Chapter 49. Come Hell or High Water
As silently as she could Buffy entered her chambers, closing the French doors behind her and then reclining against them, bringing one of her hands up to trace her tingling lips, a dreamy smile curving her mouth as she remembered how she felt while William kissed her, while he made love to her.
One of the bureau lamps suddenly lit up the room, startling her out of her thoughts and allowing her to notice for the first time that she was not alone.
“About time you decided to appear, Niña,” María said from the bedside, her arms crossed in front of her chest and a frown marring her features.
With a surprised gasp, Buffy brought her hand up to her heart, “God, you scared me! I thought it was someone else.”
“You’re lucky it wasn’t.” She heaved a long suffering sigh, before she noticed the girl’s disheveled state. Uh-oh, not good. “I take it William found you?”
“Oh yes, he sure did,” Buffy answered breathlessly, her eyes softening with love at being reminded of her fiancé.
María’s concerns increased tenfold when seeing the dazed look on Elizabeth’s face at the mention of the pirate. Oh God, she’d known it wasn’t a good idea to send him after her, she just didn’t expect it to be this bad.
It was then when she saw the diamond ring gracing the girl’s left hand. “What is that?”
“What?” Buffy lowered her eyes to where María was pointing, then neared her nana and showed it to her. “Ooh, it’s my engagement ring, William gave it to me, isn’t it gorgeous?”
María almost swallowed her tongue when she realized what she was watching. The De Alcazar diamond. Dios, she hadn’t seen it ever since… No, that couldn’t be right, that would mean…
“How did you get that?” she asked, scared of the answer she was almost certain she would receive.
“Why, William gave it to me, how else?” Buffy sighed, a dreamy smile on her lips as she brought the ring up to caress her cheek with it.
“And do you know how he got it?”
Buffy’s brow furrowed as she thought back to what William had said when he gave her the ring. “Now that you mention it, no, he didn’t say. Why, is there a problem with it?”
“No, no, don’t worry about that. I just thought it looked like—” she interrupted herself, unsure if she should continue or not, but finally deciding not to. “It’s nothing. Now tell me… where did William find you?”
“In the convent.”
The older woman’s eyes widened. “And Sister Margaret let you leave just like that with him?”
“Not exactly.” Buffy squirmed a little under María’s disbelieving gaze. “He told her I was his bride.”
“And she believed that?!”
“Well, William can be very convincing when he wants to.”
“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of,” María murmured, fearful of finding out what else he might have convinced her charge of.
Not that it was that difficult to imagine what happened between them, she thought as she inspected Elizabeth. The crumpled dress, the bee-stung lips, the way she glowed, the hay in her hair… Good Lord, it might be too late to do anything about this, but William was about to get an earful of what she thought of him.
“You don’t need to be afraid, Nana,” Buffy hugged the woman tightly, kissing her cheek. “William and I are in love and we’re getting married as soon as it’s possible. Aren’t you happy for me? I thought you liked him.” Buffy’s happiness slipped down a notch at the thought that María might not approve of their union.
“I do like him and I’m happy for you. It’s only that… you know what? Forget it.” She didn’t want to ruin her niña’s joy by stating the obvious. What’s done was done. They’d just have to play with the hand they’d been dealt and pray things resulted as they hoped they would. But first things first, and first thing was talking to William.
“I’m going to ask a maid to draw you a bath and then bring you something to eat, alright?” she said, waiting until her niña nodded in agreement before rushing out of the room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Spike lay in his bed as he replayed the events of the past two days. So many things had happened in such little time, but the most important was that Buffy was truly his now. She knew of his past involvement with Aimée and despite that, despite everything, she still loved him. Loved him enough to forgive that he foolishly thought he could marry someone that wasn’t her, even if it was before meeting her. Loved him enough to accept his wedding proposal, even when he was only William the Bloody, completely uncaring if she had her family’s approval or if he had a last name to give to her. Loved him enough to become his in every sense of the word, to give all of herself to him by responding sweetly, fervently to his passion.
And that’s all he ever wanted, to love with everything he had and be loved the same way in return.
He only wished she were his wife already so they wouldn’t have to be apart. Not even for a few hours. Soon, though. As soon as he could arrange for their wedding to take place and even if it were tomorrow, it wouldn’t be soon enough.
His Buffy deserved a ceremony worthy of the goddess she was, though with the white dress, the flowers, her family and friends being there to witness the joyous occasion. And he would give it to her, regardless of who objected.
