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Chapter 6


It had been a month since that fateful night that had changed her life.
Buffy didn’t know what happened that night, but she had regained the will to
live…to fight. She didn’t know if it was because she had come so close to
actually dying or because she was able to tell someone how she felt. At any
rate, she felt cured.

However, there was something that was still bothering her. Yes, it had been
a month since that night, and she hadn’t seen or heard from Spike in that
time. She was beginning to think he had been a figment of her imagination.
That she had simply conjured him up to help her deal with her death at the
beginning of the summer, and then he’d just evaporated into thin air. Of
course, she knew if she really believed that, she’d been living on the
Hellmouth too long.

She was happily taking the night off and spending it with her friends at The
Bronze.

“Um…Buffy,” Willow said with a strange look as she looked over Buffy’s
shoulder at something in the distance. “There’s some guy who keeps looking
over here- it’s like he knows you or something.”

Buffy felt her stomach flip, though she wasn’t sure if it was in fear or
anticipation of it being him. She slowly turned in her seat, scanning the
crowd for the somewhat familiar bleached hair but not seeing him.

Instead, her eyes focused on a familiar face that she hadn’t seen in years.
“Oh my God,” she murmured as she made eye contact with him. Buffy stared in shock as the brunette made his way over to her, smiling when he came closer.

“Ford?” she asked softly when he reached the table.

“It’s me, Summers,” he said with a grin.

“I can’t believe it,” Buffy cried with a smile as she practically threw
herself into his arms. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you, actually,” Ford replied, casting a look over Buffy’s
shoulder at her two friends.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Buffy said, spinning around with a smile as she took Ford’s
hand in hers. “This is Billy Fordham, he was my best friend at Hemery.
Ford, these are my friends, Willow and Xander.”

The group exchanged pleasantries as Buffy felt her gaze being pulled to the
balcony of the club. She swallowed hard at the sight of the ice blue eyes
that seemed to be looking right through her.

‘So, he wasn’t a figment of my imagination,’ Buffy thought, repressing a
smile before she had to repress a shiver. Turning back to her friends and
never letting go of Ford’s hand, Buffy informed them that it was time to go.
She wanted to talk to Ford, but she couldn’t risk leaving two of her best
friends alone with Spike in the nearby vicinity. He might want to send a
message her way via dead body, and she didn’t want to take that chance.

As Willow and Xander stood and began gathering their things, Buffy hazarded
another look up at the balcony and frowned when she didn’t see him anymore.
That could only mean that he was around and watching her from a different
location. She wasn’t naïve enough to believe that he had simply walked
away. His demon would practically get off on stalking her, hunting her
without her knowledge.

The group walked out of the club, with Buffy keeping a close eye on the
shadows.

“Ford, you said you were looking for me,” Buffy said, trying to make
conversation as her mind went elsewhere.

“Yeah,” Ford replied. “It’s actually more of a private thing,” he said in a
low voice as Buffy nodded.

“Okay,” Buffy replied as they all continued to make small talk. Buffy took
a more roundabout way of getting home, wanting to make sure Willow and
Xander made it safely inside their houses before turning her full attention
to her oldest friend.

“Where are you staying?” she asked, trying to make it sound like a form of
small talk and not a way to get him back safely.

“The Sunnydale Inn,” he replied.

“Great! That’s on my way home,” Buffy replied cheerfully. ‘Or about two
miles out of the way, but I patrol more than that every night.’

She, of course, didn’t voice her thoughts. She didn’t want him thinking
that he should be the gentleman and make sure she got safely home, but she
wasn’t about to let that happen.

“So…you said you wanted to talk to me,” she said with a soft smile,
encouraging him to tell her what was on his mind.

Ford took a deep breath, knowing he could no longer prolong the inevitable.
“I think it’s best that I just come out and say it,” he said, the melancholy
evident in his voice. “I’m dying, Summers,” he said softly.

Buffy froze at the admission, coming to a complete stop as her friend turned
to face her. “What do you mean?” she asked quietly.

Ford looked down at the ground before raising his eyes to hers. “Nest of
tumors,” he said softly as he began walking.

Buffy gasped for air as she stared at him. “But…you’re so young,” she said
softly, the disbelief evident in her voice as she fought back the tears in
her eyes. “You’re only sixteen.”

Ford tightened his lips, trying his best to smile. “I don’t think there’s
an age discrimination,” he said in a quiet tone.

“And there’s nothing…”

“No,” he replied, shaking his head. “We’ve tried everything. There’s
nothing else.”

Buffy let silent tears stream down her cheeks as they continued walking in
silence. They stood outside the rundown Inn sooner than Buffy expected.

“Do you want me to walk you home?” Ford asked softly.

Buffy shook her head, hugging her arms around herself as she stared into
space. “No…you should get inside, I’ll be fine.”

Ford nodded, turning toward the Inn before apparently coming to a decision
and spinning around to face Buffy again.

Buffy gasped when she felt his lips slide across hers in a soft kiss. Ford
pulled away, offering her a shy smile as he stepped back. “That was
actually the reason I decided to come and find you,” he said with a glint in
his eyes. “I’ve been wanting to do that for years.” Buffy blushed,
grateful for the silvery moonlight that hid it from his view. “I’m not in
town very long, Summers, but I just had to see you.”

“I’m glad,” Buffy said quietly, smiling at Ford as he turned and walked
toward his room. “Ford!” she called, watching as he turned around. “I’ve
been wanting you to do that for years,” she said with a smile.

Ford chuckled, offering her a wave as he entered his room.

Neither noticed the yellow eyes that were watching the display.





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