[Reviews - 108]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 2121 times

- Text Size +




Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks for everybody who's been reading and/or commenting.
As soon as the Bonneville door slammed shut, Buffy rounded on Spike.

“What did you say to him?”

“Nothing, why are you taking his side when I’m the one whose bloody face is, well, bloody,” Spike said. He reached across Buffy’s knees and opened the glove box. Spike stirred through it and pulled out a packet of tissues. He yanked a few out and mopped at his injury.

“I’m not taking his side, just tell me what happened,” Buffy said, touching the darkening circle around his eye. Spike leaned into her hand; he was going to have twin bruises in the morning.

“He threatened me, he busted my nose. Happily, he doesn’t hit half so hard as Dru. Then I came back with a witty retort that made me sound all manly whilst I ruined his carpet with my precious bodily fluids,” Spike said.

“Spike—“

Buffy stroked Spike’s brown, wavy hair. Riley had said he would have hit her if she’d been a man, but she thought he’d simply spoken in anger. Buffy could see her husband peering at them through the living room sheers. Spike nuzzled her neck.

“S’alright love, I was asking for it,” Spike said. He’d managed to staunch the flow, but he had a handful of wadded up tissues soaked in red. Buffy found a plastic bag on the floor of the car and he shoved the soiled tissues in it.

“He shouldn’t have hit you, I’m going to talk to him,” Buffy said. She took the handle of the door and Spike put his hand on her arm.

“That would undermine the manly speech if my girlfriend went in there to defend my honor,” Spike said.

Buffy looked at his battered face and felt anger spread like fire through her chest. She did the only thing that would impress upon Riley exactly how she felt. Buffy grabbed Spike by the shoulders and captured his mouth. He let out a surprised gasp when their lips touched. She could taste his blood as her tongue slipped inside his mouth. When they finally pulled apart, Spike rubbed his thumb against the plump center of her lower lip, wiping it clean.

“If you ever doubt that I love you, remember that I just tasted your nose blood,” Buffy said.

She turned her face and kissed the palm of his hand. Spike chuckled.

“We should get you home so you can have a nap before work,” he said.

“Can’t, I have to pick up Dawn from school,” Buffy said.

***

Buffy sat in the parking lot of Sunnydale High watching students alternately galloping, sulking and walking out of school. Dawn came out the double doors and stood at the top of the steps, a book bag slung over her shoulder. Her daughter was wearing high-heeled boots that went up to the knee and a denim skirt that barely hit the middle of her upper thigh. New purchases, Buffy thought. Riley wouldn’t have bought those for her; Dawn must have picked them up when she was out with Janice. Dawn scanned the crowd of vehicles until she saw her mother’s car. Her gait changed when she saw the gray Ford; Dawn put a deliberate sway into her hips as she sauntered down the steps. The girl made her way across the expanse of grass. When she got to the car, Dawn opened the door, got in and shut the door.

“Good day today?” Buffy asked. She looked at her daughter, but Dawn kept her focus forward.

“Mr. Pratt wasn’t in English class today,” Dawn said, holding her bag to her chest.

“He was helping me move out,” Buffy said. She touched Dawn’s hair and smoothed it behind the her daughter’s ear. Buffy was surprised Dawn didn’t flinch away and she smiled.

Buffy started the car and backed out of her space. They traveled in a quiet that got heavier with each passing mile. Buffy tapped the steering wheel with a neatly painted, pink nail.

“Did you know he was practically engaged to another teacher until your womb got all fruited,” Dawn said, suddenly.

“What?” Buffy asked.

“Ms. Rosenberg. Janice told me they used to meet every day in the library for smoochies in between the stacks; then he dumped her because you were pregnant,” Dawn said.

“That’s not true,” Buffy said, softly.

“I heard it from Janice and I heard it again from Larry totally separately. This girl Rachel Spiegel who’s in my algebra class saw Ms. Rosenberg crying in the girl’s bathroom and then overheard her telling the whole story to another teacher,” Dawn said.

Buffy’s jaw clenched and she concentrated on the movement of traffic.

“A bunch of kids were making fun of me today. They said the only reason I got my award was because you put out for the English teacher,” Dawn said.

“You shouldn’t talk to me that way, I’m your mother,” Buffy said, sternly.

“I’m just telling you what they said,” Dawn said.

“Still,” Buffy said.

“Fine.”

They arrived at the house and pulled into the driveway. Buffy had barely stopped the car when Dawn was leaping out.

“I love you,” Buffy said to the abandoned seat.

***

Spike woke up to find Buffy staring at him. She was perched on the edge of the bed, her naked legs drawn up to her chest. Buffy’s blonde hair was cascading in soft waves, her face was tilted, questioning. The expression on her face made him start.

“Wh’ isit?”

“Who’s Ms. Rosenberg?”

“What?”

“That red-haired teacher. Who is she to you?” Buffy asked.
Spike shifted onto his side, propping his head up on the palm of his hand. His head was clearing sufficiently so that he could understand what she was asking and it was making him angry.

“My friend,” Spike said, bluntly.

“What kind of friend?”

“What does that mean?”

Buffy was still curled up, unwilling to touch him.

“Were you sleeping with her?”

“What the hell?” Spike asked.

Buffy hugged her legs tighter and her lower lip jutted out.

“Just answer me, please.”

“Wasn’t sleeping with her, she kissed me once after Dru and I broke up, that’s all. Now tell me what’s with the paranoia, waking me up like this,” Spike said.

“Dawn said—“

“And you believed her?”

“I don’t know. No. I’m sorry, let’s forget it, let’s go to sleep,” Buffy said.

Buffy stretched her legs out and started to settle onto the bed. She turned, putting her back to him. Buffy held herself in a rigid posture with the covers gathered to her chest. She felt him watching her and Buffy sighed, tears pressing against her eyes.

“I just can’t lose you, not after everything,” Buffy said.

Spike pivoted her by the shoulder and shoved her flat. He crawled on top of her, pinning Buffy beneath him. He looked into her face.

“You won’t,” he said.

“Promise me, please, promise me,” she said.

“You won’t lose me, I promise. There’s nobody else in the world that loves me but you, Buffy. They’re all gone. I know what that’s worth and I won’t ever risk it,” he said.

Buffy arched her neck, sought his mouth and found it. The kiss was frenetic with her hands pouring over his back. He’d gotten hard as soon as their bodies touched. Spike wasn’t gentle with her like he should have been, he was still angry that she’d paid Dawn’s regurgitated rumor any mind. If he’d known how long it would be before they were joined again, he would’ve been slower, he would’ve been better. In that moment they were rough and fast. But in that moment they could not have been anything else; a moment perfect in its way.


Chapter End Notes:
The line about nose blood was adapted from the episode "Out of My Mind."



You must login (register) to review.