THE WORLD IS MINE
Summary: Buffy ponders the puzzle that is life.
Xander makes ‘un-nice’ with Faith while Anya gives her mother her two-cents.
Buffy tries to ‘explain’ a certain blond British cop to her family and Spike gets an interesting phone call from home.
A/N: I need to explain the time line of this chapter. While the random events in the plot line are occurring on the same day; they are not necessarily happening at the same time of day.
I hope that makes sense!
Chapter 14: ‘A Puzzle!’
Buffy had come to an eye-opening realization in the last few days: life is a puzzle.
Hmmphhh, it certainly had taken her long enough to muddle that one out.
Yet, she had. Finally.
What Buffy found so confusing was the fact that someone truly evil; like Xander Harris, could live and thrive in the world. Day after day, since Buffy had saved his sorry ass when they were children, Xander had survived and flourished.
On the other hand, a good man like Robin Wood was taken out in the blink of an eye. A man who had a loving wife and great kids; a man who meant something good to so many people.
Why?
That’s what Buffy wanted to know before she herself bit the dust.
Buffy was not a particularly religious person, never had been. Mama had insisted on Sunday school, of course, and then she had become involved in Church camp during the summer. At Catalina Island no less!
However…..when it came down to the basic belief in God, Buffy was sadly lacking. No, that wasn’t right at all…she was just unsure really.
Then again, Buffy was fully aware that evil did exist in the world; therefore, didn’t good ‘have’ to also exist. It was the basic ying/yang of the life force itself and just had to be.
Xander Harris had raped Buffy when she was completely naïve to the world; a mere teenager. The consequences had been brutal for Buffy; an abortion of the unwanted child.
Buffy had to wonder if Xander ever felt any remorse about their unborn child. He knew about it; she had thrown it in his face, once, and she certainly felt remorse about ‘that’ whole fiasco.
‘Does he ever wonder about the baby?’ Buffy asked herself time and again; torturing herself day in and out over it. Then again, she had to stop and ask herself why she would care what Xander Harris wondered about.
So, it came back to this: If there was evil; then there was good to counter act it, right? There just had to be a balance in their whole pathetic existence out in the end?
With all of the evil in Buffy’s past; self-inflicted or otherwise, then there just had to be some kind of goodness somewhere…just around the corner perhaps.
Maybe even right here in her front living room; standing not ten feet away from her at this very moment…..
Maybe Buffy could indulge in some hope of happiness for her future. If not total happiness…how about some kind of hope for contentment?
Nope, life wasn’t just a puzzle at all; it was a fucking Rubik’s Cube!
“Who is that???” Dawn squealed in curious delight once again. “Who does that voice belong to?”
Buffy wondered if her younger sister was going to wet her pants in excitement.
“Uhm, what voice?” Buffy asked, her question the ultimate in innocence.
“Oh, the deep, British accented voice that seems to be in your front room!” Dawn offered with a youthful giggle.
Buffy’s younger sister’s giggle proved to be infectious; oddly enough.
“Well,” Buffy began with a lusty laugh, “it’s a guy. I mean a man; I mean this guy who’s a man and…..”
“He look like a man?” Dawn laughed loudly parading Miss Swan from MADD TV.
“Oh yeah, he definitely look like a man,” Buffy replied coyly.
“So, who is this man?” Dawn asked quietly.
“Well….” Buffy began carefully. This was going to be an extra long conversation.
{Meanwhile at Xander’s apartment}
“I don’t think you should go through with this,” Sylvia Jenkins advised her only child, Anya.
“Go through with what?” Anya asked naively.
“This charade of a marriage,” Sylvia replied matter-of-factly. “Xander isn’t nearly good enough for you and…..”
“Oh, so you’re an expert on marriage now, huh Mama?” Anya asked impatiently of her mother.
“Well, no, but….” Sylvia began, “but I am your mother and I love you,” the older woman stammered defensively.
“I know you do Mama,” Anya mumbled, her gaze on back on the full length mirror before them.
“However, you were never really around much; you know that,” Anya continued evenly, not a drip of bitterness in her tone. “I think I can make my own decisions for my life and I want to marry Xander Harris tomorrow!”
“I know I haven’t been the most stellar of mothers, honey but…..” Sylvia murmured; her own voice was tinged with regret.
“Then butt out,” Anya suggested evenly as she tried on her wedding dress. “Zip me up, would you?” She asked her mother casually turning to look in the full length mirror before them.