He closed his eyes as he pictured her walking down the aisle towards him, her eyes shining with love and her smile brightening up the church…
He was so lost in his daydream, it took him a while until he finally heard someone knocking on the door to his room. Rather insistently and getting louder by the second, too.
Spike frowned as he glanced at the clock on the nearby desk. It wasn’t even nine yet and he wasn’t expecting anyone. Although, considering how many visitors he’d received since his arrival to Campo Real the day before, he shouldn’t be that surprised.
He got up from the bed and walked towards the anteroom, intent on telling whoever it was on the other side to just sod off and leave him alone. Then again, what if it were Buffy? It wasn’t beyond the realm of possibilities.
Hopeful that it was indeed her, he opened the door; disappointment and a frisson of fear washing over him when he found his fiancée’s nanny there, a foreboding look in her face.
Uh-oh, bugger! Time to turn on the charm or else. “María, what a wonderful surprise! I was just about to come looking for you to tell you I brought your niña back safe and sound.” He threw her a winsome smile, inviting her into his quarters with a sweep of his arm. His smile promptly turned into a wince at the glowering glare he got in response as she went past him in a huff to enter the room. Not too good that.
“Were you now?” she asked, turning around to face him, raising an eyebrow inquisitively at him while stepping further inside.
“Of course I was. I know I promised we’d return as soon as possible, but it took me a while to convince Sister Margaret of allowing me to even speak with Elizabeth, let alone bring her back with me.”
“Is that right?” She crossed her arms in front of her chest as she watched him shrewdly.
Spike shuffled his feet, lowering his eyes to the floor, feeling nervous all of a sudden. Something was not right, he was sure of it, but for the life of him he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. “Yes.”
“And that’s the only reason you came back so late then?”
“Yes, that’s what I just said, didn’t I?” he answered, a slight edge to his words. Something about the tone of her voice was making him wary of her motives for visiting him. Maybe… no, she couldn’t know. Could she?
“Yes, that’s what you said. That’s not the only thing you did, though, was it?”
“I-I,” he gulped, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed past the lump in his throat. She knew; how on earth did she found out? “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Like hell you don’t!” She fisted her hands and placed them on her hips, scowl firmly in place on her face as she prepared to lecture William over the idiotic thing he’d done. “But if you need to be reminded, perhaps you’ll be so kind as to tell me why is it that my Elizabeth entered her room tonight looking as if she’d just stumbled out of your bed? And don’t try to deny it, I’ve lived a whole lot longer than you and believe me, I know the signs.”
He paled and tried to speak, but was unable to when María continued with her tirade.
“Of all the idiotic, rash, stupid things you could’ve pulled, that was the worst you could choose. And it wasn’t like Doña Darla and Don Angel haven’t already offered her in matrimony to you, so tell me where was the need to put the cart before the damned horse?”
“I-you,” he started, only to be interrupted once again.
“Did you even think of the consequences of your actions?” she asked, throwing her hands up in the air before answering her own question, “No, of course you didn’t. You didn’t care what could happen to her if the wedding didn’t take place, did you?”
“Wait a minute!”
“I’m not waiting for anything. You should’ve known better! You’re older, much more experienced than she is and really, you should know Aimée is not going to leave things just like that. In the time it takes to prepare a wedding a thousand things can go wrong and what then?” she paused for a second, then asked him annoyed, “Well, aren’t you going to say anything?”
“Are you actually going to let me speak now?” He passed a hand over his face as he inhaled deeply, trying to rein in his temper and put his thoughts in order. Not that he blamed the woman; she was just looking out for her ward and he thanked her for it. And while she was right about many of the things she’d said, well, he wasn’t about to regret the single most momentous event in his life.
“Perhaps this wasn’t the best way to go about it, perhaps you’re right and it was the most idiotic idea I’ve ever had, but I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. I don’t regret doing what I did, and given the chance, I’d do it again. To hell with whatever consequences come from it! Bring them on! I will take care of what’s mine and Buffy is mine.
“And make no mistake about it; the wedding will take place come hell or high water. Nothing short of death, and even that’s a stretch, would keep me from marrying Buffy. Nothing, you hear me? Not you, not Aimée, not God Himself.”
María blinked once, twice as she wrapped her mind around his words. And damn if she wasn’t impressed he’d stood up to her. Not like she would tell him that, but still… whatever she’d expected, this definitely hadn’t been it. She was relieved, somewhat, knowing the man her niña had chosen for a husband was worthy of her and would make taking care of her his priority. Not like she would tell him that, either.
“Alright,” she accepted, shrugging nonchalantly.
“Wha—? I-I mean, right, I’m glad you see things my way.”
