“Cut him out into little stars.”
Rome
“Yeah Will I understand…no it’s fine, you go be with Kennedy… No really it’s fine, clearly you are needed there… No I’ll be fine. Andrew can keep me company it’s all good… yes I’m sure. You go have…” The line went dead “Fun”
Buffy Summers clicked the red button placing the phone down before throwing herself on the bed. It was her birthday and she was miserable. ‘So no change there then’ Buffy thought sadly. She couldn’t remember the last good birthday she had had. Every since she had become the slayer her birthdays had become progressively worse.
First she had sex with Angel and he had turned evil and tried to kill her and her friends. Then she had lost her strength and an insane vampire had tried to kill her mother. Oh then Giles had turned into a demon and Buffy had nearly killed him. Then Dawn had found out she was the key and the hell bitch had nearly killed her. Then everyone had been trapped in her house with a demon that had tried to kill them. And then last year everyone had been so busy fighting The First who was going to kill everyone in the entire world that birthdays had been overlooked. Overall her birthdays seemed to involve a lot of death and killing.
‘Yet,’ Buffy thought, ‘any of those would be preferable to what I have this year.’ Buffy had thought after she changed the world and had made every potential a slayer, things would have been different, but she was wrong. Here she was having another crappy birthday.
She was alone in a strange city. Xander had gone to Africa to round up slayers, Willow was in Rio with Kennedy doing something mystical, Dawn had gone to boarding school, God knows where Faith was and Giles was in England being all English.
So Buffy was left alone, in Rome, on her birthday, with no friends and no boyfriend. In short she was miserable.
Picking up the phone she sat up and dialled her last option, listening as it rand a few times before being picked up.
“Hey Andrew… I was thinking if you maybe wanted to do something tonight… oh no that’s ok… No. No biggy… I’ll rent a movie or something it’s not a problem… yeah I’ll say hey to Dawn next time I see her… bye.”
It was official nobody wanted her on her birthday, not even Andrew, with a dejected sigh, Buffy flopped back down in the bed.
***
LA
Spike sat on the simple bar stool, his glass held tightly in his fist, so tight he was almost shattering it.
He had had the day from hell; literally. He was still nursing the bruises and not all of them where physical. Fighting the dead men hadn’t hurt really. It had actually been quite fun, he missed a good fight. What was really annoying Spike was finding out that he had been fed a pack of lies the last few months and he had bought them hook, line and sinker. He had gone alone with everything ‘Doyle’ had said, never questioned him, he just assumed that it was true, what he was saying, that he did have a destiny. Guess that would have been too much to hope for.
Then peaches golden girl had come back for one last visit. Spike didn’t mind Cordelia; she was a nice enough girl. He knew Angel would be upset now she was gone, but it wasn’t the arrival of Cordelia that had upset him, it was that her spirit reminded him of Buffy, and that was really what had driven him to sit here alone in this rundown bar.
The rest of the gang had gone for group drinks, but 10 minutes into back-patting and ‘well done’s’ on an excellent job and Spike was ready to kill himself - again. Escaping, he had come to this bar, where he knew the atmosphere was tragic and you didn’t make eye contact with the clientele but at least the alcohol was cheap.
So here he sat nursing his drink, alone, where no one knew him or his destiny, or what he had done to save the world.
The bartender came over and gave Spike a little nod, before pouring more Jack Daniels into his glass.
“Thanks mate.” Picking up the glass, Spike threw back the contents, before standing up. He pushed his chair back with such a force it hit the floor with a resounding crash that made everyone in the bar turn to look at him. Dropping a $20 onto the bar, where it fluttered down, he picked up his duster from the bar stool next to him. Wrapping it around him he walked out of the bar without giving it a second glance.
Slamming the door on his simple basement apartment behind him, Spike stalked over to the fridge. Throwing the door open, he pulled out a can of beer. Pulling the ring pull, he then sat down on the simple settee that was positioned in front of the television. Thoughts of Buffy had made him restless. He knew today was her birthday; he wondered what she would be doing. He imagined she’d be enjoying the highlife in Rome with her friends.
Throwing the half empty can into the bin; he stood up and walked into his bedroom. Lying down on the bed, Spike placed his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling. After a few moments, he heaved a deep sigh and reached over for the phone. Dialling a number he remembered well.
“Hello… Mate, I need some help… Need you to get me to Rome.”
***
Dragging herself out of the bed Buffy glanced at the clock, she must have dozed off. Deciding she wasn’t going to mope about all day; just because it was her 23rd birthday and no one wanted to spend it with her didn’t mean she should be glum.
