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Title: Goodbye, Mr. Giles
Author: Aamah
Pairing: S/B
Rating by chapter: Chapter 33
Genre: Post NFA ~ General

Undying thanks to betas, nightshift and cloviss. They compliment one another perfectly, and their comments are like chocolate.

Based on characters created by Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
No copyright infringement intended.
Original characters are mine.

Chapter 33 ~ Old Times, Old Friends, Old Problems ... with a twist

Meanwhile, back at the lair ...

If the boys were looking for a show when they sent Flavin in to talk to Binne, they were sorely disappointed. Even if he did want to rip the tosser’s head off just for existin’, he wasn’t going to give the lot of them the satisfaction. There was too much to think about now. If the others saw him angry, they’d figure they were on to somethin’. It was obvious that they had no clue that there was no new pack of vamps. Binne ran his hand over his unshaven face, dragging the loose skin from side to side as he pondered what he suspected was a bigger problem. What about this slayer? How to handle this situation? As far as he knew, the slayer was a myth. His sire, his only companion for most of his vampire life, had only mentioned the slayer once. She’d never seen the slayer either. So why was his skin crawlin’? He needed to get the others talkin’ to find out what they knew … or thought they knew and then … he would have a look at that bint stayin’ in the cottage.

~~~

“So,” Dawn said, carrying one of her suitcases to the parlor, “it’s always nice to get prezzies, and you all know how pitifully penniless I am.”

Dawn directed her smarmy tone to Buffy who interrupted with, “Pitifully penniless? Please! Perhaps proper penance for poor performance is a prerequisite to pack puny pockets!”

Everyone at the table roared! Spike put his arm around Buffy and pulled her close, “… and all this time I thought your American education sucked!”

“Wow Buff, practically perfect!” said Xander, wishing he knew more P words.

Giles smiled and raised an eyebrow as he said, “Buffy … have you been reading again? You know I’ve warned you about that!”

“Awww, now be nice, Giles,” said Buffy.

Dawn gained control of the conversation again, “Yeah, yeah, so the older sister bested the college student! La de fu … um … da …. Oops, boy, that was a close one! … OK, so I’ll get on with the gifts. Xander?”

“M’lady.”

“Really? That’s nice! I know you’ve been away from home and there’s some things you just can’t get over here that you wish were a part of your life.”

Spike interjected, “Women? No worries. None here, none there either!” Buffy elbowed Spike.

“Ow! What was that for?” Spike asked.

Buffy just gave him the look!

Xander shot in with, “Hey, I do alright with the ladies … I’ve just had a dry spell.”

Leah was having trouble keeping up with the constant banter that never seemed to get anywhere. She loved the laughter though.

Once again, Dawn called for order. “Xander, I brought you two things, a box of Fruit Loops and a box of Cap’n Crunch! I know it’s not much, but well … the sentiment is there.”

“Not much? Do you know what it would cost me to get this here? A friggin’ King’s ransom, that’s what. I guess you can get them someplace over here, but not in this little burg. Thanks, Dawnie.” He wrapped her in the big brother hug that she always loved.

“Giles, you are not easy. I realized that when you were living in America you did all you could to bring the UK to you, and spent a small fortune at import stores. I don’t recall there was much on our side of the pond that tickled you, but I did remember that there were some things that were precious to you, and you lost them. I can’t begin to make up for all that loss, but it’s a start anyway. I was able to find pretty good copies of Black Sabbath’s first and second albums, Black Sabbath and Paranoid, and one from Vanilla Fudge … it’s a little scratchy, but playable.”

Giles jaw dropped open. “Oh no, Dawn … this is too much. They must have cost you a fortune.” he said as he caressed each album.

“Not so much, really. I’ve got friends who have friends, if you know what I mean?” Dawn was obviously pleased.

“Looks like you’ve scored a goal, Bit.” Spike said.

She gloated a little, “Yeah, huh?”

Leah asked, “These old recordings are important to you, Rupert? I never would have guessed. We’ll have to take a trip to my Dad’s place; he has a roomful of those old things.”

Everyone in the room looked stunned. Giles choked out, “Really … yes, … um … we’ll just do that.”

