Chapter 4: Spike's Secret
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Dawn kept up the conversation with Spike throughout dinner, which was okay with Buffy. She was perfectly content to eat without any interruptions. Once they were done, Dawn dragged Spike off to the living room, leaving Buffy behind to collect dishes, a scenario that the slayer was perfectly happy with.
Depositing the plates in the sink, Buffy put away the rest of the food and then began filling the sink with hot soapy water. She listened with half an ear to Dawn analyzing the movie in the living room while she washed the dishes. Buffy took her time scrubbing every inch of each plate, anything to procrastinate and keep from going into the living room.
Finally with nothing left to stall her, she ventured into the living room, where Spike and Dawn were both comfy on the couch. Catching sight of the stake that was sitting on the front desk, she thought of one thing that would get her out of the house.
“Spike, you mind staying with Dawn while I patrol?” she asked when Dawn paused for breath during her analytical rant.
“I don’t need a babysitter!” Dawn whined instantly.
“Come on Bit, I’ll teach you that card trick you were askin’ about,” Spike placated the teen as he got up and disappeared into the kitchen.
“No gambling,” Buffy ordered, looking at Dawn as she slipped on her jacket and checked her pockets for weapons.
“Don’t have any money anyways,” Dawn mumbled.
“Not too late Slayer,” Spike called out to her as he came back in, holding a deck of cards in his hands. “I’ve got things to do tonight.”
“Like what?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Nothin’ that concerns you,” he answered back, not giving anything away.
Buffy laughed as an idea occurred to her. “What? You got a date or something?” she asked half jokingly.
Spike tilted his head. “Yeah, something like that,” he replied and sat on the couch.
Buffy stared at him a moment longer, waiting for him to elaborate and when he didn’t, she mumbled a few choice words and slammed her way out the front door. She stomped to the nearest cemetery, never for a moment thinking about why she was so angry. She pummeled through her first couple of vamps before marginally calming down.
Spike had a date!
And why was so she angry again? Because he was suppose to love her, right? So why was he going out with someone else? Oh, he hadn’t said it was a female but she just knew that it was. So much for Spike loving her! And why was she so oddly disappointed by that?
She worked herself up into a bout of righteous anger and took it out on any vampires she found.
After an hour or two, she’d worked out most of her immediate anger and now just had the small burning rage that she was waiting to unleash on Spike. She made it home in record time and opened the front door to find Spike already waiting for her.
“Nib’s already up in bed. Night Slayer,” Spike said before dashing out the front door and walking down the street.
Buffy stood stunned in place, again.
Had Spike really left and hadn’t even tried anything? It was too strange, even for him. He had to be up to something.
Running quickly up the stairs, she checked in on Dawn and saw that her sister truly was asleep. Debating about what to do, Buffy figured that Dawn would be okay by herself for a few minutes. She’d just go see who Spike was meeting and then come straight back home.
She slipped back out of the house and followed in the general direction in which Spike had disappeared. There was a possibility that he’d already out walked her. She decided she’d try for about 15 minutes for calling it quits.
Picking up her pace, she saw a flash of white ahead. She jogged closer and saw that it was Spike walking a few yards ahead of her. He didn’t falter in his step or making any sign of sensing her. She dropped back a couple more feet just to ensure he didn’t pick up on her presence.
Looking around, she was surprised to see that they were around the back of the local courthouse. There were a few stray cars still in the parking lot and she hid herself behind one. It was a little closer than she’d like but it was the best she could do. She watched as Spike knocked on one of the back doors of the courthouse and waited a moment.
The door creaked open and a man popped his head out, looking at Spike and scanning the area around him. They spoke in low enough tones that she couldn’t hear their conversation. They didn’t speak long before the man handed Spike a folder and received a roll of money in return.
Trying to figure out what could be in the folder, Buffy almost missed Spike slipping back into the shadows and continuing on his way. As quietly as she could, she began tailing after him, doing her best to blend into the shadows as easily as he did.
She walked behind him for only a little while longer when she realized where they were headed: her mom’s gallery. It was a modest building about half way between the main strip and the warehouses.
Funny, she hadn’t really given much thought to what would happen to the gallery now that her mom was…gone.
Spike seemed to be very familiar with it though, and he easily navigated his way towards the back alley, where a truck with a small trailer was waiting for him. Buffy positioned herself as best she could without being seen and still be able to hear what was going on.
The driver’s door of the truck opened and an older man hopped down. There was nothing memorable about his features; he was rather average.
“It’s about time you showed Will,” the truck driver yelled at Spike, his eyes darting around the mostly darken street. “You know I don’t like being caught out here at night for very long.”
“Sorry mate, something came up. You have any trouble?” Spike asked, removing a set of keys from his coat and opening the back door. He slipped inside and soon the loading door rolled open, Spike standing at the side using the chains to hoist it up.
“No, no trouble,” the driver answered as he opened the back of the truck, his eyes darting around the street every now and then.