Buffy decided that she was going to go out and celebrate on her own. Walking over to her wardrobe she picked out a pair of low-slung jeans and her favourite red polo neck jumper. It reminded her of Spike, red was his favourite colour, except black, but as she had argued with him numerous times, black wasn’t a true colour. After her house had been destroyed along with the rest of Sunnydale, Buffy had had to buy all new clothes. She had purposely picked things that reminded her of Spike, colours that he liked, things similar to things she had had previously that he had said he liked. It wasn’t the same as having the actual clothes, but it was a start. She missed smelling him on her clothes and feeling the way his eyes would look her up and down.
Buffy shook her head to disperse the memories that where forming. No point dwelling on things that couldn’t be changed, Spike had done a great thing, and that would be how she would always remember him.
Tying up her hair into a loose pony tail she then began searching for her boots. She knew she had seen them around her bedroom somewhere. Going down onto her hands and her knees she searched under the bed. Finding one of the missing shoes she tried reaching it, when realising it was slightly out of reach she pressed herself further under. Reaching the shoe she pulled it out with a huff. Putting it on foot, she then began the search for the other boot, which had mysteriously disappeared. She never noticed that her neat pony tail now looked a mess, as the struggle under the bed had caused the hairs to fall out of place. Her cheeks looked flushed from the effort, but still she couldn’t find her shoe.
Hearing the doorbell ring, Buffy pulled herself up from the floor and stared towards the front door as though trying to guess who would be one the other side. As the door rang again, Buffy cursed under her breath, and hobbled over to the door, determined that she would find the other shoe when she had got rid of the person on the other side of the door. The doorbell rang again.
“Ok, ok, I’m coming, jeez keep your trousers on.”
Opening the door, Buffy stopped dead. Stood on the other side of the door was Spike. Quickly looking down at herself she realised what a state she was and promptly slammed the door in his face.
Spike started bemused at the door that had just been slammed in front of his face. It wasn’t the reaction he had been expecting when he first saw her, he wasn’t naive enough to thing she would just jump into his arms, but he hadn’t thought she would slam the door in his face. Before she had slammed the door though, he had seen what she looked like and had to admit she had never looked cuter.
He could hear her heart beating very fast on the other side of the door and knew she hadn’t moved from when she had just shut it.
“Love? No point pretending you’re not in, I’ve seen you now, not to mention can hear you, and smell you. I guess you are mildly happy to see me, if that’s anything to go off, or do you get horny with every man who calls at your door?” Spike said with a smug grin on his face. He could imagine her going bright red and wished he could see it. He loved making her embarrassed.
“Spike!” Buffy hissed through the door. Standing up on tiptoes she glanced through the porthole. Sure enough stood on the other side was Spike. She hadn’t believed it when she had seen him first. “Spike? Is it really you?” Her voice held a note of panic as though scared this might all be a fantasy.
“In the flesh pet, alive and kicking, well kicking anyway. Are you gonna let me in then? Then you can see just how real I am.”
“No!”
“No?” Buffy saw his brow knit together in confusion.
“You can’t see me, not yet, not when I look like this. Wait there, don’t go anywhere and I’ll be back.” Without waiting for a reply, Buffy ran off in the direction of her bedroom.
As Spike heard her run away from the door, he gathered up his duster and sat down in the thin corridor outside her apartment. Knowing Buffy, it would be a while before she re-appeared.
Running around crazily, she dragged her curling tongs out of her draw that hadn’t been used since she bought them. Plugging them in, she grabbed her bag off the bed, spilling most of the make-up contents. Rummaging around she picked up her eye-shadow and mascara; applying it so that her eyes looked bigger and brighter.
Stripping off the jumper, she searched in her wardrobe finding a simple red dress. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to wear it since she had bought it, as she knew it would have been the kind of dress Spike would have loved.
Finding a pair of high strappy stiletto sandals, both of them this time, she put them on and carefully stood up. Reaching for the curling tongs she placed a few gentle curls in her hair, so that they framed her face. Spraying on some hair spray so that they would hold, she took one last glance at herself in the mirror before picking up her bag and spraying on her perfume. She went to go and find Spike.
Opening the door, Buffy face fell when she realised that Spike wasn’t there anymore. Stepping fully out into the corridor she nearly fell face first as she tripped over Spike’s legs that were sticking out.
Grabbing hold of the wall, Buffy managed to straighten herself.
“Ah there you are, was wondering where you had got to.” Spike stood up as well.
