Chapter 7: Defence
Spike stared down at his now cold dinner, stirring it around his plate absentmindedly; he hadn’t even noticed his father had since left the table. His mind whirred with thoughts of Buffy and the incident earlier that evening.
‘She hates me, she bloody hates me.’ He tensed his jaw. ‘Before you even get a soddin’ chance, and you… how could you have said that.’
“Scone?” Giles pushed a plate of warm scones in front of his obviously troubled son upon returning.
“Do I look like I want a bloody scone!?” He snapped.
“No, as a matter of fact, you look like you want to sit there all night like a snivelling child. Forgive me for attempting to combat such behaviour… continue with your wallowing, please.” He plucked his glasses from his face and rubbed them furiously.
“Bloody hell…” Spike muttered, rising to his feet. “I’m sorry, right… you can put your bleedin’ glasses back where they belong da’, I’ll have a soddin’ scone!” He reached for the plate.
“No, it’s quiet all right.” Giles moved the plate out of arms reach a slight smirk growing over his lips.
“HEY! It’s like that now is it? You think your funny ol’ man!?” He took another pass at the forbidden scones, failing again.
“Of course not. I wouldn’t dream of attempting humour in this house… why when we have so much fun sulking about.” He laughed at his son’s child-like exploits, always keeping the treats just out of grasp.
“You’re askin’ for it Rupes!” He began to laugh as well, jumping around and following the alluring path of the scones.
“Oh my, whatever will I do?” His sardonic tone was eminent.
“THAT’S IT!” Spike lunged at his father, scones flying everywhere as they fell, laughter quaking through the house.
“Stop, STOP! You’ve proven more than victorious, now let me UP!” Giles wiped tears of laughter from his eyes as he propped himself up on his elbows from the floor.
“Bloody right!” Spike settled on his knees, releasing his father from the tackle.
“So William, tell me… now that you are of a supremely improved temperament, what ever was the matter?”
“Nothin’ really.” Giles shot a knowing look. “Right then, me being the stupid wanker I am said some… well lets just say colourful things to this chit… bollocksed things up and then some.”
“Well then.” He stood brushing his sweater vest smooth. “I’d wager an apology is in order, yes?”
“It’s gonna take a lot more than a bleedin’ apology…” He gathered himself up off the ground. “Take a miracle this will.”
“Well in that case a day without the emergence of black leather and whatever hair care products you use, if any, should suffice. That would be a miracle if I ever saw one.” A tiny giggled escaped him.
“HA-Bloody-HA!” Spike threw the nearest scone striking Rupert in the forehead.
“Hey! That hurt!” He rubbed his head forlornly.
“Big girl!”
“You’re not too old to put across me knee you know!?”
“Right.” Spike turned from his father, scoffing at his comment.
“William?”
“Yeah…” He turned in time to catch a scone in the side of the face.
~~
Willow stroked Buffy’s scalp, running her slight fingers from her friend’s forehead down the rounded contours through silky hair. The dizzying amount of information she had just absorbed pounded through her mind. She hurt for her friend.
“Are you feeling a little better Buffy?” Willow questioned meekly.
“Y-Yeah I guess so.” Buffy sat up taking a shaky breath.
“Buffy…” The red-head paused contemplating the information she had just learnt. “Did you… Or, did anyone press any charges against him?”
“No, it was bad enough with the rumours… a-and my brothers. I didn’t, I couldn’t, do you think that’s awful?” She rubbed the red rawness of her eyes.
“No, of course not Buffy. You did nothing wrong, what he did, that was awful.”
~~
Spike left the lights off in his room and closed the door tightly. Strumming his fingers against his head, scrunching his eyes shut fiercely he threw himself back onto the black covered mattress. He let his head dangle off the bed, eyes closed in thought.
‘“Stay away from me.”’ Her words haunted him.
‘I was so close, we were so close. I’m never gonna make it right, need that bloody miracle.’ He berated himself.
‘“Well in that case a day without the emergence of black leather and whatever hair care products you use, if any, should suffice. That would be a miracle if I ever saw one.”’ His father’s words sprang forth.
Spike shot off the bed in a hurry, a man on a mission.
~~
Buffy walked through the kitchen alone. Willow had left and her brothers had gone out for a celebratory dinner with Joyce. She leaned down onto the cold countertop, resting a flushed cheek on its icy surface, letting out a long sigh.
After telling Willow everything that had happened following the game, not to mention her history from back in LA she was exhausted, thoroughly disheartened and exhausted.
“Super-slut at it again.” She mumbled into the hard surface only to be jarred from her degrading thoughts by a rhythmic rapping at the door.
“Coming.” She jerked the door open wide. “Hel…” She froze.