“Good,” Spike replied. “Let’s get these crates inside and then you can be on your merry way.”
The two quickly moved the crates, Spike handing the man a white envelope before patting him on the back and sending him away. Once the truck was out of sight, Spike turned in her direction, shaking his head as he pulled out his cigarettes and lit one up.
“Might as well come out Slayer,” he called out as he exhaled a puff of smoke.
Buffy uttered a little curse as she stepped towards him. She was pretty shocked by all that she had witnessed so far. She’d been so wrong about what he was doing.
“How long have you--”
“Known you were followin’ me?” Spike interrupted. “Since the courthouse.”
“No,” Buffy said, shaking her head. “How long have you been doing…this?” She waved in his direction, the direction of the gallery.
“Helping with the gallery?” he supplied, looking slightly abashed. “Since my chip,” he finally answered and Buffy blinked her eyes at him. “Your mum told me about the scare with that mask a few years back, you know, the one that made all the zombies? Anyways, she was worried it’d happen again and asked if I’d be willing to check in on the shipments for anything out of the ordinary. Surprised she didn’t ask Rupes to do it.”
“And what did you get out of all of this?” Buffy asked with suspicion.
“A nice cuppa whenever I wanted, and a small monthly cut, just enough to keep me in blood and smokes,” he answered with a glare, his body tensing up.
“Right, like I’m suppose to believe you didn’t milk it for all it’s worth. You just took your little cut and that’s it,” Buffy sneered back at him. This new information was testing a lot of her thoughts about Spike and she was reacting the only way she knew.
“You’re bloody right I did!” Spike hollered back at her. “Joyce was a right nice lady. Wouldn’t have ever crossed her like that. I respected your mum. She was a tough bird. She dealt with you after all.”
“What’s that suppose to mean?”
“That you’re a down right bitch sometimes,” he said as he dropped the lit cigarette and crushed it with the tip of his boot.
“Oh, like you’re a saint,” she spat back.
“You ever wonder what’s keeping you and Dawn afloat?” he asked unexpectedly, rushing at her, fists clenched at his side, stopping well within arm’s reach. “You don't give this place a second thought, probably think the money just magically appears in your bank account.”
The back alley was quiet as Buffy processed what he had said.
“You mean you…” she began, her eyes growing wide.
“Yeah, that’s right. I’m the one putting the dosh there. I’m the one running this place and putting the money in your pocket.”
Buffy felt the air leave her lungs and her knees were suddenly shaky. She reached out a hand and rested it on the wall of the building to steady herself.
“I don’t get it. Why didn’t Mom ever tell me anything?” she mumbled more in thought than at Spike. It hurt her a little bit that her own mother hadn’t been able to tell her about the part Spike was playing in her life, because of the way she’d react, when all he was really doing was helping.
“Knew you didn’t like the idea of me hanging ‘round,” Spike answered and she could still hear the anger in his voice. “So it was just between me, her, and the Bit.”
“Dawn knew?”
“Of course, that girl is a sneaky little rascal. Found out when I came over to talk to your mum. She has a knack for eavesdroppin’.”
For Buffy, this new discovery was just another thing to mess up her perceptions. It was yet another decent deed that Spike did that had nothing to do with her. The excuse that Spike was only doing good to get into her pants was no longer holding up to scrutiny. He’d never told her about helping her mom or had rubbed in it her face. He had never told her that he was the one running the gallery and saving her and her sister from becoming poor.
“Why?” she asked suddenly.
Spike look uncomfortable and turned away from her.
“I have my reasons,” he answered over his shoulder as he started walking into the back of the gallery.
Buffy rushed up to him, twisting his body and forcing him against the wall; Spike was unable to do anything but let her. His jaw was clenched as he looked at her and she couldn’t help but notice the oh so bitable muscle cord in his neck that was pulled taut, begging to be played with. It took her a second to catch his eyes again.
“Why?” she repeated.
“Fine, I’ll tell you. You're not going to like it and that’s not my problem,” he snarled at her before taking a deep breath and looking away. His voice was softer when he spoke again. “When your mum started getting sick, me and her had a talk one night. I promised her I’d take care of you two if anything happened to her.”
She was dumbfounded. She would have never believed Spike to make a promise like that to her mother, and actually keep it.
“Spike…” she started in a rush, but she didn’t know what to do or say. “Thanks, for both me and Dawn,” she said quietly, staring down at the ground, loosening her grip on his coat but not letting go.
“You okay with this arrangement then?” he asked, watching every detail of her face for some sign of what she was feeling.
“I’m not sure,” she answered honestly after a moment. “I mean, for the past couple weeks I didn’t even know about it. I didn’t even think about it. Guess that goes to show how responsible I am.”
“Nah pet, you’ve just had a lot on your mind.”
The fact that Spike was trying to console her softened any anger she had at him.
“But I guess it’ll will work for now, if you’re going to be my ‘husband’. You have to have some source of income,” she teased.