As Buffy stared at him all she could do was smile, she had dreamed of this moment and now it was actually here. Suddenly all the questions that had been in her head bubbled forward. “Spike is it really you, what happened, where have you been?”
Looking at him smiling down at her, she decided that it didn’t matter where he had been or how this had happened, all that mattered was that he was here now and that this was real. “Actually I don’t care, I just want to bask.”
Spike accepted her answer, in all fairness he wasn’t ready to tell her how he was back or where he had been, it would only inevitably lead to more questions. Questions he himself didn’t have the answers to yet, like who had brought him back, why hadn’t he contacted her sooner.
“So, love, how does it feel to be 23? I have a vague memory of it.”
Buffy’s smile lit up her entire face, her eyes sparkled in the dull light of the hall way.
“You remembered.”
“Of course I remember your birthday, pet. Couldn’t go forgetting my girl now could I?
His girl. This smile on Buffy’s face grew even wider; she was still his girl no matter what they had been through.
“Honestly? Doesn’t feel a whole lot different.”
“Where are all your friends, love? Why aren’t they here showing you how to enjoy your birthday.”
Buffy looked at the floor shyly, did she really want to admit to Spike they had all left her on her birthday? Deciding she did want him to know, she heaved a sigh and looked him in the eye, “They all bailed on me, yeap no fun for Buffy.”
“Well we can’t have that can we? Come on.”
Taking her hand he led her down the corridor. As they got to the lift he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a midnight blue blindfold. Turning her around so that her back faced his front, he secured it over her eyes making sure not to catch any of her golden hairs in the knot. The blindfold made Buffy feel completely helpless. As he tied it, a familiar scent assaulted his senses.
“We’ll get to that kind of fun later, pet. Don’t worry all good things in time. I guess you remember the last time I used this blindfold on you.”
As he spun her back around he saw a familiar tint blossoming on her cheeks.
Spike pressed the button on the lift and the doors opened with a ding. Taking her hand he led Buffy into the lift, careful she didn’t fall on the slight step. Pressing the button, they both stood waiting as the lift slowly started to descend.
As they got outside a cool breeze whipped round them, making Spikes duster flutter out behind him. Sat on the curb outside the lobby of the apartment was a large silver Mercedes. Opening the door Spike helped Buffy into the front seat, making sure that her blindfold still stayed intact before going round to the other side of the car and getting in; starting the engine he drove out to their destination.
***
They drove for about 15 minutes, all the while Buffy tried to work out where they were heading. She kept leaning over and tried to get clues from Spike, however he wasn’t giving anything away. She knew, and Spike knew as well, that she was laying total trust in him now. As the car came to a halt, Buffy felt the urge to take off her blindfold and take a peek of where they were, however she refrained and sat on her hands to stop from doing it.
Spike could see the torture written across her face; he knew Buffy wasn’t the most patient person in the world and this must have been killing her. As he saw her sit on her hands he chuckled to himself. God this girl was so damn adorable.
Parking the car, he killed the engine and went to helped Buffy out of the car.
As she stepped onto the concrete, Buffy got a strong smell of diesel. Taking her hand Spike lead the still blind Buffy into a small office. Sitting her down in a chair he spoke quietly to her.
“Don’t move a muscle pet; I will be back in a sec ok?”
Buffy nodded, cold air filled the space where he has just stood. As she sat there, unable to see a thing, Buffy honed her senses, trying to work out where she was. She could hear planes going over head; they seemed to be quite close. As she sat there her spider sense started to tingle, she realised that there were demons in this room, and from the way her neck was tingling there appeared to be several. Her posture suddenly became very rigid, back straight as she sat and tried to make out Spike’s voice; however he was talking to quiet for her to hear.
Feeling him place a hand on her arm, she tilted her face up to him, even though she couldn’t see him.
“Come on, love, everything is sorted.”
She allowed him to lead her out of the office and back onto the concrete outside. They seemed to walk for quite a while, finally Spike stopped.
“Ok love there are some stairs here, so be careful. I am right behind you, its ok.” With a hand on the small of her back he urged her up the stairs.
Once they where both inside what Buffy could only guess was some form of plane Spike once again took her arm and lead her to a seat. Sitting her down in it he fastened her seatbelt ‘accidentally’ rubbing her crotch as he secured it in place. Hearing her gasp in a lungful of air, Spike smile to himself. Sitting down he fastened his own seatbelt and then with a smug grin placed his hands behind his head.
“What! That’s it?!” Spike looked across at the stuttering slayer.
“For now.” Closing his eyes he listened to his girl huffing next to him. This was going to be a fun journey.
