Chapter Three
Buffy allowed the large couch in the living room to envelope her as she sat in the dark, a forgotten glass of wine on the end table next to her.
She was exhausted. Mentally, physically and emotionally. Her mind would not shut off and it was with great relief that Lindsey had requested Uncle William read her a book before bed. Buffy was finding it hard to handle mundane tasks. All she wanted to do was sit and contemplate. Her mind was on constant replay of the weekend and she felt if she could take
the time to piece together what had happened, she could find
the missing link.
Her mind however, found it more important for her to
replay the time Angel had cheated on her within their first
year of marriage. She kept seeing that night she’d had that
feeling he was cheating on her. Her mother had always said
that a woman knows when her husband has gone astray.
FLASHBACK
“Is he having an affair?” Buffy demanded of Spike. She was soaked to the bone from the rain. She was literally making a puddle where she stood in his doorway. Her jeans,
t-shirt and the jacket she’d thrown on were completely
soaked through. The hood of her jacket was still over her
head and her hair hung in strings with chunks clinging to her
face.
He blinked at her. “What?”
“Is Angel having an affair?”
“Buffy—“
“Tell me,” she said urgently.
“Come inside, you’re soaking wet.”
“Just tell me.”
He pinned her with his steel hard gaze. “Not until you
come inside.”
Pursing her lips together, she stepped inside his
apartment.
“More than that missy,” he ordered. She took a few
more steps inside. “Take that jacket off; it’s not doing you any
good now. I’ll get some dry clothes,” he muttered and started
for his bedroom.
She followed him, nipping at his heels. “Why can’t you
look me in the eye, Spike?”
He spun around, nearly knocking into her. He looked
her directly in the eyes. “Happy now?”
She clenched her jaw.
“Where is this coming from Buffy? Just out of the blue
you think Angel’s cheating on you?”
“Yes.”
He regarded her skeptically.
“He’s been working a lot lately—“ she started.
“He’s trying to make partner, Buffy. You think it’s easy to
make partner in a law firm like his? McDonald and Pryce is a
prestigious firm. They don’t just take anyone.”
“I know, but—“
“And that’s cliché. Even for you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What the hell is that supposed to
mean?”
“Never mind. What else makes you think he’s cheating
on you?”
“He’s not interested in sex anymore.”
Spike shook his head and took a large step
back. “Buffy…”
“Not that I’ve had much of an interest either. I am trying
to get our house in order and have my own career . . . “
“Are YOU having an affair?”
She glared at him. “Don’t start with that shit.”
“What? You don’t like it when I psychoanalyze you?”
“No. You want me to start on you?”
He grimaced, “Please don’t.”
“Listen, Spike, I can’t give you a concrete reason why I
feel he is . . . I was just sitting there tonight flipping through
the channels on the TV at home, wondering if I would be able
to stay up and wait for him to get home or if I was going to
fall asleep and not have the chance to talk to my husband
and . . . it hit me.”
“Have you been drinking?”
She grabbed his hand, making him listen, letting him
know how important this was to her. “Is he having an affair?”
Spike looked her directly in the eyes when he
answered. “Ask Angel.”
***************************************************************************
***********
“What are you thinking about?” Spike asked, jarring Buffy
from her trip down memory lane. He flicked on the light next
to her. “Why are you sitting in the dark?”
“My head was hurting.”
“Migraine?”
“No, thankfully.”
He gestured to the glass of wine. “I’m sure that’s not
helping.”
Buffy ignored him, “Lindsey sleeping?”
“Out like a light,” Spike grinned and leaned back next to
her. “What can I say, I’ve got the touch?”
Buffy shook her head, “Yeah, you’ve got the touch for
something all right,” she muttered.
“Don’t recall you minding my touch at one time,” he
drawled.
She sat up straight and turned to him, glaring. “Don’t.”
He raised a brow, “What?”
She gave him a look, “You know what.”
He sighed heavily and nodded his head towards the
ceiling. “What are you gonna tell her?”
Buffy sat back and reached for her wine. “I don’t
know. I’m still . . . He didn’t say anything to you?”
“Nope.”
“Remember when –“
“You don’t have to remind me of that night Buffy. I
remember it.”
“You covered for him,” she said accusingly.
He shook his head. “You got it all wrong. I wasn’t
protecting him.”
“You wouldn’t tell me if my husband was cheating on
me, Spike. Who were you protecting if not him?”
“You,” he said simply.
“Me? How were you protecting me?”
“I was hoping he’d stop before you found out. I
was working on him. He was already feeling guilty, I figured
if he stopped before you figured it out, then you’d never have
to know and never have to be so hurt. Remember how hurt
you were?”
“That’s not something easily forgotten,” she said softly. “It
stays with you, no matter how much time has passed.
Doesn’t make it right to have dishonesty between a couple
though, does it?”
“Did you ever tell Angel about—“
“Point taken,” she said quickly before he could finish. “Would
you do it?”
“Cheat and lie about it?”
“Both.”
“No. I’m not wired that way. Loyal to a bloody fault.”
“How is that a fault?”
“She’s a smart bird, you know. She knows something’s off;
she’s just waiting for you to tell her what it is.”
The shift in gears had Buffy’s head spinning. It took her a
minute to figure out she was talking about Lindsey.
“I’ll figure it out,” she finally said.
“I’ll do it with you if you want.”
“No, that’s okay, you don’t have to—“
“I want to.”
“Why?”
Spike stood, and before walking up the stairs to his bedroom
he said, “You know why.”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
special thanks to Ciley for her help!! :)
Thanks for the reviews everyone! :)
Thanks for the reviews everyone! :)