Spike’s smile on his face set something aflutter inside Buffy. He looked so earnest and boyish, at least for the moment. She knew all that could change when he opened his mouth.
“Speaking of our little arrangement, we still need to work out the details,” Buffy said after a moment. While she was reluctant to do it, it had to be done.
“Right, back to business,” Spike murmured. “Look, I’ve got to go over this stuff in here. And you left the Nibblet alone,” he quickly added when Buffy was about to protest and she turned away guiltily. “Head back home and I’ll be there once I sort through this lot.”
“Okay.”
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Buffy was reclining on the couch, thinking about the entire situation again while waiting for Spike. She really didn’t know what to make of it all. Spike had been helping her mom for the last year or so, without telling her. He’d also been supporting her and Dawn for the last couple weeks, again without saying a word to her. All of it didn’t go with the Spike mold she had in her head. As much as she’d like to say he had all this planned, she knew he didn’t. Spike was a lot of things, but he wasn’t a planner; he was too impatient for that.
It still amazed her that Spike had kept quiet about helping her mom for as long as he had. The Spike she had drawn up in her head would have been running to tell her that he was helping her mom out first just to annoy her, and then later to try and get something out of it.
The only conclusion she could draw was that maybe she really didn’t know Spike and had made assumptions about him too quickly. Maybe it was true and he had changed. She knew she trusted him. Dawn had already made her face that hard fact. She wouldn’t have even contemplated their plan if she didn’t trust Spike to some degree. He'd earned her trust the day he let himself be tortured rather than give up Dawn to Glory.
“…I couldn’t live, her being’ in that much pain…”
The world wasn’t painted in black and white like she wanted it to be, and she had to accept that.
When she started getting sleepy and there hadn’t been any sign of Spike yet, she went upstairs and changed into a pair of decent pajamas before resuming her position on the couch. She knew Spike would eventually show up; there was no way he would stand her up.
She wasn’t sure when she nodded off but one moment she was staring at the television and when she opened her eyes again, the room was dark and a figure was hovering above her, the outline very familiar to her.
“Spike?” she mumbled, not sure if she was dreaming or awake, her lack of sleep from the previous night taking its toll.
“Yeah pet, didn’t mean to be so late. Let’s just get you up to bed, we can talk later,” he whispered, gently scooping her up into his arms.
Having fallen asleep without a blanket, Buffy found herself shivering and she burrowed against Spike, tucking herself as close to him as she could. She didn’t even remember them moving and was surprised when she was suddenly placed down on what she assumed was her bed.
“Okay kitten, you gotta let go so I can leave,” Spike said, trying and failing to pry her arms from around him.
“No,” she groaned, tightening her grip, her sleep addled brain only registering that it felt nice to be cuddled up to Spike. “Want you to stay.”
“No, you don’t,” Spike argued.
“Yes, I do,” she countered back, and a tug from her end had him losing his footing and falling on the bed.
Spike found it rather comfy, finding his head pillowed on her bosom. And hey, who was he to do otherwise when the Slayer clearly wanted him to stay with her?
“Why do you still have clothes on?” she asked confused as her hands met his duster.
“I could get them off if you let me go for a moment,” Spike answered.
Buffy looked at him then, her bleary eyes only half open.
“Okay, but only if you come back.”
Spike reassured her he would and he slowly slid off the bed when she let go. There really was no question about what he was going to do. True, he’d be taking slight advantage of the situation, but then again, he was evil after all. And it wasn’t like he would allow anything serious to happen. He preferred his bits just how they were, undusty that was, and letting things go too far would get him dusted. He’d just have to make sure Buffy kept her clothes on until she was more coherent.
Not paying the Slayer any mind, he quickly pulled off his duster and his shirt. He then tossed off his boots, leaving them next to the pile of his clothes. He turned back towards the bed and climbed in. Buffy immediately latched onto him, sliding underneath the covers with him, pressing herself against his side. Even though her shirt separated them, Spike could feel the hard points of her nipples against his chest, her heat soaking into his skin.
This was turning delicious indeed.
Buffy hummed a noise of contentment when he wrapped his arm around her and slid his hand underneath her shirt, letting it rest on the smooth skin of her back. Her arm was flung across his bare chest, burning a path of warmth across it, his body immediately reacting to her touch.
“I should have kissed you earlier,” Buffy mumbled, as she lifted her weary head and opened her eyes just the tiniest bit.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah,” she breathed against his skin before pulling back to look at him. “Thank you.”
“For what?” Spike asked, curious at to what Buffy was talking about.
“For taking care of me and Dawn,” she answered. She began to lean forward, lips pursed, her eyes fluttering shut. Her lips were almost touching his when she slumped against him unconscious, a soft snore emitting from her body.
Spike gave a small snort of laughter as he pulled the blankets up and around them.
“You’re welcome,” Spike quietly whispered, kissing the crown of her head.
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tbc…