Buffy, returning to her role as hostess, asked if anyone needed a refill on coffee or tea and Spike offered spirits for the coffee if anyone wished, and offered to help Buffy in the kitchen if she liked.

“NO!” … Xander shouted “we’d like to have our drinks refilled sometime in this century. The last time you two went to the kitchen we had time to read the Compleat Works of Shakespeare that we found on the shelf while we waited.”

Buffy turned a most flattering shade of pink as Spike preened. Then she begged everyone to eat more of the delicious desserts. She certainly didn’t want them lying around. They commented that she could use a few pounds but that the color had returned to her face--for some strange reason, and again the group enjoyed a laugh.

“Now, Spike,” Dawn continued, “I’m not sure about this gift.”

“Here now, Bit, I have all I want right here,” as he reached for Buffy’s hand.

“Yeah, I know, but this isn’t really from me.” Puzzled expressions met her comment. “When Faith heard that you weren’t dust and that I was coming over here for Thanksgiving she called me and asked me to bring something to you. She shipped it to me UPS and I got it the day before my flight. I didn’t even unwrap it.”

Buffy interjected, “Why would Faith send you something?” Her face took on a jealous cast, “Is there something I should know?”

Spike countered with, “Oh, you didn’t know about Faith and me?” With lightning speed, she went straight for his nose. Nobody saw it coming. “I was kidding. I was kidding … bollocks … why is it always my dose?”

Buffy handed him some napkins and said, “That’s not the sort of thing you kid about. I’m a little possessive, OK. Anybody got a problem with that?” she asked as she glanced around the table and was met by a chorus of heads shaking in the negative.

Spike unwrapped the package sincerely hoping that it wasn’t something that would cause more trouble. He had had a century and a half doing things that would piss Buffy off, and a lot of them were things that might set her off again. He wasn’t sure his nose could take another poke just now. Tucked inside the brown wrapper was a note in Faith’s scrawl.

Spike

Glad you’re back although I can’t figure out how you did it. We finally got the safe opened at the Hyperion and this box was in it. It was locked and belonged to Angel. I guess that makes it yours now. I sure as hell hope it wasn’t Pandora’s before Angel got it. Ha ha.

See ya, F
Oh, say hey to B

As soon as he read the words, he remembered the box. Why shouldn’t he? He traveled across continents with it strapped to his back. God forbid the great poof should carry anything when he had a nice strong lackey like him to do it for him. He even remembered some of the things it held. Well, it had been a fun evening so far, … this was definitely going to be a downer … no, he thought, this is going to be a wake. He closed his eyes for a second to compose himself. It was only right. Angel deserved a wake.

He passed the note around for all to read. As each one read it, the mood in the room became more somber. Spike reverently removed the paper. Revealed was a long, narrow, intricately carved wooden box with a sheen that only comes from hand rubbing. It looked priceless.

Giles, the librarian, the historian, the archivist was _ practically drooling over the box. He was beside himself at the thought of its contents; perhaps a journal, personal artifacts, memorabilia. Just what sort of things would the Scourge of Europe consider worth keeping? Things from his family? His times? His victims?

Buffy feared there was something about her in it and then quickly got over herself. In a lifetime over two hundred years she was just a blip. Still, she and Spike were finally in a good place that promised to get better as the night wore on. She hoped there wasn’t anything there that would cast even a moment’s doubt in Spike’s mind.

Xander hated Angel. He had always hated Angel and the fact that he was gone now didn’t change that one bit. He knew the others were thinking of him as some sort of hero now, and if he were entirely honest with himself (which he didn’t have to be if he didn’t want to, after all, this was a conversation in his own head. If he couldn’t lie to himself…) well anyway, if he were honest with himself, he’d admit that the guy did try, but only once he had a soul forced on him, not because he wanted to be good … but he did try.

Dawn never really knew Angel. Well, she did because the memories were implanted, but not really. Not really. She remembered thinking her sister was in love with this hot guy who was like older than their Dad and that was just gross. Then she remembered her sister’s broken heart. No, there was no love lost when Angel relocated. The couple of times he did show up it was too little too late. But I’m a grown up now and I can keep my thoughts to myself.

