“SPIKE!” Angel screamed as he sprinted across the darkened room; jumping over the chairs that stood in his way. “Spike…STOP!” His breathing was erratic as he barreled his way to Buffy. Angel had seen Spike literally throw himself at Riley, watched in horror as Buffy’s tiny frame was tossed to the floor. Now, his eyes were glued on his fallen ex-girlfriend, cowering in fear as another man’s rage flew out of control. Angel prayed he could reach them in time before Spike did something he would regret.
Somewhere in the foggy corner of his consciousness, Spike heard someone screaming his name; telling him to stop. ‘Stop? Why?’ He wondered, confused as to why anyone would want him not to continue beating the life out of Riley. “SPIKE…STOP!” The voice screamed again, commanding him to leave the man alone.
Shaking his head in confusion, Spike focused on the person in front of him with a cruel smile on his face. ‘Hmph…bastard got what he deserves!’ What he saw, however, was Buffy; tears flowing freely down her cheeks, her eyes full of fright. Spike felt sick, realizing that she was afraid of him. He started lowering his arm at the same time someone grabbed hold of his bicep.
Buffy saw Angel pulling Spike off Riley and took the opportunity to scramble to safety. Using the edge of the bar for leverage, she hauled herself up from the floor and fled to the bathroom. Slamming the stall door, Buffy slid the lock across and sank down onto the toilet; her body wracked with sobs. A half a second later she heard the bathroom door open and close, signaling someone’s entrance.
“Buffy?” Cordelia asked tentatively as she crossed the tiled bathroom and came to rest in front of the stalls. “Buffy, are you all right?”
Taking a deep, calming breath Buffy unlocked the stall. “Physically, yes…I’m fine. Otherwise… not so much with the warm and tinglies.” She said, trying to lighten the atmosphere. Instead, her eyes filled with a fresh batch of hot tears that instantly spilled. Leaning forward, she graciously accepted the comforting arms that wrapped around her.
Back out on the main floor there was chaos. The house lights had come on during the brawl, flooding the normally darkened bar with harsh fluorescent light. Lorne was near the entrance in the midst of a heated discussion with one of his new employees, who turned out to be the culprit in Riley’s admittance. Angel was hovering over Spike, who was slouched in a chair with his head in his hands; still silent with shock. Wesley and Gunn had been assigned the tedious task of dealing with Riley and waiting for the paramedics to arrive. Unfortunately, someone had already called the police and the faint sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance.
“Where’s Buffy, Angel?” Spike muttered, still staring a hole in the floor between his feet. “Can I see her, now?”
“Cordy’s with her in the bathroom.” Angel informed Spike as he sat down next to him. “I think you should maybe wait a little while. Let things cool down.” There was a loud banging coming from Lorne’s direction. Glancing that way, Angel watched as Lorne stopped his conversation with his employee and opened the heavy door, standing to the side to allow the officers in. Angel mentally groaned, realizing it was going to be a long night.
“She has to know I would never hurt her, right?” Spike asked Angel, a pleading tone to his voice. When his best friend remained silent, Spike knew the answer. “I need to see her, Angel. Please go get her, please. I have to tell her how sorry I am.”
Angel hated to see the tears that were shining in his friend’s eyes, but he knew that Buffy would want her space right now. “Maybe later, ok? Right now you need to focus on your story, telling the police what happened. After that, then I will go see about Buffy.”
Spike hated to admit that Angel was right, but still ached to see Buffy…to tell her he was sorry. Raking his hands through his hair, Spike sighed and stood up. “Guess it’s now or never, huh? Let’s get this part over with.”
Cordelia gently smoothed her hand over Buffy’s back, whispering soothing words to the sobbing girl in a feeble attempt to get her to calm down. “Shh…everything is going to be ok, Buffy. You need to take a deep breath and try to calm down. It’s all going to be all right. Spike would never hurt you; he just lost control for a minute. You know that right?”
