Buffy had wanted to start working on getting him walking that very night but realized she needed to rest as did he. Instead she had helped him resettle on his cot and walked back up the stairs.
Now as she walked down the hall of the emptying school she picked up her pace a bit. If she got home soon enough they could begin with his abbreviated physical therapy before she had to patrol. Then when she got home they could repeat the process. It was going to be a lot and she mentally noted that she should contact Willy and make sure he upped the blood drop off for this week.
She figured with the extra feeding and the constant work on his legs the vamp should be able to be walking a little ahead of their Sunday night deadline.
So she concentrated on that deliberately ignoring the fact that once he was healed she would have to deal with him once again.
The sun was warm on her back as she walked down the familiar streets and she paused for a moment. It was times like this when she missed just being a regular girl. Days when the sun was warm and the only thoughts that should be going through her head would be about school and her friends and clothes and if that cute boy really had been looking at her in class.
Not the healing of one evil master vampire or the thought of staking another who just happened to be the guy she had fallen in love with.
Letting out a deep sigh she started walking again glad that Xander and Willow had been too distracted by their significant others to notice her taking off so quickly. Avoiding Giles was easier all she had to do was make sure she didn't step into the library.
Making her way up to her front door she stopped once again and looked at the world surrounding her. Everything looked so different when it was awash in daylight. A fact she only really noticed when she had become the Slayer. Only noticed when she was forced to go out in the night more often then not.
It was a beautiful day and she was going to spend it and the next few in her basement with Spike.
Her joy knew no bounds.
She turned the door knob and dropped her bag by the stairs. Kicking off her shoes she made her way to the kitchen and pulled out a soda for herself. Moving aside the jug of blood that had become a familiar fixture in her kitchen she rooted around until she found a yogurt to snack on.
Eating it quickly she tossed the empty container in the trash and headed for the stairs.
*********
Spike opened his eyes trying to hold back the groan from awakening to early. The sun wasn't going to set for a lot of hours yet and his internal clock was telling him to let his eyes fall shut once more.
He stretched his upper body lightly holding back a second groan at the soreness in his muscles. The actions he'd taken the night before were making their presence known quite easily.
He was pretty sure there was even a bruise on his back from where he fell but he didn't let that bother him any. Instead he listened quietly to the noises coming from upstairs. Seemed the Slayer was home from school already.
It wasn't with a little apprehension that he waited as he heard her turn the knob of the door above him. She'd acted so distant the night before and frankly more cold than he'd ever seen her. Sure it wasn't like they were all chummy or anything but the Slayer was easy to read. She wore her feelings on her sleeve or she would if the chit wore sleeves most of the time.
The point was the girl he saw last night was not the same one he'd been dealing with since he came to this shit hole town.
And now he was waiting for her to finish coming down the stairs. He'd finally relented to let her help him get up on his own feet literally of course. But he wasn't too happy about it. Thing of it was he was just as nervous about not being here at her house than being there in the first place. He was pretty much damned either way.
There was also one tiny thing she had said the night before. Something that shouldn't have affected him but did anyway.
She'd said that she had brought him here at great risk to herself.
And he knew that she was right. From her little friends to her watcher to her own mum let alone what Angelus would do to her for taking away his favorite play thing. In spite of all these things here he was laid up in her basement. And truth be told the stupid chit had treated him decently.
He wasn't usually one for thinking things through. More rash than practical. But the fact that she was going to toss him out in a few days be it because of circumstances or not had set the wheels spinning in his head. He could be out of here under his own power if he did get off his own ass and do it as she put it. It was going to require him to use just as much effort even with her here. So he had a choice. He could save his pride and keep up the protective blathering he did when someone got too close or he could just drop it.
He wasn't thinking of doing anything overly friendly just trying to take the sting out of the words he did use though might just help get them both through the rest of this.
And afterwards? Well then he could kill her and he wouldn't have to worry about it.
*********
"Spike." She greeted him flatly.
"Slayer." He gave her a slight nod it was as friendly a greeting as they would ever give.