***
After Buffy’s tenth indignant huff Spike finally took pity on her. Reaching over he took of her blindfold.
Blinking hard, Buffy tried to adjust to the bright lights. Glancing round her she saw that she was sat in a luxurious private jet. Spike sat next to her, his eyes closed, making him look almost innocent.
Opening one eye, he turned to look at her. “This is just for now. When we land the blindfold goes back on.”
“Ok Spike,” Buffy nodded trying to take everything in. “Where are we going?”
Spike chucked. “Can’t tell you that can I, pet? Would spoil the whole point of a surprise wouldn’t it?”
“Fine!” crossing her arms Buffy sat back into the leather seat with a huff. Her sour mood only lasted a second before she sat forward again staring at Spike. “Ok so tell me, how did you get me on a plane, I have no passport on me? Actually how did you get on a plane? Don’t you need to be alive to get a passport?”
Spike chuckled again; closing his eyes he placed his hands behind his head again. “Pulled a few strings. Called in a few favours. Appears my name hasn’t been tarnished here, the big bad still holds some fear.” Spike smiled to himself as he remembered the look on the demons’ faces; apparently they remembered him from the first time he had been here, back with Dru in the early 1900’s.
The rest of the journey was spent in relative silence. Buffy got up to stretch her legs, and had a little walk round the plane, while Spike poured himself a mini Jack Daniels.
As the seat belt sign came back on, Spike and Buffy both fastened themselves back in, then Spike leaned over ready to reattach the blindfold.
“Spike!” Buffy said it in such a whinny voice it made him look up and stop what he was doing.
Placing a hand on his she stopped the blindfold from rising to her eyes. “Do you have to put it back on? I want to see where we are.”
“No, love, I did tell you it would be going back on and back on it goes. Can’t have you seeing where we are.”
Pouting, Buffy dropped her hand into her lap and Spike went back about re-attaching the blindfold.
When the plane hand landed Spike unfastened his and Buffy’s seatbelts. Helping the slayer stand, they walked off the plane together and into the waiting car that sat on the runway.
Clearly Spike had everything planned perfectly.
They rode in the back of the car for over an hour. As the car finally pulled up a long driveway the sun had already set. Pulling up outside the grand building, Spike hopped out of the car and went and got Buffy out.
Standing by the side of the car he carefully took her blindfold off. Opening her eyes, Buffy felt her jar drop. She was stood in front of the grandest chateau she had ever seen, not that she had exactly seen many.
There were steps leading up to the main entrance, stood on the stairs were what appeared to be numerous maids and butlers, some of them were human, some were clearly not. They were all different shapes, sizes and colours.
“Oh my god Spike, this place is… well it’s amazing. Where are we?”
“We’re in France, pet. Welcome to Chateau Compte Climent. Come on I’ll show you around.”
Taking her hand, he led her up the stairs and past the servants. As they past each one said “Good evening Mr Bloody.”
As they got to the last in the line, Spike stopped, she was a squat demon who barely came up to Spike’s mid drift. She had a green face and sharp red eyes.
“Mr Bloody sir, everything is ready for you outside in the third garden.”
“Thank you, Mildred.”
Opening the large double doors, they stepped into the marble entrance hall. Buffy couldn’t take everything in; this whole evening was so magical. She couldn’t have even dreamed this.
“So tell me Mr Bloody.” Buffy put on her best posh voice “How does a guy like you come to own a chateau?”
Spike smiled at how adorable Buffy was. “Only own it for a night. Pulled the right strings.”
“The same strings you pulled to get us on the plane?”
“Similar.” Spike ducked his head shyly, Buffy knew not to push or question. This was the nicest thing anyone had done for her in a long time and she wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“Well then Sir, are you going to show me round this fabulous palace, or are we just going to stand here all night?” Grinning, Spike walked over to Buffy and grabbed hold of her petite hand.
Never letting go of her hand, they spent the next hour exploring the entire house.
***
As they reached back where they started, Spike finally let go of her hand.
“Are you finally ready for your surprise?” Buffy nodded eagerly. “ ’fraid the blindfold will have to go back on.”
“Ok Spike.” Turning her back to him so that he could tie it, Buffy felt Spike squeeze her bottom. “Hey!”
“Sorry, love, couldn’t resist.”
Buffy’s world went dark again as the blindfold went back over her eyes. Spike led her straight out of the back door and into garden three. Taking the blindfold off, Buffy stared at the scene in front of her. Laid out on the grass was a blanket. Next to the blanket lay an ice bucket with a chilled bottle of champagne sticking out of it and a plate of very fresh looking strawberries. Slightly away from the blanket burning torches flickered away, giving them enough light to see by.
