Chapter Twelve
"Buffy, you can't honestly think that—" Riley started.
"Well, why not? I mean all this changing he did after moving in together. He meets Drusilla and he's suddenly rude to me and all about me ‘seeing him' as if I didn't see him before. Let me tell you, I saw him. I saw a whole lot of him. And what I saw was nice," she waved her finger at Riley. "He's got these sculpted abs that are completely drool worthy and it made me wonder why he kept so much of that delicious flesh hidden all—"
Riley held up a hand, grimacing. "Buffy, please stop. Not sure if you realize
just how emasculating it is to sit here and hear you go on about another
mans attributes."
She shrugged. "I'm just trying to make a point."
"Are you? What is it?"
She knit her eyebrows again. "Damn. Oh! I got it again. My point is he's
been shoving me away since he met her. I'm supposed to be his best friend,
if he wants to make some changes, then I'm right there with him to fully
support him. All he's done is shove me away," her eyes welled up. "He
doesn't want me around. He wants her and his new life and this . . . Spike
guy."
"Maybe it was something he needed to do on his own Buffy without your
help."
"Instead he had her help!?" Buffy exclaimed. "How is that okay?"
"It wasn't your call to make. Maybe she saw something in him that you
never did."
That did it. Buffy started to cry, loud hiccupping sobs that caused people at
other tables to stare and murmur to each other.
"Okay then, I think its time we got you home," Riley said standing up and
moving around the table to help her out of her chair.
"No! I don't want to go to the apartment. I – I want to go home to my
mommy."
"Okay, Buff. Let's go home to your mom. You should probably call
William—"
"SPIKE!"
"Okay, Spike, and let him know where you are."
"No," she said petulantly, wiping tears away and pouting. "I don't want him
to know anything. Why should I tell him anything? He doesn't tell me
anything anymore." She allowed Riley to lead her toward the door;
unaware of the apologetic glances he gave the bartender and several
customers.
Once the air hit her, she seemed to right herself a bit. The silence however,
was a tad disturbing. She'd gone on and on all night and now she'd become
eerily quiet. Riley kept an eye on her, in part because he was concerned
about her welfare and in part because he didn't want her to get sick in his
car.
"Will my car be okay?" she asked in a small voice after a few minutes.
"Yeah, it'll be fine. If you want, call me in the morning when you're feeling
alive and I'll pick you up to get it," Riley advised.
"Thank you, but you don't have to say that."
"What do you mean?"
"I haven't exactly been a barrel full of monkeys tonight. I know you're
probably regretting asking me to go out."
Riley sighed. "Buffy, look, it's not like that anyway. I mean, I was glad to
run into you as an old friend. I'm kind of seeing someone—"
She looked up at him, smiling softly. "Really? That's great. Did you meet
her in school or boot camp?"
Riley beamed. "School."
"That's great, Riley," and she sounded sincere.
"Thanks. So listen, I don't ditch my friends because they can't hold their
liquor well."
Buffy laughed and then snorted, then promptly looked horrified.
Riley chuckled, "Or because they snort."
"Promise me you won't tell William."
"About how you got drunk?"
"That and where I am."
"That's not very mature."
She shrugged, "Don't care. Everyone's entitled to be a little immature
sometimes. Besides, it's not like he'll figure it out eventually."
"More like he'll think you stayed the night with me."
"Good. He's probably out with Elvira anyway," Buffy muttered.
"You don't have to admit it, but you are jealous of her aren't you?"
She looked at him, "Thank you from the department of the obvious."
Riley chuckled. "Because you're in love with him, right?"
She turned her head and stared back out the window.
Really, that was all the answer he needed.
*************************************************************
Spike was going out of his mind. He stared at the clock for the millionth time. Two minutes had passed since he last looked at it, but it was still two minutes longer that Buffy had not arrived home yet.
Jumping up from the couch, Spike started to pace. Where the fucking hell was she? If she was with him still . . . Spike growled at the thought. He would rip Riley to shreds for touching her.
"Feel like a bloody caged bird," he muttered to himself and made the
decision to go and find his girl and bring her home.
************************************************************
"Now Buffy, you don't have to tell me what happened—" Joyce started as she helped her daughter in bed after she'd unsuccessfully tried to undress and change in her intoxicated state. It was quite reminiscent of when Buffy had been learning how to dress herself and would get her shirts stuck on her head with one arm in a sleeve and the other out.