"You ready? Or do you think you should feed first?" She asked eyeing the thermos.
Like to be feeding from you. The thought popped in his head but he fought the urge to say it.
"Should work a bit first." Was what he responded instead.
She shrugged and tossed her ponytail. "Whatev." She moved down to the foot of the cot and prepared to grab one of his ankles.
Grabbing him firmly she wrapped her hand around the sole of his foot.
"When I push against you push back with everything you got. Ready?"
She didn't wait for a reply instead she pushed his foot bending his knee back towards him.
Spike pushed back gritting his teeth against the strength of her own push.
Buffy watched his face closely looking for signs of pain and saw none. Watched as he strained with the effort and felt the slight resistance against her hand. In her head Buffy counted to sixty.
"Okay now we switch."
*********
They worked in near silence for forty-five minutes only broken by Buffy's quick instructions. Spike kept with his promise to himself and held every snarky comment that came to mind. And without the added aggravation Buffy was civil to him in return.
Instead he concentrated on the quivering that had started in his muscles. The pain was gone at least but his legs now felt like rubber and he was glad that he was laying down because he knew they wouldn't support his weight even if she was holding him up.
Buffy watched his chest rise and fall for a moment with his panting breaths knowing that they had done as much as they could for now. She let go of his leg and made her way to the tray to pick up his thermos.
"I'll be right back." She tossed the words over her shoulder as she made her way up the steps.
He was thankful that she had left him alone for the moment. Letting loose a deep sigh of exhaustion he relaxed his body into the cot. He didn't know if the things she was doing to his legs was going to help or not but he had to admit when they weren't baiting each other she didn't grate on his nerves half as much. It wasn't hard for him to hold his tongue when she had done the same in return.
He was startled back to himself when she bounded back down the stairs.
"You rest for awhile and when I come back from patrol we can start over." Buffy set the thermos down and began to walk back to the stairs her mind already focused on which cemeteries to hit tonight.
He didn't bother to respond as she slipped back up the stairs. His eyes just tracked her retreating figure until she disappeared through the door.
Quickly uncapping the thermos he guzzled down the sweet elixir feeling the familiar rush as it sped through his long dead system.
Setting the thermos down he suddenly had to fight to keep his eyes open. The workout she had just given him had tired him out more then he had thought.
Stretching once more he let sleep claim him again.
*********
The last two days passed in a near copy of the first. She had rushed home after school so they could work on strengthening exercises on his legs and then she went on patrol. When she got back they started again this time with her helping him to his feet so he could put pressure on his legs.
Each time they did this he stayed up on his own just a bit longer.
Buffy was pleased with the progress knowing that he was just a bit shy of walking on his own. In fact she hadn't been pushing him as hard as she could have letting him discover his strength on his own. She didn't know why she did this but she was reluctant to do anything else to diminish his already wounded pride.
Spike was nothing if not a proud creature and to see him so broken did something to her emotionally. Not that she wanted to dwell on what that was. But she kept from doing anything that would continue him on that downward slide.
And with each small accomplishment she could see the old cocky Spike start to shimmer in his eyes.
He hadn't said anything snarky or otherwise about it but she knew it was there under the surface. In fact she had noticed that since their little confrontation he hadn't been saying a whole hell of a lot. The snarky Spike seemed to be on vacation and while she was grateful he wasn't seeming to goad her she kind of missed it. He had a quick wit and verbally sparring with him was one of the perks of a Spike and Buffy fight. None of her other enemies had been near as good at getting to her as he had.
It wasn't like she didn't know how weird she was being. She was fully aware of it. It was just she was starting to get this really antsy feeling deep in her gut. Soon Spike would be literally walking away from her and she would lose the control she had over the situation. He would be free to do what he wanted. And then there was the fact that all was quiet on the Angelus front which couldn't be good news.
Things were starting to come to a head and she wasn't sure just which side it was going to work out on.
********
Buffy let out a deep sigh as she headed down the basement steps. Patrol tonight had been brutal. She had staked no less then seven vamps and tackled an icky slime demon.