Buffy tried to take deep, calming breaths between the hiccups she had acquired from crying. Stepping back from Cordelia, she rubbed her palms roughly across her cheeks and eyes before saying, “I never expect anyone to hurt me on purpose, but in the end it usually happens anyway.” Buffy walked over to the sink, turning on the cold water she palmed the icy liquid and splashed it on her face. Looking into the mirror, she grimaced at the sight before her. With disheveled hair, black liner smudged under both eyes and her paled skin, she looked miserable. Adding to that the splatters of what she assumed to be Riley’s blood across the bare section of her chest, and Buffy looked positively frightening. “Ugh…I just want to go home. Hmph…but then again, I don’t really have a place to call my own…do I? Nooo, I have either your parents’ house or Spike’s apartment, where we were going to stay tonight.” Buffy sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. “I have nowhere.”
“Nonsense.” Cordy replied, handing Buffy some paper towels to dry her face and hands. “You’ll come home with us. Tomorrow, we’ll deal with everything. I think that a night apart to cool down is exactly what the both of you need to do. Ok?”
“Thank you. You and Angel have helped me so much lately. I don’t know how I will ever repay you guys.” Buffy forced a half smile onto her face and accepted another hug from her childhood friend.
“Just be happy, Buffy. That’s all Angel and I would ever want from you.” Cordelia pulled away and said, “I’m going to go see if we can go yet and get things coordinated with Angel. Do you want to stay in here or what?”
“Um…the bathroom isn’t exactly what I would call relaxing. I’m going to walk around the corner and see if Lorne’s office door is open. If it isn’t, then I guess its potty-town for me.” Buffy followed Cordelia out of the ladies’ room and then disappeared down the hallway to the office at the end. Turning the knob, she sighed with relief as it opened.
After talking to his wife, Angel went back over to the officers and prepared to have one of them join Buffy in Lorne’s office for her statement. Once that was done, he pulled Spike to the side and said, “Buffy is coming with us for the night. I think it’s for the best that you guys take a breather for tonight. You go stay at your apartment and I’ll bring her to you sometime after lunch, ok?”
“She doesn’t want to see me, does she? I’ve really gone and made a bleeding mess out of things tonight!” Spike felt sick to his stomach, his head was pounding. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. He took a long drag before continuing. “I guess you’re right. Look, she has a bag in my car…I figure she’ll need it. I can run and get it for her.” His shoulders sagged as he walked away, one tear finally spilling over his thick lashes onto his cheek.
A half hour later they were pulling into the garage. Once inside, Cordelia led Buffy to the guest room to get cleaned up and located a pair of pajama bottoms and a T-shirt for her to sleep in after she had mumbled that sleepwear wasn’t something she had planned on needing that night. While Buffy changed, Cordelia wandered back to the living room to find Angel.
“Hey baby,” she whispered against his cheek as she leaned into him for a hug. “Well, this night went all wrong, huh?” Tilting her head up, she brushed her lips across his. “Listen, I think I am going to go to bed. I think Buffy needs you more right now.” Placing her lips against his again, their embrace became more intense; both of them needing comfort after the evenings events. A noise from the hallway got their attention and they pulled apart to find Buffy standing awkwardly near the door.
“Um…sorry to interrupt, but I was thirsty.” Buffy apologized.
“No problem,’ Cordelia announced as she headed for the stairs, “I was heading to bed anyway and Angel wanted to talk to you. Try and get some rest tonight, Ok?” Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, Cordelia turned back and saw Angel wrapping his arms around Buffy, stroking her golden hair as he murmured the same comforting words she did earlier. She smiled sadly, knowing that her husband loved her deeply; but knew that part of his heart would always belong to his first love. When he turned his head in her direction and mouthed ‘I love you’, she returned the gesture and blew him a kiss before heading to bed.
**As always, I hope you guys enjoyed and please leave a review (it makes Muse happy.)