Sitting down on the blanket, Spike handed Buffy a glass of the champagne.
“That’s not everything, pet.”
“There’s more?!” Buffy looked at Spike with wide eyes.
Taking her hand he placed a chaste kiss on the back of it. “Look up.”
Lifting her head up, Buffy saw the most amazing site she had ever seen. The dark sky was a mass of twinkling lights. Having spent her entire living in cities and large towns, Buffy had never seen anything like this, “Spike, it’s gorgeous.”
“I thought you would approve, you couldn’t see the stars in Sunnyhell, and I knew you would never have seen them while you lived in LA or Rome.”
Lying back, Buffy rested her head on his chest, as Spike played with her hair that was draped over him. “This is beautiful, thank you.”
Sitting up she kissed him on the lips. The kiss seemed to last an eternity. Time stopped for both of them. It was gentle, a loving embrace. Each poured as much feeling as they could into the kiss. Pulling back, Spike tucked her hair behind her ear.
“I love you Spike.” Buffy searched his eyes to show him she meant every word she said.
Seeing the sincerity written in her face, Spikes heart sang. “I love you too, Buffy Summers. You’re the only girl for me. There has only every really been you.”
Placing another kiss on his lips, Buffy laid back down on his chest; feeling safe and warm next to him. She felt free, freer than she had in a long time.
As she stared at the stars, a shooting star moved across the sky. “Did you see that, Spike?”
“Yeah I did love, you best make a wish.”
“It already came true.”
Closing his eyes, Spike breathed in her scent. It really was the most delectable thing he had ever smelt.
“Spike?”
Opening his eyes he looked at her. “Yeah?”
“Will you show me which stars are which?”
“Of course I can.” Taking her hand, Spike used it to point to the different star clusters “Well love this one there is…”
They looked into the stars well into the night.
***
Covering her mouth Buffy tried to mask her yawn, however it was too late, Spike had already seen it.
“Tired, pet?”
Buffy blushed slightly. “A little.”
“Have a little sleep, I’ll keep you safe.” Spike saw her hesitate. “What is it, love?”
“I don’t want this day to end.”
“Buffy, you go to sleep; I’ll still be here tomorrow.”
Nodding Buffy closed her eyes and snuggled up close to Spike. Within minuets she was peacefully asleep. Spike smiled and kissed the top of her head. Watching as she slept.
***
Slowly Buffy started to wake up. Opening her eyes she looked at the cream ceiling above her. Wait… Ceiling!! That’s not right. Sitting bolt up right, Buffy looked around her. She was back in her own bedroom in Rome. The phone was discarded next to her. Glancing at her watch she saw it was still the nineteenth, her birthday. Looking down she saw she was still wearing her jeans and jumper. It had all been a dream. She must have fallen asleep after talking to Andrew on the phone. Holding back a sob that threaten to emerged, Buffy pulled herself off the bed and went and ran to take a hot shower, all the while replaying the memory of the dream.
Emerging from the steamy bathroom, Buffy pulled on her pajamas and climbed into her bed. Turning towards the window she looked at the stars that where trying their best to break through the city sky. As she stared she remembered every aspect of the dream.
Meanwhile in LA
Spike lay in his bed staring at the stars. Rolling over, he took the crystal from his bed side and placed it back into its box. Opening his draw he threw it in. Heaving a sigh he picked up the phone and dialled the number for the second time that night.
“Hey mate… Yeah worked brilliantly… It’s away now… I’ll let her see me soon, just now isn’t the time yet…in her dreams is the best place for me… I did what I wanted, I made sure she had a good birthday… I’ll brink it back to you tomorrow… thanks again mate.”
Hanging up the phone, Spike put it back on its cradle. Turning over he stared at the stars again. He would see his love again soon.
***
On opposite sides of the world the two lovers stared at the stars, remembering the dream they had shared.
As Buffy stared at them, the lines from ninth grade production of Romeo and Juliet came to her. “Cut him out into little stars, and he shall make the face of heaven so bright, all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun.”
Closing her eyes she fell asleep into a dreamless sleep.
THE END
Thank you to my beta Ceily... she really helped, Sorry if I bugged you with endless questions...And thank you Nic for your help to.
Please all review it it would mean a lot to me thank you!!
Also the Chateau is a real place.. just down the road from me in france, if anyone would like to see a pic of it, leave me a review with your email address and I will email it to you.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Just another short one... I wrote it whole on my holiday in france... I guess you could say I get lots of inspiration while I am there!