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CHAPTER 10 --



Well I been thinking about the future
But I'm too young to pretend
It's such a waste to always look behind you
Should be lookin' straight ahead

Yeah, I'm gonna have to move on

'Cause every once in a while
You think about if your gonna get yourself together
You should be happy just to be alive
And just because you just don't feel like comin' home
Don't mean that you'll never arrive
- “Move On” Jet




Spike slid out if his car, jogging up the winding walkway to the house. Knocking on the screen door he stepped back, hands jammed in his jeans pockets, rocking on his heels.

Seconds later, a somewhat familiar redhead answered. Her hair was shorter, cut in one of those stylish bobs. She was wearing some make-up -- more than he’d ever seen her wear before. The sweater and jeans she wore was incomparable to the loose overalls he had known her to wear. Spike smiled. Little Willow had grown up.

“William,” she exclaimed in surprise. “I . . . I thought you’d be gone by now.”

Spike smiled, apparently her nervous bumbling hadn’t changed and he was glad it hadn’t, “Decided to stay around a little bit longer.”

“Oh . . . Well, that’s great.” Willow glanced nervously behind her.

Spike grinned at his friend’s fidgeting, “That her?”

“Is that who?” She answered instantly. “There’s no one else . . . Here, I mean.”

Spike shook his head at his friend’s flustered response. “Your girlfriend, Red.”

A wash of relief rushed over her features, “Oh, so you know.”

He chuckled, “Yeah, Red, Buffy told me.”

“Oh!” she gleamed, “You talked to Buffy!” She motioned him into the house.

“Yeah,” he replied noncommittally. “Look, I’m sorry about the other day, Red. At the funeral. I didn’t even say hello.”

“Oh! No! That’s okay, really,” she interjected.

“No,” Spike insisted. “No it’s not. You were there for me and I ignored you. There’s no excuse for that.”

“Baby? Was there someone at the door?” A warm woman with shoulder-length brown hair and a bohemian skirt entered the living room. “Oh, hi,” she smiled.

“Tara, this is William. We went to high school together,” Willow motioned to Spike.

He was glad she left out the “he used to date Buffy” part of the introduction that seemed to be forever glued to his name.

“It’s Spike now,” he added.

“I’m sorry about your mother,” Tara offered, her soothing voice full of understanding.

“Thanks,” Spike responded. There was something about this girl’s condolences that seemed deeper and somehow more well-meaning than the numerous apologies he’d been getting the last few days. He instantly liked her.

Willow led the group of them over to the dining room table. “So,” she sat up brightly, “how is Buffy? I haven’t talked to her in a couple days.”

Spike seriously doubted that. Even at their busiest, Willow and Buffy had talked every night before bed. A lot had changed since he left Sunnydale, but not so much that he doubted that this was a ploy by Willow to get his side of the Spike-Buffy dynamic.

“Well, from what I can remember, she seems to be doing just fine,” he answered finally.

Willow looked at him quizzically.

“I may have been a little drunk the last time we talked.” He took in his friend’s fretful look. “Don’t worry, Red, she put me in my place right proper.”

“Oh,” she said flatly, “That’s good, I guess,” she added, always trying to find the silver lining of every dark cloud. “Have you seen Xander yet?”

Spike shook his head, “Was thinking about going over there. I’m afraid he’ll be a bit more tougher of a sell than you, Red.”

Willow nodded in understanding, “He was always a bit . . . defensive when it came to Buffy and forgiveness never was one of his strong points.

Spike sighed, getting to his feet, “I better get going. I’m meetin’ my dad back at his place. I’ll see you around, Red,” he accepted her hug.

“I’m so glad you came home,” she told him.

Spike, not quite sure he shared her sediment, simply replied, “Thanks.”

When they finally broke apart he nodded at the other woman, “Tara.”

“It was nice meeting you,” she smiled softly.

“Oh, Spike, how long were you planning to stay in town?” Willow called after him, leaning out the door.

“Just until I make some amends, then I’m back to L.A.”


TBC (next chapter -- flashback -- what happened between Buffy and Spike)





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