Author's Chapter Notes:
I was apparently so into figuring out how to fit all of my books onto shelves (we moved from somewhere with a fantastic library to one with a really not so good one so I've amassed a *lot* of books over the last few years) that I forgot what day it was....but now that my computer's actually on and I've gotten Word and IE open, you get your update....



and because I'm in a fantastically aweome mood because I'm feeling really well and this story got nominated at Spark & Burn for Best Plot, Best Angst and Best Romance; Learning Curve for Best Fantasy and Best Original Character (oh how I still love Sam); and All the Fun (of the Fair) for Best Comedy/Fluff and Best Buffy Characterization...and I got nominated for Best Author....and it was All the Fun's first nominations! because of all of that, I'm going to post another chapter of this story in about five minutes :)
Chapter 47

Buffy breathed a sigh of relief when the door to her room slid open at three minutes after eleven, ready to tell Spike how glad she was that he was there.

Only it wasn’t Spike.

“What are you doing here Angel?” she hoped he wasn’t there because of why she thought he was.

“Where’s Spike?”

“I asked first.”

“Where’s Spike?” Angel watched as Buffy sat, arms crossed, a stubborn expression on her face and knew she wouldn’t answer until she got her own answer. “Giles called me; he and your friends are worried about you, Buffy.”

“Yeah? Well, they’ve got a funny way of showing it.”

“Buffy, where’s Spike? Have you—“

”I haven’t told him to go away, no. He’s going to be here in a few minutes; he had something to do tonight.”

“And you don’t care? Buffy, for all you know, Dru could be back in town and they could be out there killing right now.”

Buffy just rolled her eyes at that.

“Angel, either accept the fact that Spike’s in my life or go home. I’m not up to dealing with anyone’s bullshit right now.”

Angel saw that he wasn’t going to get through to Buffy that way and decided to try a different tactic.

“Can you tell me what’s going on? What’s happened?”

“Let’s see…Mom was sick, I got sick, Mom had a seizure, Mom had a brain tumor, I got sicker, Mom had surgery, Mom went home, I got sicker, I came here. That pretty much sums it up.”

“Why isn’t your mother here right now?”

“I don’t feel like answering that—“

“Spike could have—“

“Spike didn’t touch my mother; and for you to be ragging on the one guy—hell, the one person aside from my family—who’s been here for me…well it’s pretty hypocritical if you think about. it.”

“All you had to do was call and I would have been here weeks ago.”

“No, you would have told me something about work and then not come until I was undoubtedly dying. You’re here now because Giles told you could play the hero. You always did like that, didn’t you? Does it help your soul or do you just like patting yourself on the back?”

“Buffy,” Angel didn’t know what to say; it was obvious to him that Spike had somehow gotten to her. Sure she might have been right that he wouldn’t have been able to come right away-he had a life after all—but she didn’t have to make it all sound so…callous. “Is there anything I can do?” he finally asked.

“Oh look, you do have a brain. No, Angel, I’m fine. You can go back and tell Giles whatever you want, I don’t much care at this point.”

“Buffy, you can’t just give up,” Angel pleaded. “You have to remember how much you have to live for.”

“Can you save me the inspirational speech please? I’m not giving up, I’m just in a bad mood right now.”

“Well that’s to be expected—“

“No, I’m not always in a bad mood. I’m upset about the fact that the last thing I actually asked my friends to do was not call you and they obviously did. And I can’t believe that you all have such little faith in me to think that you have to come and ‘save’ me Spike and his evil mind control—or whatever you think it is. I am capable of thinking for myself Angel. Spike’s been here for a couple of years now, I know how to handle him.”

“Surely, then, you see that he’s just trying to get something out of you.”

“Angel, if Spike were trying to get something out of me, would he have stopped me from having sex with him because he knew it was more a case of me being scared of dying than me wanting to then?” She wasn’t sure how to be subtle with him and figured that her last question might finally get through to him.

“Buffy…What’re you saying…you can’t be…”

“Saying I tried to have sex with Spike? Yeah, I am. I know that for whatever reason, you don’t like Spike, but…I need you to believe me on this one and not Giles. I know what I feel and I know…he’s doing this because he loves me Angel. He’s taking care of Dawn because he wants to…this isn’t some scheme of his. The only ‘plan’ he has right now, is to stop me from dying.”

