Epilogue
“I marvel at your complaining since you carry heavy objects and build shit for a living,” Doyle said to Xander as they wrestled a kitchen table in Buffy and Spike’s new apartment.
Xander looked at him petulantly, “Which is exactly why I’m complaining. Why do I want to do this on my day off?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because they’re your friends?” Doyle retorted.
“I’m here aren’t I?” Xander said and they set the table down.
Doyle rolled his eyes and looked over at Buffy who was opening a box, trying to figure out exactly what she’d put into it. She was trying not to laugh at Xander and Doyle at the same time. They were just so funny together. She just hoped that her dear friend didn’t get hurt by the unsure Mr. Harris. He still had a long, winding road to get through before he was fully comfortable with his sexuality and his feelings for Doyle. He was who Doyle wanted however, and she had learned from Spike that the heart wants what it wants; and Doyle’s heart wanted Xander.
Spike came through the door with Giles, the two of them hefting up the chairs.
“How come they got the easy job?” Xander said, gesturing to Spike and Giles.
“That’s because I like to see you sweat, honey,” Doyle grinned and Xander blushed. “Though if I knew some whine with that sweat, I might not have bothered.”
Xander scowled and Doyle smiled cheekily.
“Honestly boys, I do not see you’ve fared better. These chairs are atrociously heavy and you had help,” Giles pointed out between panting breaths.
“You didn’t ding the chairs, did you?” Joyce asked, coming in after them carrying a basket of towels.
“No, Mum. No dinging,” Spike told her after he set his chair down and kissed her cheek.
“Flatterer. If Buffy is anything like me—“
“And she is,” Spike chimed in. Buffy stuck her tongue out at him and he grinned unrepentantly.
“Then she likes her things looking nice,” Joyce finished.
Buffy shrugged, “Nice is good.”
“So, is that all of it then?” Giles asked, taking out a handkerchief and wiping the sweat from his face. “Dear God, tell me that’s it.” He sat down wearily on the chair he’d just brought up.
Spike chuckled. “That’s it, Dad,” he assured him and patted his back.
“Thank you,” Giles said wearily.
“You poor dear,” Joyce cooed and came over to him, perching herself on his lap. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a small kiss.
“Oh, come on guys!” Buffy complained. “Do we really need to see this?”
Giles looked at her warily, “As if we haven’t been subjected to the both of you and, what is it you call it? PDA’s?”
“You’re gonna make my girl blush,” Spike scolded them lightly.
“Oh please. You’re the one that’s going to blush,” Buffy retorted and giggled when Spike lunged at her, tickling her sides.
“Here we go,” Doyle muttered and Xander nudged him with his shoulder. Doyle looked up at him and grinned.
“Why don’t we order a pizza?” Joyce suggested. “Buffy and I can set up the kitchen a little bit and the boys can put the bed together and the TV and all that. Then, we can eat.”
Three hours later, Buffy and Spike were nestled in their own living on their own couch, cuddling.
“I think we should get a tree for Christmas,” Buffy told Spike. “A Charlie Brown Christmas tree.”
”I think it can have a little more life than that, Buffy.”
She nodded, “And we can invite Doyle and Xander over. And of course Mom and Giles. I think that would be the perfect apartment warming, don’t you think?”
“You’re hoping Mom and Giles will give us more money,” Spike teased.
Buffy grinned, “Or at least that bathroom set I was wanting.”
“You’re spoiled.”
”Not my fault. You do your fair share of spoiling me too, you know.”
Spike smiled and kissed her sweetly, “Guilty as charged.”
“It wasn’t so bad living with Mom and Giles for the past month, was it?” Buffy mused, running her hands through Spike’s curls idly.
“Nope, it wasn’t. But I did want to get out on our own. It’s funny how quickly you can grow out of something when you’re wanting to start fresh.”
“You think Tara would come to a house warming or is that crossing a patient-therapist boundary?”
“That might be crossing a boundary, luv.”
“Too bad. I like her.”
“So do I.”
“But you like me, more right?”
Spike leaned in and kissed her, licking his tongue inside her mouth. “What do you think?” he asked when he broke apart.
“Let’s make some more plans. What do you want for Christmas?”
Spike maneuvered himself so that he was on top of Buffy, grinning mischievously down at her. “You. Under the tree in red underwear. Maybe with that fuzzy fake white fur?”
Buffy giggled, “Only if you’re wearing a matching hat.”
“On which head?” he asked and waggled his eyebrows.
Buffy exploded into giggles and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m so happy you came back home.”
“Me too.”
“Do you wish you’d never left?”
“I don’t know. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I’d stayed, and then at times I think none of this would have happened if I had. It’s like I had to go on the journey to get in this good place you know?”
Buffy nodded.
”I have another plan.”
“Mmm?” Buffy murmured burying her face in his neck.
“How would you feel about getting engaged?”
She froze and looked up at him. “Really?”
He nodded, looking almost fearful.
She caressed the side of his face, smiling at him tenderly. “Don’t look so afraid. You should know I’ll say yes.”
“That does take the pressure off.”
”Was there ever any doubt?”
“Well, you know, you’re young, independent—“
“And I love you and you’re the only one I want to be with. Forever.”
“Forever, I like the sound of that,” he said huskily and nuzzled her cheek.
“So do I. Think it’d be weird if Doyle was my Maid of Honor?”
The End.
[Reviews - 648]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | 
Chapter or Story
Has been viewed 4544 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story - Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here we are guys, the end. I want to thank you all so much for the support of this story. It was fun to write, at times sad to write too. This just seemed a good place to end it at. Hope you like :)