Sylvia gazed at the younger version of herself and sighed wearily. She gave Anya a sad little smile and did as she was asked.
{At the Sunnydale Regency Hotel}
“You’re really going to go through with this?” Faith asked Xander flippantly as she pulled on her leather dress.
“Yup,” Xander replied casually. “Like I said, once I’m married…..”
‘Oh, we will see about that,’ Faith mused to herself.
She was quite sure that she could keep Xander coming around, even after this so called marriage of his. Faith was very confident in her bedroom skills and had no doubt she could string along both Xander and Frank.
After all, it was very necessary to her own plans to keep the brothers panting after her like dogs. Xander cared for her; Faith knew that deep down. No man forgot his first piece of ass, ever.
“Is Buffy coming to the wedding?” Faith asked loudly, her tone was anything but kind.
She never saw Xander’s beefy fist coming towards her face.
“That was really fucking classy,” Faith grumbled as she held the ice pack to her face.
“Don’t you think Frank and Anya are going to wonder why my right side of my face is swollen up?” Faith asked bitterly.
“Who cares,” Xander grunted as he pulled on his shoes. “You’re not really the main player here Faith; I thought you’d figured that out by now.”
“Whatever,” Faith snorted in reply. “But…” she began hesitantly.
“By-the-way,” Xander interjected casually, “I’m giving you notice, right here and now. From now on, you’re going to stop fucking around on my brother. I mean it, Faith,” he added menacingly.
“I can handle Frank,” Faith snorted again, tossing the ice pack into the kitchenette sink. “He follows me around like a fucking Doberman,” she laughed harshly.
“I don’t care how Frank feels about ‘you’ Faith,” Xander hissed; he strode over to the woman in a threatening manner.
Xander reached out and took Faith by her throat, pushing her up against the nearest wall.
“You might be able to ‘handle’ my brother,” he continued in a harsh voice. "But you can’t control or handle me. You will stop fucking around on Frank. That means with me; any other guy or that chick you’re so fond of; got it?”
“Got it,” Faith gurgled, barely able to choke out her answer since she could barely breathe.
With that, Xander dropped Faith like a sack of dirty laundry and strode out of the spacious hotel room. He slammed the door behind him as he left.
“Prick!” Faith grumbled after him, then retrieved the still useful ice pack from the sink.
Xander and Anya’s wedding was tomorrow (for better or for worse) and Faith was going to look like a million bucks for it. Even if the ‘dickhead’ was marrying the wrong chick.
{Back at Casa de Summers}
Buffy was now speaking to her mother, in LA, on the phone. It had been a while, certainly.
“I am so relieved that you turned down the invitation,” Joyce Summers assured her oldest daughter Buffy. “I was afraid that…..”
“Never,” Buffy whispered harshly. “I wouldn’t go to that debacle if my own life depended on it,” she finished with a sigh.
‘And it just might,’ Buffy added to herself.
“Who’s Spike?” Joyce asked her daughter coyly, her intent evident. Even if she spoke with her daughter somewhat long distance over a cordless phone line.
Buffy hung up the phone and looked over at Spike, shyly. She was a bit more then humiliated by the past two conversations she had had with her family members.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, nervously picking at a loose thread of her robe.
“For what?” Spike asked innocently, although he knew exactly what his girl was embarrassed about.
“My family,” she offered meekly. “They can be kind of protective and nosy and….”
“I wouldn’t expect your folks to be any other way,” Spike murmured as he closed the gap between Buffy and himself.
“Besides,” he continued with a chuckle, “my folks are probably just as bloody nosy as yours. In fact, they’re probably the record holders of interfering in their kid’s life.”
Buffy giggled and snuggled into Spike’s warm embrace, instantly relaxed by his kind humor.
As if on cue, Spike’s cell phone began to ring shrilly. He had left it on the end table next to Buffy’s couch.
“I better get this,” Spike grumbled impatiently as he grabbed the phone and clicked it open.
Buffy flopped down on the couch next to him, her green eyes wide in curiosity. Spike had basically ease dropped on her convo with mom, so turn-about was fair play, right?
Spike rolled his eyes and shrugged casually when he spotted the caller ID. It was his mum, or his dad, calling from England; confirming what he’d admitted to Buffy just seconds before.
“Yeah, hey Mum,” Spike greeted quietly.
Buffy smiled widely when she noted the affectionate tone her lover took with his long distance mother.
