Buffy fussed over her appearance as she waited patiently in the backseat of the limousine for their turn to exit onto the red carpet; fidgeting with various pieces of jewelry, checking her makeup and smoothing imaginary creases on the fire engine red silk dress. Her anxiety heightened when Spike lightly tapped on her forearm to announce that it was time to make her grand entrance to the awards show. Buffy nervously worried the inside of her lip as the elegant black car slid into place and wondered how after over a year in the limelight she could still be terrified of the press. Pushing down her fears, Buffy took a deep calming breath and delicately slipped from the backseat when the door was opened for her; instantly plastering on a bright smile and posing for a picture.
Not feeling Spike next to her, Buffy turned her head and found him lurking a few feet behind her near the ropes. Reaching out her hand, she motioned for Spike to join her in the long journey down the red carpet. She had secretly planned for this to be the moment where she announced to the world that he was more to her than a security blanket, that Spike was her boyfriend. Buffy smiled brightly when Spike wrapped his masculine hand around her petite one and pulled him closer towards her. In an instant, they were both blinking furiously because of the press.
“Buffy!?” They screamed relentlessly, reminding Buffy of a ravenous vulture circling some type of dying animal. Holding her hand up, she coerced them into bringing their questions to a slight roar so that she would be able to answer them. One pretty brunette near the front caught her attention when she asked the question that Buffy had been waiting for, “Buffy, would you mind telling your fans the name of the handsome man that’s with you?”
“This is Spike,” she answered with a bright smile radiating on her face and wrapping one arm around his in a protective manner. Buffy was about to finish her sentence when a slightly chubby man caused the crowd to erupt into chaotic chatter as he pushed his way to the front of the line.
“So, Buffy what are your thoughts on the incident early this morning with Riley?” He asked, leaning forward to shove the microphone in Buffy’s face.
“I’m sorry; I don’t know what you are talking about, sir.” Buffy said as politely as possible as she strained to keep a smile on her face. “If you would wait just a moment while I finish the other question, I’ll be right back with you.”
“So, what you’re saying is that telling your fans about your latest conquest is far more important that the family that your ex-fiance destroyed this morning?” The smug man had the audacity to plaster a look of concern on his pock marked face as he continued to hold the microphone towards Buffy; his pesky cohort standing directly behind him filming away as Buffy did her best impression of a guppy.
“Oh God, what did Riley do?”
“Oh my, this is even better than I thought it would be. You mean to tell me that no one bothered to tell you that Riley was arrested this morning for vehicular manslaughter?” He paused dramatically to allow the news to settle in before continuing; obviously pleased with himself for shocking Buffy. “Yessiree, looks like old lover boy got liquored up nice and pretty last night and went for a relaxing drive, which ended up with him running a red light and hammering into the side of a small car. They were both taken to the hospital where Riley was treated for a broken leg, but the woman in the other vehicle didn’t make it; died around nine this morning.”
Buffy felt sick to her stomach when the annoyingly upbeat reporter finished his story. Clutching Spike’s arm tightly, she swayed slightly and took deep breaths as she tried to answer the questions that were now flying out of control. Sensing her discomfort, Spike stepped up and took control of the situation.
“No comment for now, guys. This news is obviously upsetting for Buffy to hear and I think she will need some time to adjust.” Pulling her away from the deafening crowd of reporters and photographers, Spike placed his arm around her shoulders and steered her towards the nearest doors he could find. Once inside he grabbed one of the bustling staff members and found the nearest location of a bathroom. When they were safely tucked behind a locked door, Buffy allowed Spike to pull her towards him; falling against his chest and clinging to him desperately. After several minutes of silence, Buffy pulled away from Spike and looked up into his eyes.
“Thank you for saving me.” She said before brushing a light kiss across his lips. “Seems like I have to say that a lot, huh?”
“Anything for you, kitten. Anything at all; don’t you know that by now?” Spike tenderly placed a kiss on the top of Buffy’s head before releasing his hold. “Now, think you can go back out there? I’m quite sure that your mates will be wondering where you are off to by now.”
Stepping up to the mirror, Buffy assessed any damage that had been done to the carefully applied makeup that Anya had worked so hard on and said, “Yeah, Dawn is probably freaking out by now, running around asking for autographs and stuff. It was so cool that Oz decided to bring her instead of snagging a real date for tonight.” With a final flick of her wrist, Buffy fixed her flyaway hair and turned back around to take Spike’s hand in hers. “Well, shall we get this show on the road?”