Leah found herself once again caught up in Council affairs, and tonight she thought she was just here as Giles’ date. She knew well enough that getting involved with him meant renewing her alliance with the Council. It wasn’t something with which she was comfortable ... for a lot of reasons.

Spike ran his hands over the carvings lovingly. Odd, that. After all those years of butting heads with the old pillock, here he was feeling emotional about the only thing left of him. The others watched and waited. Finally he said, “So then, it’s locked, eh? Well, I can fix that,” and reached over the table and grabbed a knife.

“NO!” cried Giles. “Have you gone daft? It’s a priceless antique … priceless.” He cleared his throat, calmed himself, and went on, “Really, Spike … you can’t be thinking of forcing it open … if for no other reason than that it’s a beautiful artifact. Not to mention its inherent value of having belonged to a VAMPIRE, now dust. Surely, there must be a way to open it without damaging it. You must recall Angel opening it one time or another in your time with him. What did he do? Did he have a key? Is there a trick?”

Spike considered Giles words carefully and picked up the knife again.

“NO!” Giles said as he stood and made as if to take the box away from Spike.

Spike arched one eyebrow and said, “Only puttin’ you on.”

A deflated Giles sat down. “Spike, will you never grow up?”

“Seriously, Watcher, your arguments are valid, but did you ever consider that this box belonged to Angelus and perhaps Angel had it locked away for a reason?”

“Oh…” said Giles, obviously turning the idea over in his mind. Glancing down he noticed that he was rubbing the fingers that had never healed properly after Angelus’ torture. “Yes, of course, you’re quite right, Spike.”

Spike nodded his head. “Look mates, this is my legacy and I remember it well. It’s no Pandora’s box as Faith feared. It’s pretty an’ all and it does, or at least it did once, contain things that had sentimental value for Angel … Angelus …” he shrugged and repeated the word, “sentimental … in conjunction with Angelus … now that’s a lark.”

Buffy chimed in, “So it’s harmless then? Right?”

“I didn’t say that, pet,” Spike said squeezing her hand. “Nothing about Angelus was ever harmless. You can bet your last farthing on that.”

Giles smiled in agreement. It had nothing to do with amusement. “Buffy? Is there more wine? Instead of more tea, I think I’d fancy a bit more wine.” He got up from the table and made his way to the large comfortable chair. The others took it to indicate that the dessert portion of the evening was over and rose to join him.

Buffy laughed, “There’s plenty of wine, Giles. You’ve been sending us not less than two bottles a day. Besides, Leah asked that Spike lay off the alcohol while he was recuperating …” Her voice trailed off.

The ladies helped clear the table leaving the box where it was. Spike went to the kitchen, got a bottle of white out of the fridge, and grabbed a red from the cabinet in the dining area. He handed them to Giles to open while he went to collect fresh glasses. Xander stoked the fire and put on a fresh log. It seemed this evening was not winding down as everyone originally thought. Once everyone was settled again and comfortably sated with sweets, stimulants and wine, Giles took the floor, “I’ve been considering our dilemma and have a sort of a plan that I’d like offer for consideration.”

Xander piped in with “Here, here!” They all looked at him. “What? … He sounded like he was taking the podium in Congress … or … or Parliament. It sounded OK in my head.”

Giles closed his eyes, took off his glasses as he reached in his pocket for his handkerchief, deeply sighed and said, “as I was saying, the box belongs to Spike. It is his to do with as he pleases…” Spike gestured as though he wished to speak. Giles raised his hand; “I’m not finished.” He looked around the room. “May I go on?”

“Oh for Christ’s sake, get on with it already,” Spike said.

“Very well, then, jumping ahead to my point.”

“Oh, do! Please!” again, Spike spoke.

Giles placed his freshly polished glasses back on and hurried, realizing he sufficiently tried everyone’s patience, “Let’s contact Willow and ask her to call the Coven. Perhaps one of them can come here and check the box for spells, or put some sort of protection spell on it lest it contain something of a harmful nature,” he concluded, looking quite pleased with himself.

The rest all looked at Xander. Spike said, “Now, Harris!”

Xander looked confused then smiled at the dawning, “Ah … Here, here!”