“I’m fine, Mum,” Spike mumbled almost shyly; he rolled his blue eyes at Buffy dramatically.
This caused Buffy to giggle, unintentionally and she clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.
“I miss you too, Mum,” Spike replied evenly, although he was as red as a beet from embarrassment.
“How’s Da?” Spike suddenly asked, changing the subject quickly.
“That’s fine then,” Buffy heard him respond, enjoying the pleasant smile on his handsome mouth.
“Oh, he does eh? How is old Brutus then? Not being a royal pain in the arse I hope” Spike asked with a grin.
‘Who is Brutus?’ Buffy mouthed to him, her brows raised in puzzlement.
“My dog,” Spike whispered to Buffy, then…..
“Yes Mum, I’m with someone here. Uhm, yes, it’s uhm, well you know Miss Summers and…..” Spike’s words trailed off and he turned an even brighter red then before.
“I, well, yes Buffy is lovely and I know you’ve seen her picture and all. Thanks Mum and yes, she is a special woman….”
Spike finished his conversation with his mother and clicked the cell phone closed sharply.
“I told you,” he sighed heavily before wrapping his arm about Buffy and pulling her to him.
“She sounds wonderful,” Buffy offered quietly, “your mother I mean,” she finished softly.
“What kind of dog is Brutus?” Buffy asked suddenly, quite interested in this ‘pet’ of Spike’s.
“An Akita,” Spike grinned. “He's my best friend really. I’ve had him for nearly five years now. I do miss him; he’s such a loyal bloke and all. He’s a pinto; white with black and brown spots and a black mask face.”
Buffy watched Spike intently, truly enjoying how animated he became when discussing Brutus.
“Bring him out here to Sunnydale,” Buffy interrupted him. “Have your folks ship him here,” she suggested simply.
“What?” Spike asked, stunned at her suggestion. “Where would I keep him? My hotel won’t allow it and…..”
“I’ll keep him here,” Buffy shrugged matter-of-factly. “I imagine he’s huge and I do have a huge back yard area. Have your folks ship Brutus out here and we’ll pick him up for the airport.”
Buffy seemed so excited at the prospect that Spike soon joined in on her enthusiasm. It would be great to have Brutus here, with him; well with Buffy; well Buffy and he as it were.
It dawned on Spike that with Brutus here at Buffy’s; he’d have an even better excuse to be around all of the time. Brutus could kind of bind Buffy and himself even more; make them more of a couple. He could only hope that Buffy would see it that way also.
Before she could change her mind, Spike opened his cell phone and rang his mother back. If things worked out, Brutus would be in Sunnydale in just a couple of days.
{Sunnydale Country Club}
Anya nervously eyed her mother, who was on her fourth glass of champagne, at least that.
‘If she ruins this day for me,’ Anya thought angrily to herself, even as she smiled up at her new groom.
“Mom’s had enough, don’t you think hon?” Xander asked his bride sarcastically. “We don’t want her throwing up in the buffet or dancing naked on the tables, now do we?”
Xander’s wicked chuckle clued Anya in on the fact that he could have cared less what a fool his mother-in-law made of herself. It wasn’t like Xander hadn’t tipped a number of glasses himself since their wedding ceremony just an hour before.
In fact, the entire wedding party; including guests were just getting into the swing of things at the reception. Anya noticed that Frank and Faith were really drinking up the booze and this should have been warning enough for the bride.
“Mama would never dance naked on the tables,” Anya grumbled, her face hot with embarrassment, or anger or something anyway.
“Hey, Xand,” Mitch sidled up to his boss casually enough. “We need to talk about ‘you know who’ right now. Sorry Ahn,” the lackey added with a wink at the new bride.
“Oh Xander, can’t this wait? At least today?” Anya whined. “It’s our wedding day for fuck’s sake and…..”
“Business always comes first Anya,” Xander spat through gritted teeth. “Let’s go into the office area,” he nodded at Mitch.
“By the way Anya,” Mitch began almost apologetically, “you look beautiful.”
“Asshole,” Anya hissed under her breath as she watched her groom walk off with his henchman. She turned to catch a glimpse of her mother, instead, she caught sight of Faith; obviously flirting shamelessly with Jesse.
Frank Harris appeared to be no where around and Anya felt a tug at her usually self-absorbed heart. It hurt her to see Xander’s brother made a fool of, especially in front of their small party of guests.