“M-hmm, I still expect you to make the engagement official first thing in the morning.”
“It’s what I was planning to do anyway,” he conceded not-so-graciously, waving his hand magnanimously.
María shook her head, unable to hide the smile that tugged at her lips. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“Ah, but that’s exactly why you love me,” he said cheekily, winking at her.
“Hmmph, keep deceiving yourself.”
“You might say all you want, I know the truth,” he continued to tease her, happy that the woman had decided to grant him the benefit of the doubt.
One less rock blocking his path towards his happily ever after with Buffy. Only a hundred more to go.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Rodrigo paced the length of his cell up and down waiting for the boy who had brought him his meal at noon. He had promised he’d return before going back home after providing him with some paper, ink and a quill he’d stolen from Mr. Travers’ office. But that had been hours ago and he was afraid the kid had been discovered and now he’d have to find another way to contact Rupert Giles to get him out of here.
“Psssst, don, do you have the letter ready?” a voice whispered and don Rodrigo De Alcazar exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding when he heard it.
“I thought you weren’t coming,” he said, walking towards the bars and looking from side to side, relieved to see no one else around.
“I had to wait until the change of guard to come back or they might’ve suspected.”
“Right, here is the letter. You give it to Mr. Rupert Giles and no one else, you hear me?” The boy nodded and Rodrigo continued, “If you do as I say you’ll be handsomely rewarded for your favor once I get out of here, I swear.”
Once the boy left, Rodrigo started pacing again, praying, hoping the letter would be delivered safely to its destiny. Rupert was the only one who could get him out of this mess he’d found himself in. And once he was out… once he was out, there’d be hell to pay for whoever was responsible for stealing the last twelve years of his life.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Giles had just finished packing his bags to leave for Campo Real early the next morning—intent on making things right with William and hoping he hadn’t made an irreparable mistake already—when he heard a small knock on the door.
Wondering who it could be at this late hour, he opened the door to find a boy of about eleven, twelve years at best, breathlessly holding a letter to his chest.
“Hello there, is that for me?”
“A-are y-you Ru-rupert Gi-iles?” the boy asked, panting, exhausted after running all the way from the prison until he reached the lawyer’s house, all the while looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was following him.
“Yes, I am, but why don’t you come in; you look like you’re about to faint.” He motioned the boy inside to sit and went to serve him a glass of water.
Once he returned, he had to smile at the way the kid downed the liquid. “So, what’s your name?”
“Javier, señor.”
“Well, Javier, what brings you here?”
“I have a letter for you. Only…” he tilted his head to look into the kind eyes of the old man. “Are you sure you are Rupert Giles?”
“Quite certain. Still was the last time I checked,” he chuckled. Now he was really curious over this letter issue.
“A-a man gave me this for you, but he said I had to be sure you’re him before giving it. It’s very important,” Javier said, still looking doubtful.
“I swear I’m him,” the man replied in all seriousness and Javier decided the man looked respectful enough not to lie to him, so he handed the letter over.
Giles opened it, his eyes widening as he scanned through it, time and time again. This couldn’t be, could it?
He neared the boy, towering over him and taking him by the shoulders, asking him angrily, “Is this a joke? W-who gave you this?”
Javier cowered. “I-I… a man at the prison.”
Rupert let go of the boy, shaking his head to clear it. Even though it shouldn’t be possible, it had to be. It was his handwriting, his signature; he’d seen them enough times over the years to recognize them without a doubt.
And that only meant one thing… Rodrigo De Alcazar was alive.
tbc
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Author's Chapter Notes:
No, you’re not seeing visions, I swear. And while muse is not entirely back for this story yet, I’m going to try my best to juggle it with AAO. This chapter is not so long, but I promised a few people I would get back to it, and I had to deliver. So for those of you who have not allowed me to forget about this story by asking every now and then about it, here you have.
Many thanks to all of you who read and reviewed the last chapter and since it’s been so long I hope I haven’t lost all of you. Mil gracias to my sweet sister IBE for editing this chapter for me and just for being her lovely self. I couldn’t have done this without you, sweetie!
Many thanks to all of you who read and reviewed the last chapter and since it’s been so long I hope I haven’t lost all of you. Mil gracias to my sweet sister IBE for editing this chapter for me and just for being her lovely self. I couldn’t have done this without you, sweetie!
Chapter End Notes:
Well, do I still have readers for this story? I hope I do. I’d love to hear from you and know what you thought of the chapter and I promise to do my best not to abandon it for so long again.
Hugs, Mari
Hugs, Mari