[Reviews - 39]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 1802 times

- Text Size +




Author's Chapter Notes:
This chapter does deal with some of the aftermath of 'The Pack'. I felt it needed to be dealt with and since the show didn't, I stepped in.
Joyce was almost completely hidden by the mound of flowers she held in her hands as Giles stepped forward to rap two consecutive knocks on the heavy hospital room door. While Willow stood next to Joyce with her own, albeit smaller, set of flowers, Xander hung back from the group still brooding over the fact that a monstrous vampire was allowed in Buffy’s room alone with her.

The door inched open and one blue eye could be seen before it was opened the rest of the way to reveal the leather- clad vampire. He quietly ushered Joyce and Giles into the room before glaring at the teens.

“They don’t come in.” He stated plainly as he pointed at the redhead and brunette boy. He paused another moment before tugging Willow inside. “ I like Red. The whelp doesn’t come near the slayer. ‘eard what ‘e tried to do to ‘er and frankly ‘e’s bloody well lucky I don’t rip out ‘is throat.” He glared one last time before shutting the door, turning and smiling at the ‘approved’ Scooby’s.

“Spike, Xander knows the rules and he’s agreed to them. Let him back in William.” Joyce turned on her patented ‘mom’ glare at the sulking vampire.

“But ‘e tried to rape ‘er! Not gonna let that boy within twenty feet ‘f my girl.” He knew it was un-manly for a master vampire to whine but certain circumstances called for it and he would be damn sure the whelp never close to his girl again. The confidences Buffy had placed on him earlier still weighed as he’d taken account of everything the young girl had gone through in her short life and he’d vowed to make it that much easier as long as she would have him around, claim or no claim.

“He what?” Joyce paused after she’d placed the flowers on a nearby table and glanced between her daughter and Giles. “Did you know about this?” Her face a mixture of shock and dread as she took account of yet another event she had never been informed of, especially one of that magnitude.

Giles shuffled for a moment before taking his glasses off and cleaning them. “There was a spell, possession really, involved and Xander assures me that he doesn’t remember anything that happened. I wasn’t aware that there were still ill feelings from Buffy’s perspective.”

“Spike, just let Xander in. He’s just going to freak out more if you don’t.” She cringed as she heard the loud protests coming from her friend outside of the door. “I can handle myself around him.” Buffy shifted slightly on the bed as she motioned for the rest to take seats, carefully saving the one closest to her for Spike.

“Buffy, if he tried to…“ Joyce paused to clear her throat and her mind but all she could think of was wringing Xander’s throat. After all the times she’d invited him into her house, fed him and kept him safe this was how he repaid her for her generosity. “If he tried to… Buffy, you don’t have to let him in. I don’t care if he was under the Pope’s instructions, he never should have done or tried to do that.” Joyce slipped her hand over her daughter’s and silently vowed to have a long talk with the brunette boy when they left. “We could…we could press charges against him, make it right again.”

“No. Just don’t. I can’t deal with that right now on top of everything besides it was awhile ago and I don’t know for sure that he even remembers. Spike, just let him in, ok? No vamping either.” She nodded again at the reluctant vamp.

He took an unneeded breath before swinging the door open to reveal a very red-faced Xander.

“Buffy, did you see what he did? You have to stake him already. He’s a murderer, a cold-blooded murder…”

“As opposed to an attempted rapist?” Joyce turned her gaze on the blinking boy as she spat the words out in disgust. “Spike may not have a soul but you do and I have to say you have some nerve showing up around my daughter after what you tried to do. And you’re damn well lucky that she doesn’t want to press charges against you.” She shook her head at the boy. “I thought you were better than that Xander.”

“W-what are you talking about?” Xander’s faced flushed as his eyes darted around the room, unwilling to make eye contact with the people inside.

“They’re talking about the day you decided to add attempt rape to your credit.” Buffy scowled from across the room as Willow took her other hand and Spike wiggled his way onto the bed next to her, forgoing the chair.

“B-but I was under hyena influence…I-I don’t remember what happened.” Xander continued to blink innocent with his big brown puppy dog eyes as he shifted in place. “Tell them Giles, tell them that I don’t remember what happened with Buffy.”

“Xander, as I told you before I have never heard of a possession erasing memories and I’m even less inclined to believe it now. I will say in your defense that you were acting on primal instincts which were conflicting already with raging teen hormones but that does not excuse your behavior. You should be thankful Buffy had the skill and strength to thwart your attack.” Giles shook his head before taking an empty seat next to Joyce as he continued to stare at the boy.

“B-but Buffy, remember I’m your bestest best friend…I would never try to do that if I were in my right mind…you have to believe me.” He visibly shook under their gaze as his eyes darted around the room, fists balling as he locked eyes with the reason he was explaining himself out of this problem. The blonde vampire only glanced at him with undisguised disgust before wrapping his arm around Buffy’s shoulders and kissing her head.

“I do believe you Xander,” He breathed a sigh of relief before she continued, “But I can’t be around you right now. Not with what just happened. It brought up a lot of old feelings. You could have come to me Xander and told me that you remembered what had happened…I would have forgiven you but right now, I need time. I still love you Xander, not in the way that you always wanted but as a friend and I’m hoping that after this we can still be friends. Can we do that?” Tears slid from her hazel eyes as she took in her friend’s shaking form.

His shoulders stooped as he hung his head in shame and disgust. His eyes flashed once they were low enough for the others not to notice. “Y-yeah we can do that. I-I’ll just go now but we can talk later?”

“We can do that.” Buffy took one last momentary look as Xander exited the room with his head low. “So prezzies?” She blinked back tears as Spike hid his face in her hair, chuckling.





You must login (register) to review.