The figure before her was foreign…
Gone were all signs of familiarity- sneakers peeked out from the edge of faded blue jeans and a polo shirt hugged his slim yet athletic build. Shaking hands held an array of fragrant flowers, soft tussled curls fell around what was the only recognizable image… his chiselled face.
“Evenin’ pet,” Spike smiled shyly, again something foreign to Buffy.
She struggled to reign in her thoughts and produce words.
“W- What are you doing here?” Her breathy voice, her wide eyes, her reaction wasn’t unfamiliar at all.
“I c-came by to…uh…” He stared down at his feet, stuttering.
“Flowers?” Buffy processed what was standing in front of her.
“They’re for you.” He pushed the bouquet under her nose, pulling away almost too quickly, the flowers dropping into her rising palms.
“Spike I…”
“Wait, before you say anything just wait…” Buffy looked a little taken aback, which was alright by him as long as she didn’t look like a door slamming in his face he thought he was doing fairly well. “I know what I said today was unforgivable, I’m very aware of what a complete prat I can be. But I came here to apologise ‘cause truth is you’re the last person I would ever want to hurt.” He drew in a deep breath.
Buffy didn’t make eye contact, her orbs becoming transfixed on the wooden floor.
“Buffy?” His voice quivered.
“I-I can’t, I just can’t…” Teary emeralds rose to meet his worried gaze only to slam shut upon reading the emotions written there. She backed away.
“Can’t WHAT? Can’t accept my bleedin’ apology, can’t be with me, can’t WHAT Buffy!” He expected rejection, but couldn’t hide the hurt and anger that it inevitably caused.
“THIS! I can’t do this… get flowers and smile and pretend that today didn’t happen. I just can’t.” Tears ran freely from her swollen eyes.
“I’m not askin’ you to pretend it didn’t happen, I’m askin’ that you maybe forgive me!”
“Fine you’re forgiven, but it still doesn’t change anything!”
“What the hell HAPPENED today Buffy? What went on in the bloody training room!?”
“Oh we’re back to this now!?”
“No, don’t DO that! I’m not blaming, or accusing… I just want to know what happened!”
“What does it matter… you’ll still think I’m a SLUT anyway!”
Spike’s eyes narrowed dangerously and he took in a needed gulp of air.
“Is that what you thought…?” He stopped again for more air, his growl dark and breathy.
“Well you saw me with…” An icy shiver raced through her body. “…And you assumed I was jumping his bones right? That is what you said!”
“NO!” He moved all the way into the house slamming the door behind him with astonishing force. “I NEVER thought that!”
“No?” Her tone was loosing conviction. “So you just asked me if something was going on between me and that asshole cause you figured what? He and I were bestest pals!?”
“How could you think…?”
“How could I NOT?!”
“Maybe ‘cause I CARE ‘bout you!”
“Could have fooled me.”
“It NEVER crossed my mind OK! I saw that wanker touching my girl and I went nuts. I lost it, I’ll admit it… I was…” He paused and looked away from Buffy’s wounded expression.
“I was afraid of losing you, which is stupid I know ‘cause I don’t even bloody have you. But I... we’re almost right… But I NEVER thought THAT! How could I… Buffy, I wouldn’t… I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Buffy remained immobile, astonished.
“Buffy, please…”
“Your girl?”
“Huh?”
“Y- You said… b- before…”
He crossed the foyer, leaning down and into her frail frame, scooping her head into comforting hands.
“Only in my dreams…” He stroked her tear stained cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. “Sorry luv, didn’t mean to be presumptuous before. Just slipped out.”
“I- It’s ok… and maybe your right?” She let the beginnings of a smile start on her lips.
“I’d like to think so.” He smirked then furrowed his brow. “Bout what exactly pet?”
“Maybe it’s better to just forgive and forget so to speak… start over?” She awaited a response.
“Of coarse sweetheart.” He smiled warmly.
“As long as you really don’t think…?”
“Not possible luv.”
“If you say so.”
“I do.”
“Then we’re ok?”
“We are… if you say you’ll still come out with me on Friday?” He almost pleaded with slight hesitation in his voice.
“I will.”
“You will?”
“Uh-Huh.”
A smile brighter than any she had known beamed down at her.
“I’m gonna go now.” He snorted at the confused pout on Buffy’s face. “Gotta get home before you change your bloody mind.”
“Funny!”
“I thought so.”
“Well, bye.” Buffy stepped forward opening the door.
“Yeah, right… bye.” He made his way onto the porch, stopping before Buffy shut the door completely.
“Buffy?”
“Yeah?”
“You are you know…”
“What?”
“My girl.”
~
*A/N: Please take the time to review thanks!*
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