It was really one of the grossest experiences of her slaying career.
So she'd showered and changed and beaten and exhausted she was headed down to the basement to see if she could get Spike up on his feet.
What she wanted to do instead was crawl into her nice comfy bed and sleep for like a week. Or two.
Her foot hit the floor of the basement and she held back a second sigh.
She took in the reclining position of the man in her basement and fought off another sigh. He was getting stronger. Something she wasn't sure he realized. Buffy knew that it was only a matter of hours before he was up and out the front door.
Which only lead to a bunch of thoughts she really didn't have the energy to entertain.
His blue gaze fell on her and she fought to keep her confusion from showing in her eyes. The problem with Spike was that he was rarely fooled by the indifferent mask she wore. Not that he had mentioned anything but she could read it in his eyes. He caught everything in that steely gaze. And while she felt incredibly vulnerable when he looked at her like that there wasn't anything that she could say.
The peaceful interactions between them for the last few days didn't have her fooled into feeling secure with him. Instead her weariness was kicked up a few notches. Not because he felt hostile but because the lack of confrontation made him feel too human.
That wasn't a good thing.
It was better for her to forget such thoughts and she attempted to do that as she approached the cot.
Spike had been busy watching the emotions flicker through her green eyes. He wasn't sure what they were but they passed quickly before the mask she wore to shield herself dropped. He was used to seeing it by now but internally he wished she wouldn't hide this way from him.
Which in turn pissed him off because why the hell should he care what she was feeling.
As she stepped closer to the cot he maneuvered himself into sitting with his legs draped over the cot.
"All ready Slayer?"
Buffy stopped in front of him and reached for his hands. They'd both decided to leave off on the strengthening exercises and concentrate on getting him walking.
He reached his hands out and took hers in a firm grip. Taking a deep breath he nodded before she used her own strength to help him to his feet. He stood a little shakily at first and she moved closer to him allowing him to use her for balance.
She never directly reached out just put herself in a position to help him if need be. Once they were both sure of his footing she began to back up a bit.
Still connected by there hands but standing with there arms outstretched between them she looked into his eyes.
With another silent nod she let go.
Spike had to admit the sensation of standing on his own wasn't gonna get old anytime soon. Looking across to the petite blond in front of him he watched her eyes flick over his erect form and wait patiently. She must have read something in his own gaze because she backed up two more steps and again began to wait.
Buffy was nearly holding her breath in anticipation. This was going to be a huge turning point and she had to let the sadness she was feeling wash over her. She didn't want to explain it but she couldn't deny the feeling instead she just accepted it and waited for him to begin to move.
A second deep breath and he was picking up his left floor before moving it forward a few inches. Bringing it down he felt his knee start to give and tightened his jaw.
Buffy started to rush forward to catch him as she watched his knee begin to give way.
Gaining control he locked his knee and gave the girl a look.
She saw the determination in his eyes and stopped in her tracks. She watched as he stood straighter and repeated the process with his right foot. This time the stride was stronger. He did it again with the left and she backed up two more steps to give him more room.
Spike couldn't concentrate on anything but moving each of his limbs. One after the other until he noticed that the Slayer was up against the stairs. Still a few feet in front of him but watching him with a sad little smile.
And that was when it occurred to him.
He was walking.
"Bloody hell." The whispered words seemed to break through his concentration and he knew he had finally done it.
He was fucking walking.
"Bloody hell!" He yelled letting out a short bark of laughter.
Unfortunately such a break in his concentration was enough for his left knee to have it's own ideas.
His knee buckled underneath him and he began to fall.
Buffy smiled tightly at his joy before she noticed the shaking in his left leg. Not waiting a second she used her Slayer speed to step in front of him and grab him around the waist.
He caught his hands on her shoulders using her to regain his balance as she caught his weight.
"You okay?" She turned her gaze up at him her green eyes searching his quietly.
