[Reviews - 190]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 4328 times

- Text Size +




Chapter 4


Spike dropped Fred off at her apartment, before going to pick up Dawn. This was out of the ordinary for them, since Fred always enjoyed seeing Dawnie, even if it was just for a few minutes. However, Spike needed some space, and took the opportunity of being alone in the car to drive around.

How was he supposed to tell Dawn that her mother was back? A mother that she only knew from pictures. Then there was the matter of constantly seeing the sadness in Fred’s eyes and the tears shimmering in Buffy’s. The two images seemed to blur together, making Spike’s life feel even more complicated.

“It’s just a visit,” Spike said to nobody, trying to convince himself that any feelings that he’d once had for Buffy, were now gone.

Pulling into Janice’s driveway, Spike slowly got out of the car, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walked the path to the front door. Taking a deep breath he quickly rang the bell, turning around to look at the neighborhood as he waited. Hearing the door open, Spike turned and was barely able to suppress a groan when Janice’s mother, Kelly, was standing there with a huge smile plastered on her face.

“Hello, Spike,” she said, sugar practically dripping from her voice as she seductively leaned against the doorframe.

“Mrs. Penshaw,” Spike replied, giving her a brief nod in greeting. “Is Dawn ready?”

“Oh, call me Kelly and the girls are upstairs,” she said with a wave of her hand. “Come on in, we can have some coffee.”

Spike hesitantly stepped over the threshold, looking around the interior of the house and hoping to see his little girl come bounding out from behind a corner. No such luck.

“This way, Spike,” Kelly called from the vicinity of the kitchen. “How do you take your coffee?”

“Actually more of a tea drinker,” Spike said as he walked into the kitchen, hovering around the doorway. “And I’m really in kind of a hurry.”

“Oh, pish posh,” she said with a bright smile. “You can stay for a few minutes.”

Spike was about to respond when he heard the wonderful sound of children’s feet clomping down the stairs. Seconds later a little brunette blur came flying through, her braid in disarray as Spike scooped her up with his first genuine smile in hours.

“There’s my Nibblet,” he said, tugging on her braid. “You ready to go?”

“Where’s Fred?” Dawn asked, tilting her little head in a strong imitation of her father.

Spike could see Janice’s mother glaring, out of the corner of his eye. “I dropped her off first. She’ll see you soon.”

“Okay,” Dawn replied with a nod before turning to her friend. “Bye, Janice!”

“Bye, Dawn!” the other little girl cried.

Spike gave a brief nod to Kelly, before hightailing it out the door with his daughter in his arms.

***

Spike stayed relatively quiet until they got back to their place, letting Dawn chatter about her day.

Walking into their apartment, Spike knew that he had to tell her about Buffy and it was better to be sooner than later.

“Sit down, Dawnie,” Spike said gently, watching as Dawn scampered over to the couch and sat down, looking at her father expectantly. Spike crouched in front of her and gave her a soft smile before speaking. “Someone came to see me today, Nibblet…”

Spike paused, biting his lower lip as he wondered how to explain the situation to a five year old.

“Who was it, Daddy?” Dawn asked, her little eyes wide with curiosity.

Spike glanced at the floor, before raising his eyes to hers, again. “It was your mommy, sweetheart.”

Dawn squinted her eyes, slightly, as she looked at her father. “But I’ve never seen my mommy,” she said softly.

“You’re seen pictures,” he reminded her.

“Did she not want to see me?” Dawn asked, the tone of her voice nearly breaking Spike’s heart.

“No, Little Bit, don’t think that. You were the reason she stopped by, but you were in school.”

“Where is she?”

“I think she’s staying with your Grandma and Grandpa,” Spike said softly.

“Can we go see her?” Dawn asked excitedly.

“I don’t know if-“

“Pleeeeaaaase,” Dawn begged.

“What if I ask her to come over here?” Spike asked, not wanting there to be a lot people around for the reunion.

“Tonight?” Dawn squealed, jumping up from the couch, surprising Spike with her enthusiastic reaction.

“If she can,” Spike agreed with a nod.

***

An hour later, Spike was pacing his apartment, wishing for a cigarette while Dawn was back in her bedroom ‘preparing.’ His tie was now laying across the back of a chair along with his coat and the top three buttons of his shirt were undone.

His head nearly snapped up when he heard the soft knock on the door. He had spoken to Joyce, who promised to get the message to Buffy. Spike had been grateful that he hadn’t actually spoken to Buffy, but faced with the inevitable task of answering the door, Spike was almost wishing he had been the one to talk to her. Maybe then some of his nerves would be out of the way.

With a few deep breaths, Spike pulled the door open. He swallowed hard at the image in front of him. Buffy stood there in a simple black dress that set off her golden tan, her hair falling in waves down her back and her wide hazel eyes accented with a soft green shadow. He stared at her for a moment, before opening the door wide enough to let her in.

Buffy turned to him as he closed the door behind her. “Thank you for calling me,” she said softly, with a nervous tremor making its way into her voice.

“It wasn’t me,” he replied, avoiding her eyes. “Dawnie wanted to meet you.”

“Well…thanks for telling her,” Buffy said with a slight smile, trying to put them both at ease.

Spike nodded as he motioned her toward the short hallway, leading to the bedrooms. Stopping at one of the doors, he turned to face Buffy, seeing the nervous way she was wringing her hands together. “She’s going to have questions…I hope you’re ready for them.”

“For the last five years,” she replied quietly.

Spike’s expression darkened slightly, before he nodded, turning to open the door. “Dawn, there’s someone here to…”

Spike trailed off with a smile as he got a good look at his daughter. Wearing her princess dress and obviously drenched in her Tinkerbell perfume, her hair had a crimped look from the braid she’d been wearing all day. Dawn gave him a bright smile as she did a little spin for him.

“You look beautiful, Nibblet,” he said with a smile, dropping a kiss on her forehead, before stepping to the side.

Buffy stepped into the room, feeling her breath catch as she looked at the beautiful little girl. She was undeniably her father’s daughter with her cheekbones and bright blue eyes. “Hi,” Buffy whispered, crouching down to her height as they stared at each other.

Dawn didn’t say anything as she studied the woman who she now knew as her mother. Spike watched them, feeling almost as if he was intruding on a private moment. Trying to divert his attention, he let his eyes wander around the room, but inevitably ended up on the two in the center. Or more accurately, on the woman in the center. He found himself following the line of her dress down her body before tearing his gaze away from the smooth expanse of her thighs.

“You’re my Mommy,” Dawn said quietly, staring at Buffy.

“And you’re my daughter.”





You must login (register) to review.