“Lookin’ good Jesse,” Faith purred silkily, her words slightly slurred from booze. She ran her hand down his shirt covered chest and grinned up at him longingly.
“You too Faith,” Jesse replied a little too coolly. He made his feelings quite clear when he pulled away from Faith.
The woman who was being so obvious with him might be hot, but Jesse himself was no fool. Besides, he liked Frank and admired Xander; he had no intention of doing anything stupid as taking up Faith’s obvious offer.
“After this to-do, why don’t you and me…..” Faith began, but Jesse cut her off instantly.
Apparently she had missed the man’s polite brush off, so Jesse figured he might as well make his feelings plain.
“Forget about it Faith,” he mumbled harshly. “I’ve got plans, with a hot date, after this; and the woman is definitely not you.”
“You flatter yourself,” Faith snapped in irritation. “I just said you looked good, not that…..”
“Well, thanks and all, and I’m sorry if I misunderstood,” Jesse retorted casually. “My bad.”
With that, the dark-haired man turned and strode away from the fuming woman.
“You look beautiful sis,” Frank murmured sincerely to his brother’s bride.
He had stepped up behind the distracted Anya and tenderly tapped her shoulder to get her attention.
“Thanks,” Anya mumbled in reply, her gaze still focused on Faith. Jesse had obviously given Frank’s woman the brush off and this pleased Anya for some reason.
“Frank,” Anya stammered in a soft, wispy voice, “it’s a puzzle to me why you don’t just dump that bitch.”
Anya’s face was scrunched up in thought, marring the perfect make-up job the cosmetician had done for her important day.
Frank glanced over at his lone girlfriend and then back at Anya; a pained look in his dark eyes.
‘Xander’s eyes,’ Anya thought to herself briefly as if this was the first time she’d noticed it.
“I love Faith and I’ll never walk away from her,” Frank explained simply, his gaze once again focused on his girl.
Anya gazed at her brother-in-law with pity. Poor Frank was as fucked up as she herself was and there was no way out for either of them.
Buffy walked softly into her kitchen, only to find Spike at the sink, apparently washing the dinner dishes.
A slight smile graced her lips at the sight of this most manly of men doing washing up after their supper. She had cooked some pasta for them and Spike had insisted on the clean up duty.
Spike ‘felt’ Buffy behind him and grinned widely when she wrapped her slim arms about him from behind.
“Dinner was great,” Spike stated sincerely as he rinsed a plate and stuck it in the dish washer.
“Hmmm,” Buffy murmured; Spike noted that she seemed distracted.
“Well, I guess Anya finally has what she wants,” Buffy sighed and laid her head on Spike’s back.
“I just hope she knows what she’s really getting into,” the blond woman whispered.
“Well, Uncle Rupert filled me in on both Xander and his byrd, Buffy,” Spike set down the dish sponge and turned to take her in his arms.
“Seems to be that those two are a perfect match for each other,” he added with a shrug. “I wouldn’t be too concerned for either of them,” he finished quickly.
“I know,” Buffy snorted and led her guy over to the kitchen table where two glasses of wine awaited them.
“I’m more concerned about any children they might have together,” she sighed and sat on a chair.
“You can’t control people from havin’ kids, baby,” Spike advised her. He sipped some wine and intently searched Buffy’s expressive green eyes.
‘She’s thinkin’ about her own baby that she…’ he realized; this caused him a flash of brief anger.
“True,” Buffy responded with a sardonic laugh and a shake of her blond head. “On all counts,” she added with a shrug of her own shoulders.
“It’s just that I wonder what kind of a life a poor kid of Xander and Anya could possibly have, you know what I mean?”
Buffy looked up at Spike, her eyes were wide with sympathy for offspring of the Harris’.
“Hey, Brutus arrives tomorrow,” Spike exclaimed suddenly. His attempt at changing the unpleasant subject appeared to be successful.
“Yeah!” Buffy yelped excitedly. “I can’t wait until I meet your mutt!”
“He’s not a mutt,” Spike grumbled good-naturedly. “He’s a pure bred Akita with a long line of champion sires and…..”
“Okay, I get it. Brutus is ‘top dog’ and all.”
Spike rolled his eyes at Buffy’s attempted at a pun and she giggled; happily sipping her delicious wine.
A/N: Ended this one on a sappy note because most of it seemed a bit sad to me.
I hope you read and review, thanks, spufette.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I hope you read this and enjoy. Thank you everyone here for making me proud of this story.