The feeling of actually having to look up at him was a bit unsettling and this time she watched a flicker of some strange emotion pass through his eyes. She really didn't want to try to analyze what it was.
He looked down into the Slayer's eyes and had to suddenly fight the urge to hug the girl. He quickly let it pass knowing it was because he was absolutely giddy with the idea that he could walk. It had nothing to do with looking into the deepest green pools he'd ever seen.
"Okay?" He shook his head. "I'm fucking walkin' it's fan-fucking-tastic!" He wasn't quite shouting but the volume of his voice was anything but quiet.
"Yeah. So?" Buffy moved her hand from his waist and gestured back to the cot.
Spike suddenly had to fight the weird feeling of missing her touch on his waist. Maybe it was the feeling of warmth from her hand but he noticed it the second it was gone.
Instead he focused and looked back at the girl.
"Okay return trip then." He let go of her shoulders and used his foot to pivot around.
This time the knee held and with more confidence he began to walk back to the cot.
She followed closely behind him this time not trying to hide the emotions in her eyes. He couldn't see her from behind.
This was it and she was still getting mixed emotions about it.
In a way she was damn proud to have helped him reach this point. The vampire in front of her was not the same one she had rescued from the factory a few weeks ago.
And another part of her was feeling just this side of devastated. Would all the work they had done be for nothing the second he tried to kill her? The thought of staking him wasn't one she wanted to entertain anymore but her reality was that she was the Slayer and he was a killer. It was her duty to take him out.
And here she was watching him walking under his own power helped there by her own hands. Hands that most likely in the near future would be holding his death in her hands.
It caused such a feeling of melancholy in her that she had to fight back a sob.
She knew she shouldn't care. That nothing good could come about carrying about the well being of this or any other vampire. But the fact was she did care. She couldn't have done this if she didn't.
But it didn't matter.
None of it did. When the day came that she found out that he was feeding or he tried to kill her she knew she'd do what she had to. Just like she was going to do with Angelus.
He had reached the cot and she fought to regain her equilibrium. The last thing she needed was for him to see this side of her. She took a deep breath and waited for him to turn around.
Spike couldn't fight the smile that was spread across his face. Even with the unaccustomed strain on his muscles he felt so free and so strong that he wanted to shout it out to the world. He held it in however even if he was wearing the biggest smile he'd ever felt.
He turned away from the cot in time to catch the flicker of sadness on the Slayer's face before she once again closed herself off to him.
This time he clamped down on the flutter of concern he felt for the girl. He wasn't even going to entertain the though about giving a damn about the Slayer. Not in a million years.
She gave him a tight smile before she spoke.
"Well if you're okay on your own I'll just head up and get you something to eat." For the last time. She added in her mind.
At the mention of eating he looked at the Slayer once again startled to find that now even though he would have been capable of taking a bite out of her that he didn't want too.
He reasoned it was the high of walking that did it. Plus she was going to be bringing him something. Why bother trying to take her out.
She was up the stairs before she'd even finished talking.
He shrugged at that and walked across the basement floor a few more times before she came back down. This time he stopped and waited for her to hand him the familiar thermos.
She had taken her time getting his blood prepared letting her conflicting emotions free reign while out of his observing eyes. She'd been tempted to have a good cry from it all but held it in knowing he would have been able to tell. Buffy placed the thermos in his outstretched hand before she looked up at him once again.
"You should probably get some rest and try again later. I'm gonna go to bed." She turned to head out of the basement.
Spike was unsure what was going through the Slayer's mind. Not that he thought he had a whole lot of insight into what made the infuriating chick work but there was something going through her mind that was troubling her. And before he knew it he was calling out to her.
"Slayer?"
She looked at him and Buffy could see the question in his eyes.
"I'm glad your walking Spike. We'll talk tomorrow." She gave him one more glance and went up the basement stairs.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Holy cow it's been a long time since I posted. Unfortunately I have been busy working which I know is so not what I want to be doing. Any way thanks to everyone who is still reading this one and all reviews are greatly appreciated. Thanks for sticking around. Hope you enjoy.