~~~

The welcome visit lasted longer than anyone expected and by the time the guests left, everyone was feeling rather merry. Spike and Buffy, playing host and hostess, helped everyone with their coats, sent them away with small bags of leftover goodies for a late night snack, and agreed to meet again tomorrow for the Thanksgiving feast. They settled upon two as a reasonable time for dinner with guests expected around one for appetizers and drinks.

The lovers stood in the doorway holding hands as they bid farewell to their friends, watching as they faded into the night on route to their cars. Buffy shivered, lingering in the evening chill. Take-charge Spike guided Buffy inside and closed the door. Buffy stepped away. Spike held tightly to her hand and pulled her back to him. Buffy was more than willing. The yummy sound she made got a growl in response from Spike. Their lips met in a sweet, perfect kiss. Spike pulled away first and whispered into her hair, “Are we really going to be able to put this latest nightmare behind us, Buffy?” Buffy started to speak but Spike put his finger to her lips. “I know you say you forgive me but I was such a dolt. I knew how much I was hurting you. How do you forgive that?”

The silence that followed seemed endless, finally Buffy spoke, “During the last days of Sunnydale, I was so alone. Everyone around me was against me. Everyone except you. It was no surprise that Xander was against me … Kennedy had Willow’s ear and it was obvious to everyone that she had no use for me. It felt like just a matter of time until Willow sided with her. Giles betrayed me and even Dawn refused to stand beside me.”

“Buffy…”

“No, let me go on. Only you, Spike.” Tears began to fill Buffy’s eyes. You loved me … the others said they loved me, but when things got rough, they weren’t there for me. Only you.” Buffy took a deep breath and led Spike over to the table where they each took a chair. She never let go of his hand, never let her gaze stray from his eyes. “With everything that was on my mind … you know, trying to save the world and all?” She laughed. “I kept having flashes of other times with you, not of the good times, but of the times when I was so horrible to you. Saying you were a thing, a disgusting thing. Calling you nothing. Sneering at you, hitting you, beating you … using you. I wondered when you would turn against me too. You had every right.” Buffy lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it, held it close to her cheek. “But you didn’t walk away. You said you loved me, and you stayed by me and comforted me and held me and believed in me.” She took his face in her hands, heavy tears now streaming down her face and said, “Spike, you died for me.” Buffy wrapped her arms around Spike’s neck and slid from her chair onto his lap. They stayed like that, neither speaking until Buffy broke the silence, “My point, my love, is that I ask myself every day how can you ever forgive me?”

Spike tried to speak, and again was hushed. “Yes, you hurt me, but I doubted you … and for that I am so ashamed. I’m the one who needs forgiveness, Spike. Not you.”

The couple sat together in the silence of the cottage, enveloped in each other’s arms as they each considered their journey thus far. After a time, the weight pressing on them lifted as they turned their thoughts to the journey ahead. Spike stood and brought Buffy with him and drew her into a lingering kiss. Spike's hands roamed, hesitant at first, then remembering every glorious inch, became emboldened as the kiss deepened. He wrapped his hands over her bottom and grabbed her thighs as she entwined herself around him. Buffy’s hands reached between him to hold the raging erection that was pressing into her when suddenly Spike pulled away, “Mm … no! Not like this.” There was panic in his voice. Buffy looked hurt.