About an hour and a half later, Spike was left sitting in the crowd with Dawn and the other dates that had been left behind by the members of Serenity as they disappeared to prepare for their performance. Dawn had finally calmed down enough, at least to the point that she was no longer bouncing excitedly in her seat like a child waiting to see Santa Clause. Decked out in a sparkling blue knee length halter dress and silver stiletto heels, the younger Summers’s sister looked more like a glamorous woman than the teenager on the verge of womanhood that she was. At nineteen years old, Dawn could easily compete with any of the models, actresses and singers that were in the auditorium with them tonight. When the host for the show announced that it was time for Serenity to perform their latest song, Bring Me to Life, Spike resisted the urge to place his hands over his ears to protect them from Dawn’s shrieking.
On a rotating stage to the left of their seats, the band was slowly brought to view. As the stage smoke disappeared and Spike was finally able to see Buffy, he felt his cock harden and strain against the material of his black dress pants. While she had looked delectable in the backless red silk dress she had arrived in, the outfit she had chosen to perform in was the epitome of sex. The skintight black leather dress encased her curvaceous form, held in place by thin spaghetti straps, it clung to her body and stopped just above the knees, but the sexiest part of the outfit was that the entire right side was open and secured from top to bottom by silver clasps; teasingly showing enough of her buttery smooth skin to have Spike aching to trace cut out areas with his tongue. Impossibly tall black stilettos covered her feet and the heels were made of shiny chrome to match the accessories on her dress. Dark black shadow ringed her eyes and her sleek hair from earlier had been replaced by wild curls and kinks. Chewing on his bottom lip, Spike discretely tried to adjust himself before anyone around him noticed the raging hard on he was now sporting. Once he was safely tucked away, his shirttail thankfully covering most of the problem, Spike turned his attentions back to Buffy as she began swaying to the beat of the music; waiting for the moment she was to start singing.
How can you see into my eyes like open doors
leading you down into my core
where I’ve become so numb without a soul my spirit sleeping somewhere cold
until you find it there and lead it back home
Spike was captured by the emotion in her voice, knowing full well that Buffy had written this song after being released from the hospital. Earlier that day, she had confided to him that this was the second song that she had written with him in mind and that it was about how he was the main reason that she was able to make it through the trauma she had been put through. Even though her eyes were closed, Spike could tell that she was allowing herself to relive each and every moment that she had been through since her attack so that the intensity of the lyrics.
He watched as she grasped the microphone between both hands, tapping her foot to the beat of the drums and waiting for the next part of the song to begin. This was the first time that Xander had ever performed anything other than the guitar and Spike could see the apprehension on his face as he stepped up to his microphone.
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can’t wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
bid my blood to run
(I can’t wake up)
before I come undone
(Save me)
save me from the nothing I’ve become
Even though they were a good bit away from one another, Spike was shocked to find that Buffy had singled him out amongst the crowd; her attention focused directly on him as she sang her heart out. Spike felt his eyes sting with tears, his stomach clench with a combination of happiness and pain as he watched her. Elated that they were together and happy now, but angered by what Riley had put her through. Silently, he vowed never to let her be hurt again; to always make sure that Buffy spent every day in the sunshine and not the darkness of despair.
now that I know what I’m without
you can't just leave me
breathe into me and make me real
bring me to life
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can’t wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
bid my blood to run
(I can’t wake up)
before I come undone
(Save me)
save me from the nothing I’ve become
Bring me to life
(I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside)
Bring me to life
frozen inside without your touch without your love darling only you are the life among the dead
all this time I can't believe I couldn't see
kept in the dark but you were there in front of me
I’ve been sleeping a thousand years it seems
got to open my eyes to everything
without a thought without a voice without a soul
don't let me die here
there must be something more
bring me to life
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can’t wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
bid my blood to run
(I can’t wake up)
before I come undone
(Save me)
save me from the nothing I’ve become
(Bring me to life)
I’ve been living a lie, there’s nothing inside
(Bring me to life)
As the music began to fade away, Spike sat in shock as he watched Buffy mouth ‘I Love You!” in his direction before waving to the crowd and disappearing behind the curtain.
**Lyrics to Bring Me to Life belong to Evanessence and NOT me. If they were mine I would not be sitting in a dingy basement inhaling dust while answering a phone with a crazy person on the other end. Really. Nothing else belongs to me either, well except for the story line.**
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Hey guys thank you so much for all of the fantastic reviews that everyone has left. I apologize for not getting something out sooner, but work has been totally insane. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this installment and please let me know if you do. Hint...Hint....Hint! Also, the lyrics that are in ( ) at the end of the story are the part of the song that Xander sings. I had no other idea how to make it so that it was distinguishable. ENJOY!!!!