“Are you really dying?” his voice was quiet and Buffy thought that she might have finally gotten through to him.

“It would seem like it, wouldn’t it?”

“But can’t they—I mean…What is it?”

“That’s the thing; no one really knows. The guys kind of gave up on research after like a week and Spike’s been doing his best, but…I think it’s just me, not something mystical or magical or evil or anything like that.”

“How long do you…Never mind.”

Buffy was surprised at the difference in Angel and Spike, how easily Angel seemed to accept her dying.

“I don’t think like that,” she replied, being as courteous as possible.

”Of course. Can I stay for just a few minutes? In case I don’t—“

‘In case I don’t get to see you again,’ Buffy finished for him silently.

“Sure,” Buffy agreed, indicating for him to sit in the chair by her bed.




“You wouldn’t believe how much of a bloody mess popcorn ca—What’s tall-dark-and-dreary doing here?” When he saw Angel, Spike stopped just inside Buffy’s door, his body suddenly full of tension.

“You expect me to be jumping for joy?” Angel asked. “Have you looked at Buffy lately?”

He was closer to Buffy, but Spike wondered if Angel noticed—as he did—the way Buffy flinched slightly at Angel’s statement.

“Been looking at her lots,” he threw just enough suggestion into the statement to turn Buffy’s mood around. “Still want to know what you’re doing here?” he asked, lounging against the doorframe. He knew his relaxed demeanor would piss Angel off more than just about anything else he could do or say. Angel hated his cockiness.

“Giles called me; I came to make sure Buffy was alright..”

“So ol’ Rupes finally gave in and called the knight in not so shiny armor?”

“You knew he would call?” Buffy asked.

“You’ve got more faith in Watcher Boy than I do, luv; knew it was only a matter of time. So, how long you sticking round for, Angelus?”

“He was actually leaving now,” Buffy answered for him. “The nurse will be round in just a few minutes and you’ll both get thrown out if there’re two of you here.”

“So I have to leave?” Angel asked incredulously.

“Well,” Buffy explained as if he were stupid, “if you don’t then Spike has to—like I said if both of—“

“Why can’t Spike leave?” he interrupted.

“Because Spike’s staying?”

“Buffy, it’s after eleven, how much longer do you expect him to stay? He’ll be here tomorrow—I have to get back to work.”

“I expect him to be able to stay until eight, now seriously, leave. The nurse always gets here at eleven twenty—it’s two minutes until then.”

“I can’t believe you’re choosing Spike over me,” he said even as he got up and resignedly headed towards the door.

“I am, aren’t I?” Buffy’s question caused him to pause for several seconds. “Hunh.”

Angel left before she had a chance to say anything more, brushing past Spike roughly.

“He’s always been real big with the big, broody exits. Real drama queen that one.”

“You think he could have at least said goodbye.”

“Not as dramatic,” Spike explained.

“I guess,” she said sadly.

“Hey, none of that. All those high pitched squeals have damaged my brain, I don’t know how many more things I’m going to be able to say to make you blush.” He never would have thought that basically babysitting five teenaged girls for several hours would be so tough—especially that Trina bird…if she’d come on to him one more time he was going to have to make a fool of himself and ask Dawn to save him.

“Can we just go to sleep actually? I was already really tired and then Angel wore me out ev—What?”

“Angel wore you out? Care to phrase that another way?”

“You’re spending too much time with Dawn—arguing with Angel made me even more tired. Can we please just go to sleep?” she asked, stifling a big yawn towards the end.

“Soon as they get all their info. Speaking of info, did I tell you I’ve got Willy and Clem on the look out for anything that might be related to what’s happening to you? Turns out you keep the bar fights down by getting rid of the real bad nasties so Willy’s ready and willing to help.”

“What about able?”

“That one’s still being decided. But I’ve got them looking and I’ve been making a list of everyone I’ve met that can do spells or curses—or that I knew could and trying to come up with something that way.

“Remind me to talk to less people from now on…bloody long list,” he muttered.

“Thank you, Spike.”

“Haven’t done anything, pet,” he said regretfully.

“But you’re trying,” Buffy surprised Spike by pulling his face down to hers for a quick but deep kiss. “Thank you.”


TBC…..





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