Anya appeared impatient, as if she didn’t have time for this, as if this was a set-back in her busy day and couldn’t take the two minutes to hear what Buffy had to say.
Buffy remained calm, but Faith wanted to haul off and deck her. She’d wanted to hit her for a while now, so it wasn’t a big surprise, but the more irritated Anya became, and the more calm Buffy remained, the more Faith wanted to hit Anya.
Granted, she hadn’t reacted the best when she’d found out that Buffy was interested in Spike, but, Doyle was her brother, so of course she had something to say; something to feel about it. And yes, Anya had been dating Spike, but the things that Anya had said to Buffy: Bringing Doyle into the mix and making it seem as if Doyle would be disgusted with her – that was unforgivable. As was making Buffy out to be some crybaby. She’d lost her husband for Christ’s sake, and not just any man, but the greatest man Faith had ever known. The only man she’d ever trusted.
For Buffy’s sake, Faith left the room quietly to get a drink. She was keeping her ear out though. If that bitch said one wrong thing to Buffy, she was out on her ear.
*******************
“Buffy, stop stalling already. Just tell me what’s going on,” Anya demanded, annoyed.
Sitting next to Anya, she bit her bottom lip and placed her hands in her lap. “Okay, well, see, Spike had a heart transplant—“
Anya’s eyes popped open, “Get out! He did?”
Buffy nodded, “He’s sensitive about it—“
“No shit, the bastard never told me!”
“He’s not a bastard,” Buffy said, trying to be calm no matter how much that remark made her want to snap at Anya.
“So – God, that’s why he never wanted to take off his shirt! Because of that scar—“
“There is nothing wrong with that scar,” Buffy said vehemently.
Anya shrugged, “So, is this it then?”
Buffy shook her head, “No. Well, partly. Spike has Doyle’s heart.”
Anya’s jaw dropped, “You mean when Doyle donated . . . and Spike needed. . . Oh my God.”
“He’s pretty upset right now and I think I’m partly to blame—“
“What did you do?”
“I was upset. He’d written this letter to the family of his donor – he never knew it was me and I opened it this morning. He came in and well, it came out.”
“Oh my God.”
Buffy nodded, “And I put my hand over his heart, trying to see if I could feel Doyle and. . . I didn’t. He left in a rush and he was clearly upset,” Buffy was on a roll now, “But I realized that I loved him and that—“
“Whoa, stop right there.”
Buffy clamped her mouth shut.
“I can tell you right now that there’s no way Spike is going to believe that.”
Buffy blinked, “What? That I love him?”
“Yes.”
“Why not?”
Anya looked at her as if she were nuts, “Because he has Doyle’s heart, and you were Doyle’s wife! Buffy, if you tell him how you feel, he’s only going to think you love him because he has Doyle’s heart.”
“You think?”
Anya nodded vigorously, “Yes, of course he is! He’s going to think that you’re just trying to be with Doyle through him. And really, don’t you just love him maybe more than before because he has Doyle’s heart?”
Buffy shook her head, “No, I don’t love him more for –“
“So you love him less because he isn’t Doyle? Let’s face facts here, Buffy. You’re never going to be satisfied with anyone that isn’t Doyle.”
“That’s not true—“
“I know how much you loved Doyle, Buffy. Maybe this is Doyle’s way of preventing you from moving on.”
That did it. In the instant that Buffy jumped up from the couch, Faith flew out of the kitchen.
“You little bitch—“ Faith started.
“Faith, stop,” Buffy held up her hand, stopping her sister-in-law. She was in tune to Faith well enough to know that Faith wanted to rip Anya a new one for that remark.
However, Buffy wanted the honors.
“You know Anya,” Buffy began, “I was all on board for feeling guilty for the way things happened with Spike. I was all on board for trying to somehow make things up to you. I’ve pretty much bent over backwards because I felt that I failed you as a friend. I felt as if I betrayed you, and on some level, I did.
However. You’ve betrayed me too. You have taken the things that mean the most to me – my husband and Spike, and used them against me. You’ve used my weaknesses, my pain over losing my husband, and now my love for Spike to get back at me; to single me out, to make me alone, and to make me miserable.
Oh, you tried with Riley. But it was on your terms, and the way you sang him praises all night I wouldn’t have been surprised if you fucked him yourself. Everything has to be on your terms. At first, I needed someone to help me get through the day, and I truly was grateful for that help. But now . . . I’m done.
Your ploy to keep me from Spike won’t work. I have a lot more faith in Spike, than you realize. And, he has a lot more faith in me than you ever have. I’m done being your little pet project, I’m done trying to bend over backwards to save this friendship. You don’t control me anymore, Anya. And all those things you said about Doyle, is wrong. He would want me to be happy. He wouldn’t keep me from it. On that note, I think it’s best if you leave.”
Anya jumped from the couch in a huff and opened her mouth to say something, but Faith, darling Faith, stood beside Buffy and shot her a menacing look. Anya clamped her mouth shut, grabbed her purse and strode out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
“B, that was awesome!” Faith exclaimed. “You were straight to the point, but you weren’t nasty, you were all . . . diplomatic.”
Buffy laughed, “The complete opposite of what you would have been, right?”
“Got that right. I was ready to knock her teeth down her throat.”
“That felt good, real good.” She let out a huge sigh and shook her body as if she were warming up to work out, “God, I didn’t realize how good that would feel! Spike was completely right. She’s been biding her time all this time to just find a way to separate Spike and I. She’s been waiting for it. And she used this to do it. After all that guilt I felt for everything too! Spike would have been proud.”
“Screw, Spike. Pat yourself on the back and bask in your achievement for a minute.”
Buffy beamed at the brunette and let out a long sigh. “A weight has been lifted. Well, a small one compared to the next task.”
“Spike, right?”
“Yep, Spike. I’ve got a man to get to.“
“And when you do see him? What are you going to say?”
“I think that’s something he should hear first, don’t you?”
Faith smiled, “Yeah, but I’m nosy.”
Buffy tweaked her nose. “You won’t feel neglected if I go?”
“Not at all. Just call me later to let me know what happens.”
“Promise.”
*********************
Two hours later . . . .
Spike wearily climbed out of his car and shoved his car keys into his pocket. He needed to leave his aunt and uncle’s, he couldn’t stay there forever.
Climbing the steps to his door, he spied a body moving out of the corner of his eye on the porch swing.
Buffy.
She was curled up on the tiny swing, her eyes shut, sleeping soundly. Drawn to her like a moth to a flame, Spike ambled over quietly and knelt beside her, smiling wearily at her small form all curled up.
Her eyes popped open as if sensing him. “Spike.”
“Hi, Buffy. How long you been here?”
“What time is it?”
“Four.”
“Two hours.”
“Buffy, you shouldn’t be out here sleeping like this –“
“You waited for me once, remember?”
He nodded, “I remember.”
“You don’t let me run, so I’m not going to let you run.”
“You should,” he said softly.
“No. I love you, Spike, and I need you with me.”