CHAPTER 12–
A/N: You guys were so amazing with your reviews for the last chapter. I really took them to heart on how I’m gonna write the story. Thank you for the e-mails.
A/N: Additional line added in Chapter 8. There really isn’t a need to go back and read the chapter, as I have recapped the line in this one, but I haven’t updated in so freakin’ long you may need to go back and refresh anyway :)
And when there's nowhere else to run
Is there room for one more son
These changes ain't changing me
The cold-hearted boy I used to be
- “All These Things I’ve Done” The Killers
The slam of his front door caused Giles to jolt, spilling some of the bourbon from the glass he held onto the front of his wrinkled shirt.
His attention was torn between saving his outfit and William, who was stomping around the room determinedly. Will ceased his pacing for a moment, taking in the scene of his father before him. Suddenly he marched toward his father, who lurched backward in surprise, the alcohol in his system causing his head to spin momentarily. Giles watched helplessly as his son seized the liquor bottle in front of him and made his way to the kitchen, not sure whether he planned to join him in a drink or chuck the bottle against the wall. Giles seriously hoped it was the former.
He relaxed a moment, and went to take another sip. Seconds later he heard the sound of liquid swirling down the sink.
Giles’s eyes followed his son confusedly around the room, “Will, that liquor you just poured down my drain was from my wedding day!” He moved to stand of angrily, decided better of it when his stomach lurched in response, and set himself back down.
“And would Mum want you drinking it now?” Will questioned.
“YOU were drinking it yesterday!” Giles hollered back.
Will was silent for a moment, “Well I’m done now.”
“Bloody doesn’t well mean I have to be,” he grumbled. Rupert Giles had gotten accustomed in the last few days to the zigzagging of his son’s moods. He learned it was better to just flow along with them rather then fight against them. If he tried to fight them, William would just rebel and do something drastic.
Will moved to the front door, his hand on the knob, “Come on.”
Giles sighed, tired and weary, his framed visibly deflating, “I don’t want to go out there, Will.”
Spike’s emotionally-driven physical tirade finally wavered, “We’ll make a pact,” he said finally. “Anyone who gives us condolences or looks at us sorry, we’ll . . .” he searched around him then picked up a soccer ball from behind the door, “hit ‘em with this.”
That got a chuckle out of his father. Inhaling deeply, he nodded slowly, “Alright, William, you win,” he pushed himself up out the chair he had made his residence for the past couple days. Sleeping in his and Jenny’s bed had been too painful, so he had taken to the recliner in the living room. The couch next to him was still mussed from the other night when William had sensed his father wasn’t upstairs and had brought his blanket and pillow down on the couch. Silently he set up his own makeshift bed in the living room, unwilling to leave his father alone. It was at that moment, as Giles watched his son situate himself next to him in the dark, that he felt he had his son back, that there was some bit of William left in that Spike exterior.
Locking the door behind him, Giles followed his son outside, his eyes squinting painfully against the sun, which he hadn’t seen in days. Spike made his way to his car.
“No, Will,” Giles stopped him, “Let’s walk,” he angled his head towards the sidewalk that stretched down past a row of cheery houses.
“Okay,” Spike conceded, falling into step with his father.
They silently meandered their way through the streets, Spike never needing to use the ball tucked under his arm, eventually ending up at a small park, which was momentarily deserted.
Looking around the park, Spike made his way over to the swings, sitting down on one and letting his legs rock him back and forth.
“Do you remember when I used to take you here?” Giles asked, hands in his pockets, approaching his son.
Spike nodded, “You used to swing with me. Mom would sometimes come by and watch us.”
Giles nodded in agreement, “She was always afraid you were going fall.”
“That’s because I usually did,” Spike replied with a grin. “I still do,” he added quietly, his demeanor insinuating that he was no longer talking about the swing set.
Giles sat on the swing next to him and joined him in the rhythmic motion. Spike dropped the ball on the ground in front of him and lightly kicked it around.
“You may not have been close to your mother towards the end, but I was.” Buffy’s words rung in Spike’s head. It was true Spike hadn’t stayed close to his family. Buffy had. She had known his own mother better than he had during the last years of her life.
Spike shook his head, “God Dad, I’m such a bloody wanker. How could I not have called? Come visit? When was the last time I was home for fucking Christmas?”
“You mother knew what you did was important,” Giles replied gently.
“But that’s just it, Dad, it wasn’t. And it’s still not. Not as important as her.”
“Or Buffy?”
Spike’s head shot up, “She has nothing to do with this.”
“Oh but she does. You’re finally realizing what’s really special in life, straightening out your priorities. And as much as I wish it was, this new change in attitude is not due to just you. It’s her.”
Spike opened his mouth to argue, but didn’t. It had taken him to hit rock bottom and his mother’s death to shake his current foundation. And it was Buffy who was making him question if he even wanted to rebuild it again.
“Decide now,” Giles stated.
“What?”
“I understand why you would gravitate towards her. Buffy is safe and familiar. But decide now if she’s more important than whatever you have going on in L.A. Because if you get involved with her and then decide she isn’t . . . . Let’s just say she’s not the only one in this town who would never forgive you.”
Come up to meet you, tell you I’m sorry
You don’t know how lovely you are
I had to find you, tell you I need you
Tell you I set you apart
Tell me your secrets, and ask me your questions
Oh lets go back to the start
Running in circles, coming up tails
Heads on a silence apart
Nobody said it was easy
Oh it’s such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said that it would be this hard
Oh take me back to the start
- “The Scientist” Coldplay
TBC
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Don't plagiarize me