"Good, because I really don't want to get into it right now," Buffy said,
cutting her off.
"Can you tell me if it was William?"
"No," Buffy murmured as her eyes drifted shut against the cool pillow. "It was Spike."
***********************************************************
It was two in the morning when Spike pulled into the Summers driveway. Mama Summers was going to KILL him. On the other hand, if she hadn't heard from Buffy, then maybe he would have someone to worry with him.
He took a deep breath and climbed out of his car.
He set his hand in a fist and started for the door with his knuckles when
the door flung open.
"Hi Will."
Spike blinked. "Dawn? What are you doin' up?" he asked the shorter, dark
haired Summers girl.
"Couldn't sleep. Not with Buffy snoring—"
Spike started, "Buffy's here?"
Dawn eyed him, confused. "You didn't know?"
"No, I didn't know. I've been all over the bloody town lookin' for her—is
she all right?"
"She's passed out drunk."
"Drunk, you say?" Spike's jaw clenched. "So help me if that wanker did
anything to her or WITH her, I'll tear—"
"Will?"
Spike stopped abruptly. "Sorry, Bit."
Her eyebrows shot up. "Have you been drinking too? You sound funny. . .
Hey—your hair!"
"You wanna keep it down there, Bit? Don't want to wake—"
"Me?"
Joyce appeared at the top of the stairs, flicking on a switch and flooding the
hall and foyer with light.
Spike gulped. Joyce was a nice woman, but when provoked, a right scary
woman she could be. Especially when defending her girls. She was like a
Mama Bear defending her cubs.
"Come in William. Dawn, go to bed," Joyce ordered.
Dawn nodded and smiled at William before dashing up the stairs and off to
her room.
Spike shut the door and stared at the floor. "I'm sorry if I woke the house,
but when Buffy didn't come home, I got worried and went looking for her. I
knew she was out with Finn and I went a little crazy—"
"Will, stop. Breathe," Joyce said soothingly, placing a hand on his arm.
He looked up at her. "She all right then?"
Joyce regarded him. "You changed your hair."
"I did."
"I like it."
Spike smiled, "Thanks."
Joyce crossed her arms. "Are you ‘Spike'?"
Spike's eyes widened, "Buffy told you?"
"Not all of it. None of it really. I guessed. Call it mother's intuition."
"She's upset with me."
"Listen, William. You and Buffy have been best friends forever. You've
been through a lot and you've been there for each other through thick and
thin. Whatever's happened, or whatever's happening, your relationship is
too precious to let go. I only ask that whatever is going on, you work it out.
I'd hate to see you lose each other."
Spike shook his head, "Never Joyce. I'd never let Buffy go."
"Do you love her?"
"I do."
Joyce nodded. "Why don't you stay here tonight? It's late and I bet it
would comfort Buffy to know you were here. Even if she is upset with you."
"Can I –can I just pop in and see for myself that she's all right?"
"Of course. Just don't wake her. I think she was sweating alcohol. I'll get some bed stuff for the couch."
Spike nodded and dashed up the stairs. Third bedroom on the right.
Creeping to the door, he pushed it open slowly. The scent of ‘Buffy's room'
hit his senses first and he saw in his minds eye laughing at her as she belted
out Paula Abdul's "Forever Your Girl" into her brush. So many memories
with Buffy. So many carefree moments. How could he not love her?
Then the whiff of alcohol hit him. Joyce hadn't been kidding.
Quietly kneeling by the bed, he took in her sleeping form. He smiled. She
was snoring loud enough to wake the dead. Sure sign she was indeed drunk.
The light from the street filtered in and caressed her form so he could make
out the slight worry line creasing her brow. Gently, he smoothed that
crease with the pad of his finger.
"Buffy, baby, it's going to be okay. William hasn't left you. He never will."
She shifted a bit and murmured something. Spike paused. Joyce would
have his head if he woke her. As gently as possible, Spike leaned over and
kissed her brow quickly before standing and quickly, yet quietly leaving the
room. He shut the door and sighed heavily.
He really hoped she wouldn't be upset that he was there. They had a lot to
work out and hopefully she'd be receptive. Not that he could blame her if
she wasn't.
[Reviews - 615]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | 
Chapter or Story
Has been viewed 3373 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story - Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you everyone!!! :) :)