[Reviews - 72]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 4298 times

- Text Size +




Chapter Eleven



It was her last day in L.A. and Buffy was sunbathing next to the pool in her father’s backyard. She had just enough time to work on her tan and go for a swim before she had to get ready for her date with Spike. Her last date with Spike.

She knew how it was supposed to end. They were supposed to say their goodbyes and then she would leave L.A. with three month’s worth of memories and never look back. But somehow, she knew that wasn’t going to happen. Spike was stubborn and in love with her, and he wasn’t going to let her go without a fight.

Buffy felt a lump forming in her throat at the mere thought of losing Spike forever. But there was no way he would stay with her when he learned that she was sixteen and had been lying to him since they met. She needed to keep her resolve, even though it was quite possible she’d never feel the way she did when she was with him again.

Discarding her sunglasses on the nearby table, Buffy dove into the warm pool water. She started swimming laps, faster and faster, trying to work off her frustration.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts, she barely noticed when someone called out her name. Buffy lifted her head out of the water to see her father and sister standing above her. Her brow wrinkled in confusion, wasn’t her father supposed to be at work?

"Dad? What are you doing here?" she asked, stepping up the ladder and taking the towel her father offered her. Only then did she notice the tears in her sister’s eyes. "What’s going on?"

Dawn flung herself onto Buffy, wrapping her arms around her older sister and not caring that she was getting wet in the process. Before Hank could answer Buffy’s questions, Dawn pulled back slightly so she was looking into green eyes. "It’s Mom."



The car ride home was a silent one. Buffy spent most of the time staring out the window urging the car to go faster, to get her to her mother. Hank tried engaging in conversation, but neither of the girls answered with more than a mumbled word.

Hank turned up the volume of the radio just as a new song started. Buffy’s ears perked up as Dawn made a sour face. "What are we listening to, Dad?" she asked, extending her hand to change the station.

"No, keep it on," Buffy requested from the backseat. It was one of Spike’s songs, she didn’t know the name or the band that played it, but she knew she’d heard it in his apartment.

Dawn turned around to give her sister a confused glance, this was hardly Buffy's usual choice of music, but Buffy was oblivious. Must have something to do with her new punk rock boyfriend, Dawn figured turning her attention back to her fingernails.

Spike. For the first time since her father had informed her of her mother's sudden illness, she remembered Spike and their date. She felt a pang of guilt and sadness that she would never have a chance to say goodbye to him. Her thoughts traveled back to the previous night when both had tried so hard not to mention what was going to happen in less than twenty four hours.

"Spike!"

"Buffy!"

They’d climaxed together. As soon as she felt him cum inside her, she collapsed against his chest. Spike rolled them onto their sides, never pulling out of her heat. He propped himself up on his elbow and drew lazy circles on her hip while staring at her.

Buffy finally noticed his gaze and looked up at him from where her head was lying on the pillow. "What?" she asked, her already flushed cheeks reddening.

Spike leaned down to kiss her softly. "I’m in love with you," he replied simply.

Buffy’s smile froze on her lips. At sixteen she had already found what most people searched their whole lives for, and she couldn’t even keep it. How was that fair?

"Not quite the reaction I was hoping for," he joked although he knew the reason for her change in mood. "We’ll be fine, kitten," he promised.

Forgetting her sad thoughts, she focused on Spike and wished his promises could be true. In his mind eighteen year old Buffy would go back to Sunnydale and her boyfriend would visit her at UCSD whenever he got the chance. She put on a smile for his sake. "Yeah we will," she agreed pushing herself closer to him, wanting to forget that tomorrow she’d be leaving the love of her life.



"Dad, can I use your phone?" Buffy asked after she had seen her mother. Dr. Walsh, her mother’s physician, had assured them that everything was alright for now, but she needed to run more tests to find out what was causing Joyce such horrible migraines.

Hank handed Buffy the cell phone he’d leant her while she was staying in L.A. under the impression that Buffy was going to call Faith. He didn't need to know that she'd already said goodbye to Faith the day before, wanting to spend her entire last day with Spike.

Buffy made her way out of the hospital building and turned on the cell phone hitting the single digit she’d used most often during her trip. When Spike had originally given Buffy his number, she’d immediately stored it as speed dial number one. Buffy had always known she was leaving him, and had no delusions of a relationship when she returned to Sunnydale. Not having any way of getting in touch with him made that a little easier.

As soon as she heard his voice, a smile brightened her glum face. When she realized it was only his voicemail the smile quickly turned into a frown. This was her only chance to say goodbye to him, and she hated that it had to be over the phone never mind to his answering service.

When she heard the beep signaling her to leave her message, Buffy froze. All the speeches she’d prepared on the ride down from L.A. floated out of her brain and left her with nothing.

"It’s me," she started finally. "I’m sorry I have to say this to your voicemail, but I won’t have another chance to call you." She took a deep breath before finishing what she had to say. "I’m in Sunnydale right now. My mom got sick and I had to come home earlier than I thought. I wish I could have said goodbye to you in person, but we left as soon as we found out this morning. This summer with you was great, probably the best summer I’ll ever have. I wish so much that it didn’t have to end, but things are complicated. I love you and I’m sorry. Goodbye, William."

Buffy brushed the tears from her cheeks as she hung up the phone. She quickly deleted the number from the phone book and the speed dial list, before she had second thoughts. She choked back another wave of tears and ran back inside the hospital.



The next day, Joyce was released from the hospital, with Dr. Walsh promising to call the second the lab results were in her hands. Buffy was glad to be back in the familiar setting of her home, and immediately ran up the stairs and into her room.

Buffy laid back on her bed, trying her hardest not to think of Spike. She knew it would take a while before she was completely over him, maybe even months, but she had to move on.

She sat up on her bed when she heard a soft knock on her door. "Come in!"

The door opened to reveal a slightly older looking Willow. Buffy couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but something about her friend had changed and it wasn’t just her new haircut. "Will, your hair!" Buffy exclaimed. Willow fingered her shoulder length locks nervously. "I love it!"

The two friends hugged. "So how was your summer?" Willow asked when they pulled apart.

Buffy smiled despite the lone tear that rolled down her cheek. "Perfect."





You must login (register) to review.