One month later
“Oh. My. God.” Buffy said as soon as Spike answered his phone.
He chuckled, “Saw the big Faith show did you?”
“I didn’t think she’d do it.”
“Well, you gotta figure, her name has been splashed through the mud over the past month. Not just by me, but by others. Namely by the ones that work for her, too. Once her publicist quit after that stunt, it was all downhill from there. The only thing she could do was actually be the bigger person and admit she’d done something wrong.”
“Yeah, but she admitted she paid that reporter off not to mention a couple of the rags, but then she completely obliterated it all by saying she’s been under the influence of pain killers over the past few months.”
“All under a questionable injury that no one has any record of.”
Buffy sighed and plopped down on Willow’s couch. “She sucks.”
”She does, but she looks like a fool, and what’s more is that she knows it. They’re all making fun of her now. Even fellow cast members are starting to come forward and say what a bitch she is to work with.”
“So, just tell me...we made her go down in flames?”
“We made her go down in flames.”
She sighed happily, “Okay.”
“You all packed kitten? Ready to come out here now?”
“Well, you should know how packed I am. You insisted on footing the bill for having my things sent out there.”
“Just didn’t want to give you the chance to back out.”
“Think I’d really do that?”
“Well, no. I like to cover all bases.”
“Yep, I just have the bare necessities now. I am basically a roommate in my own apartment. Well, it’s now Willow’s apartment isn’t it?”
“You’re not feeling so crazy now, are you?” Spike asked, hesitantly.
“Nope. I think taking this time was really good for me. For us. Alicia seemed to have fun for those couple weeks.”
“She loves Boston, so you know we’ll back to visit your city.”
“I love how you call it my city.”
Spike chuckled. “Listen, kitten, Alicia is calling me. Seems she needs help with her computer or something. I’ll see you tomorrow when you get off the plane.”
“Okay, love you.”
“Love you more.”
Hanging up her phone, Buffy looked up to see Willow standing by the couch, a soft smile playing on her lips. “Excited? Nervous?” she asked.
Buffy stretched her arms over her head, “Both. It’s funny. Before everything was happening so fast despite how badly I wanted it, and now that I took your sound advice and gave myself some time to prepare for this, now that it’s coming, time seems to be moving at a snail’s pace.”
“Because you’re ready and you’re settled. I really think that time Spike spent out here did wonders for you. Before it was you in his world, and then he came to yours. I think that solidified your relationship with him for you and helped you to feel stable.”
“Yes, I think you’re absolutely right on that. Being able to share the city with him, my city, just enriched it all for me. I feel like he learned even more about me.”
Willow sat down. “I’m going to miss you, you know,” she said quietly.
Buffy leaned over and enveloped her friend in a huge hug. “I’m going to miss you too. But you’re going to come and visit and let us set you up with Randy—“
Willow snorted. “He’s much older than me.”
“So? Spike is older than I am, too. Just stay away from geriatric jokes and you’ll be fine.”
Willow laughed. “Hey, let’s go out to dinner. I remember the last time you left for L.A., you and I went out before you left, so let’s go. Our last hurrah.”
“Before I go on an extremely extended vacation,” Buffy said with a smile and a nod.
“Can I come over tonight?”
Spike looked over at the beautiful blond with the gorgeous curls that had been keeping him company while he waited for Buffy’s flight to land.
“No, sweets, I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
She pouted, her lower lip jutting out into a pout that Spike found irresistible. He felt himself caving, slightly. Firm, Spike, firm.
“Honey, you can see Buffy until we drop you off at home, and you’re going to see her in a few short days when you spend the weekend with us, okay?”
“But Da-ad,” Alicia whined.
“No, honey,” Spike said, shaking his head. He was learning with his little girl that she knew she had him wrapped, and would often play upon that to get what she wanted. He and Sam had discussed him having a firmer hand with their daughter and he was learning not to let his guilt over having neglected her for so long make him give in.
Alicia pouted, but then brightened considerably as she pointed to the doors that were opening before them. “There it is, Dad! Buffy’s coming now, right?”
”Yep, she sure is. Let’s get closer so she’ll see us first thing. Got the flowers?”
Alicia held up the bouquet of flowers she and Spike had picked out, “Got them.”
“Now stay close to me, honey. Don’t want you to get swallowed up in the crowd. Just...take my hand.”
He swore his daughter rolled her eyes at him. He knew she thought he was paranoid, but she was his first born, and therefore, he reserved the right to be as paranoid as he wanted.
Grabbing her hand, he waited with heart thumping hard in his chest. This was it. Buffy was coming to stay. Not just a vacation this time. Not just a couple weeks. She was here forever. He broke in a brilliant grin, and suddenly there she was.
Alicia broke free of him and rushed forward. Buffy saw her and waved animatedly to her, and opened her arms to receive the excited girl. Buffy swept her up in a hug and was conversing excitedly with her as she walked over to Spike.
“Can Daddy get a hug now?” Spike asked Alicia.
Alicia grinned, “Sure.”
Grabbing Buffy, Spike pulled her into a bear hug. “Oh, pet, I’ve missed you so much.”
“Geez, you just saw her two weeks ago,” Alicia said.
Spike looked down at his daughter. “Whose the one that ran to her as if she hadn’t seen her in years?”
Alicia looked at him haughtily and turned away.
Grinning, Spike swooped in and took that opportunity to kiss his girl something fierce.
“Keep them closed, pet,” Spike warned Buffy as he came up behind her and unlocked the door to his penthouse.
“What did you do to the place? Made it more Goth since I was here last?” Buffy quipped, her eyes shut tight.
“Yeah, right. Not with Alicia to gang up on me too.”
Buffy smiled. “They’re closed, but hurry up!”
Laughing, Spike dropped her suitcases and took her hands, leading her fully inside. “Okay, open them.”
Buffy’s eyes popped open and her mouth dropped. “Oh. My. God.”
Spike smiled proudly. “You like?”
“I love! It’s so pretty in here! No more black and red and dark.” She looked over at him. “Do you like?”
“I do actually. It’s brighter, not so depressing. I mean, I still like the black, don’t get me wrong, but this is a nice change.”
She nodded profusely, “It really is. The blues look really great in this room. It’s so sunny and bright!”
“Want me to show you the rest?”
She nodded, “Yes, please.”
Grinning, Spike took her hand and showed her the rest of their home. He relayed to her how he had a decorator come in and change it all to make it homier for all of them. Blacks, reds and grays were replaced with light blues, creams and whites. He’d gotten new furniture to match as well. And now Buffy could see Alicia’s completed room, as it hadn’t been finished before Buffy had left.
Standing in the doorway of Spike’s inviting green toned room, and the new incredibly large bed before them, Buffy grinned up at Spike and stepped before him, tugging him by the shirt into the room, and heading for the private bathroom.
He grinned salaciously down at her. “What’s my kitten up to?”
“She’s all dirty from her flight. Clean me?”
When Spike growled, Buffy squealed and took off, making Spike chase her. When he caught her, he spun her around to him and kissed her hungrily. “Happy to be here, pet?”
“You mean... Home?”
He nodded, smiling brilliantly at that.
She nodded, “Oh yes. Come on, let’s christen the shower as ours now.”
The End
Thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed, or just read, this story. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you so much :)