Even if it was in a different capacity than she'd originally planned, she could still make a difference in the lives of children, and she was happy with her decision.
Eventually, the tabloids had let up on them, finding much more things of interest in the recent Eve Hart-related scandals popping up. Apparently, the things she had been up to were a lot more interesting than a rock star dating someone who just happened to be the daughter of his father's second wife. As a matter of fact, some magazines had deemed it downright romantic, painting it as a father and son who just couldn't help but be drawn to a beautiful mother-daughter pair.
Buffy had to give Lorne credit, the man was damn good at turning spin right around.
She watched Spike from the side of the stage, her heart warming as she did. He turned and winked at her as he finished his song, and she smiled in return.
Spike turned back to the mic. "This is a new song we haven't done before." He stopped, cleared his throat, and then began again. "Well, actually, that's only partly true. It's an old song that I never finished, but I have now, and we'd like to perform it for the first time here for you all tonight."
The crowd began to cheer as the lights dimmed, a soft light illuminating Spike as slow music started. When the crowd quieted, he sang.
"In, I'm falling in.
I didn't want to,
Not so fast, boy.
Slow,
Don't wanna hurt the girl.
Give her a pretty box,
You'd better fill it
"And I get blinded when she opens the door.
It's like looking in to the sun, you know,
And I'm just blinkin', mumblin', starin' at my shoes.
And she just looks at me
And smiles.
Smiles, smiles."
It took Buffy a moment, but she recognized the song, but then she remembered the day he'd sung part of it to her years before, when he'd first started writing it. She'd almost forgotten it until now, and it surprised her that he'd gone back and filled in the parts he hadn't been able to write originally.
"Oh, there we go again,
And it feels so good.
We're fallin' up and down.
Damn, it's two am again,
And she kisses me goodbye
For the sixteenth time.
"And I'm drivin' home, it's five a.m.
And I'm look at the sun come up over the hills.
Clouds are turnin' pink and green,
And all I can see is her eyes.
Eyes, eyes."
It never failed to touch her when she heard him singing to her, about her. Even his songs that hadn't been about the happier points in their relationship had held strong emotion, speaking of the depth of his feelings for her.
Love, hate, and everything in between, they had something strong, something passionate.
Something unbreakable.
"And I get blinded when she opens the door.
It's like looking in to the sun, you know,
And I'm just blinkin', mumblin', starin' at my shoes,
And she just looks at me
And smiles.
Smiles…"
When the song came to an end, the crowd cheered, and Spike turned around, his eyes locking with Buffy's. "There's a bit more to this one tonight. Buffy, sweetheart, come out here with me, would you?"
Buffy's gaze went wide, and she shook her head no, the idea of standing in front of all those people sending her into a panic. Then, Mona slid up behind her. "Go, Buffy. Just trust me on this one. You want to be out there right now." She gave the blonde a push, sending her right onto the stage.
Spike put his hand over the microphone. "It's all right, luv. Come on."
She didn't look at the crowd, but at Spike instead, walking towards his outstretched hand. She took it, and the audience screamed.
Then, he dropped down to one knee, and they went positively wild.
Buffy stared down at him, the entire moment seeming surreal. He couldn't actually be about to…
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box, then flipped open the top to reveal a glittering diamond.
He was… Unbidden, her eyes filled with tears.
"Buffy Anne Summers, will you marry me?"
She froze, her heart flipping. The world around her seemed to blur, her focus on the shimmer of the ring until she heard someone in the distance call out, "Come on, say yes already!"
A smile broke across her face and she nodded emphatically. "Yes. Oh, Spike, of course it's yes!"
Spike jumped up, slipping the ring on her left hand as he let the box fall to the ground. Their eyes met and he pulled her to him, kissing her as the crowd roared.
"Smile" is, of course, by James Marsters.
After a little over two years of writing, this fic has reached its end. When I set out to tell this story, I knew it was going to be a long one, though I didn't quite realize just how long. However, I knew from the beginning exactly the story I wanted to tell, and I persevered until I said all I wanted to say. So now, I've finally accomplished that goal. *wipes sweat from brow*
I appreciate everyone who stuck by me and read this fic through to the end, be you one of the readers who started out two years ago and put up with all my blocks and hiatuses or one of the readers who picked it up along the way. I know things got dark there for a while, and it really means a lot to me that you were willing to see this through to the end and let me share my story. Even with the angst, I never intended to give our couple—or you readers—anything but happiness in the end.
So here it is—that happy ending. For anyone hoping for a sequel, I'm sorry, there won't be one. It took me two years to get this one out, and I've felt like I've said all I wanted to say with this particular incarnation of Spike and Buffy. I will, of course, continue to write other stories, and already have a new AU set up to start next Monday. (It's entitled Oedipus Calling, for anyone who wants to look for it.)
Again, I just want to say thank you to everyone who stuck with me to the end, through all of this story's many ups and downs. It was, at times, as difficult for me to write as it was for you to read, and there were points when I wanted to just give up, but the encouragement I got from my readers really helped to keep me going. So thank you, to each and every one of you.
Even though this is the end, I'd appreciate it very much if you left one last review for it now to let me know what you thought of the end.
Thank you.