red I thought you stopped using so much Magic? Buffy can heal. I’ll make sure she’s well cared for. She doesn’t need some spell to make her ‘better’.”
Willow didn’t stop but turned to Spike and said gently, “I’m not using any spells. Buffy is part of the ground since she has the slayer power in her. I’m using the earth’s power to help her heal a tiny bit faster. It could even be used on you if you ever get that bad but it’s taxing.”
Spike frowned still not liking it but waved it off as he went and sat back in the chair behind Buffy splitting his legs so that she could rest between them comfortably still. The room was quiet except for the gentle hum of the power in the air and then Willow stopped, releasing Buffy’s hands.
She frowned, “I really need to save the rest that I have to get back eventually.” Buffy nodded but was feeling better. Her ribs were still sore but the bruising was almost gone.
Spike pulled Buffy into the corner of the room and blocked Willow’s view from her as he lifted her shirt to see exactly what Willow had done to his Buffy. The bruising was almost gone, and her ribs looked a little bit healed. He lowered the shirt and turned her around to check the backside of her. The bruising there was almost gone too.
He frowned at her head though as that still looked bad. Spike placed a kiss on her head and whispered to Willow, “Thank you. Sorry I was giving you such a hard time about it.”
Buffy whispered, “I’m hungry.”
Spike chuckled, “That’s a good thing pet.”
He turned to Willow, “You up for breakfast at a restaurant?”
Willow grinned, “You bet ya. I always get hungry after energy draining. I’ll stay here and you two go get dressed.”
Buffy turned to Willow and decided to start the ball moving, “Want me to call Oz and invite him?”
Willow looked hesitant then whispered so softly that Buffy had to strain to hear her, “Could you?”
Buffy smiled and gave a quick nod, “Of course. I’ll have Spike do it though.”
Willow nodded and Buffy went into the back room to find some clothes.