Spike saw her confusion immediately and sought to relieve it. “No luv, it’s OK.” Then continued after a pause, “I’m just a little scared and I want it to be right. Maybe if we go slow?”

Relief filled Buffy’s eyes, she smiled and said, “Yes, I understand,” while she rearranged her clothing and segued to a different subject, “Besides, there’s some washing up to do before we go to bed.”

Gratified, Spike said, “I’m gonna step outside for a cigarette, luv. I’ll only be a minute and then I’ll give you a hand.”

Buffy grinned and took a deep breath, “Don’t be too long.” She kissed him gently, “I need you near me.”

Spike grabbed his duster and had a cigarette to his lips before he stepped out of the door, “I’m always near you, luv.”

~~~
Spike stood outside the door and took a deep breath, taking in all the evening smells. First and foremost, he was a hunter and his senses were alert to any prey. Nothing unfriendly, but then he was in a good mood, so it would take a serious threat to alert him just now. Buffy filled his senses. All the girly things she thinks she needs to be more beautiful. He knew she didn’t need anything, but there would be no convincing her of that, not his Valley girl. That was OK. He still knew her essence … and just now? He sensed her need … he breathed in again and reached down to adjust the tightness in his jeans.

Taking his lighter from his pocket, he flicked it open and took a deep drag to light the cigarette that had been dangling from his lips since he’d left the cottage. He decided to take a brief walk and think while he smoked. First he’d do a reconnaissance around the cottage and then settle for a few minutes on a felled log a few yards behind the cottage that he’d found on another evening. It gave him full view into all the windows at the back of the house. He would enjoy his smoke while watching his girl as she puttered around the cottage.

Spike made himself comfortable on the old log and let his mind wander. He couldn’t help but smile as he watched Buffy put the cottage back in order. He’d never admit it to Xander and definitely never tell Buffy, but his talk with Xander had helped him clear his mind. Everything Xander had said was true. Buffy loved him. He considered her reaction when he had finally found the courage to go to her in the kitchen. She leaned against me and said she didn’t know why I should be asking for forgiveness … I nearly lost my stones and ran. I don’t know what the next few hours will bring. I’m still scared to death, but I can’t close her out anymore. Christ, I bloody near lost her.
Suddenly, something distracted him. A sound? A scent? Just a gut feeling? All thought of Buffy fled, except the need to protect her. Spike sharpened his senses, alert to everything surrounding him. Whatever it was, it stopped … or was catalogued in some inner file cabinet under … not a threat. Still, he needed to see for himself and decided to take another walk around the cottage. As he came round the building, he caught sight of a long shadow and held back. There were no street lamps here and the moon wasn’t high enough to be casting shadows yet. He was not alone. Not human. He detected no human heartbeat other than Buffy’s nearby. Leaning his back against the cottage he glanced around to the front and saw a large lantern set on the path and a man coming toward him. Shifting to his true face to improve his night vision, he relaxed when he saw who it was. MacGregor.

“I thought it would be you,” MacGregor said in the thick Scotch burr, “but I decided it needed checkin’ anyway. How’re you doin’ man?”

“Fine,” was all that Spike answered. He feared if he said more, it would give away his alarm.

MacGregor nodded his head in his old country teacher manner, and answered, “That’s fine then, I’m just doin’ the rounds and always take an extra turn up here. Just to be on the safe side, y’know.”

“It’s appreciated,” Spike answered.

“Well then, I’ll be on my way. Tomorrow’s your big American holiday, eh?”

“Yeah, it’s a nice concept, Thanksgiving … for some. Awkward for us though. Funny when you think the whole thing came about because the English were such an oppressive lot.” Spike said.

“Yes, funny that.” MacGregor tipped his hat and went on his way.

Spike flicked his butt out to the grass, creating a tiny fireworks display, and went inside. Each sensing the other, neither of them sensed the other predator lurking behind the cottage.
~~~

X-posted: captured_kiss, spike_fics, spuffy_fics





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