“Can I come in? I must look horrible.”
He stepped aside, allowing her to step over the threshold. She looked around, “Bathroom?”
“You forgot where it is,” he muttered.
“I’m sorry, Spike,” she said sincerely.
“We’ll talk about that later, just follow me.”
Leading her in the living room, down past the connecting study and around the corner down a hall, he led her to the half bath. She smiled up at him gratefully and closed the door behind her.
Spike stared at the shut door, bewildered. Buffy Summers has just blown back in my life. What the hell is that about?
Okay, Summers, pull yourself together. First, you need to wash your face, you look like hell. Then you need to make amends with your former best friend and hope that he’ll let you stay here for a few days…
Relieving herself and then turning on the water faucet, Buffy splashed several handfuls of cold water of her face, jolting herself from her self-pity stupor. Wiping vigorously with the slate blue towel that hung limply from its spot on the towel rung next to the sink, her skin turned slightly pink. Grabbing his slim black comb from the top of the small sink counter, Buffy lifted it and noticed gel in clumps between the teeth. She knew it was gel because that’s what Angel used to make his dark hair spike and this was exactly what his comb looked like. Running the comb under the spraying water, Buffy sighed heavily. When the clumps were sufficiently gone, she carefully ran it through her knotted hair, vowing that she was so going to cut it. Screw Angel and his love of her long hair. It was as good as gone in the morning.
Shutting the sink off, she stepped back and stared at herself. Okay, red puffy eyes, but no more raccoon eyes. Her hair was slightly damp, but the knots were gone and she looked at least somewhat presentable. Looking down at herself, she found she still wore the pink skirt, cream cami and matching pink cardigan that she’d had on for the appearance Angel had had that evening. The appearance in which she’d found out that Angel had taken up with Cordelia and was leaving her. He hadn’t even had the decency to tell her first, no, he’d done it in a public announcement. He’d broken up with her in public.
Prick.
“Buffy? You okay in there?”
Spike was still waiting outside? She stared at the door, disoriented for a minute. “Yeah,” she said finally, “I’m coming.”
“You uh, need anything?”
Whipping the door open, she stared at her old friend, drinking him in. He was a few inches taller than her, slender, but built. His hair was still the bleached blond he’d always had it at, and currently instead of slicked back; it appeared he’d disheveled it, causing his natural curls to spring forth. His cheekbones were sharp, his eyes a penetrating blue. Currently he was sporting dark blue jeans and a navy t-shirt, not his usual attire of black on black. His feet were bare, he held a beer bottle in his hand, and he just looked so welcoming, so much like home. Unable to help herself, Buffy threw herself at him, winding her arms around him, and burying her face in his neck.
“Buffy?” he asked slowly, hesitantly hugging her back.
“I had a crap day, Spike. I just wanted to get here and see you. I know I haven’t seen you in three years, and I know I sucked at keeping contact, but I still always thought of you as my best friend. Please…can I stay here?”
“For how long?”
“Just a few days. I’ll pay you.”
“What about that ponce you’ve been dating?”
Buffy held him tighter. “He dumped me. He was cheating on me.”
“Jesus,” Spike swore on a whisper.
“He had an appearance today with her, more promotions for their movie, and he announced in front of everyone that he and Cordelia Chase were together and were making plans to move in together. I looked like a laughing stock today, Spike. He not only broke my heart, but he made a fool of me.”
“That bastard--”
“And I left. I just left. I didn’t even tell my boss or anyone I was going, I just took off. I couldn’t stand it. I went home and I packed some things and--”
“How long do you need, Buffy?”
She pulled back, wiping at her tears. “Just a week or so…”
“Look at me, luv.”
She looked up into his eyes and found sincerity and concern swirling in their depths.
“You can stay as long as you need, okay? I know we haven’t talked much, or seen one another, but who am I to turn away an old friend? We’ve known each other since we were bratty kids, yeah?”
She nodded, smiling with relief through her tears.
He smiled gently, brushing some tears from her cheeks. “’Sides, I just got laid off for a bit. I’ll have plenty of time to spend with you. We can play catch up.”
“Ooh, Spike, you’re a lifesaver!” and she threw her arms around him again.
He chuckled, feeling that all of this was a bit surreal. He’d lost his job, well, sort of lost his job, and gotten back his best friend She’d been lost to him for quite some time and he’d felt that pain like a stab to his heart. Buffy had always been the only person that had ever truly understood him and when they’d lost touch, he’d felt as though he’d lost an appendage.
He had to admit, now that she was back, in whatever capacity she was back in, he felt parts of himself getting back to being whole. With true friends, it didn’t matter how much time passed, it only mattered on whether or not you could pick up as if you’d just seen each other the day before.
“Hey, you want some hot chocolate?” he asked, pulling back a tad and tilting her chin up so she could look at him.
“I want food. You got food?”
Spike grinned. “How about we go to that Rich’s?”
Her eyes widened. “It’s still up?”
“Of course! That diner has been around for years, it’s not going anywhere. Come on, luv, let’s get you some food. Don’t know what you’ve been eating in L.A., but you’re much too skinny.”
“Thanks, Spike,” she told him dryly and he chuckled.
“Sorry, pet.”
She shrugged, “Don’t be. It’s true. I just never have the time to eat.”
“Well, now you will have plenty of time.”
She beamed, “I give you permission to fatten me up.”
Spike smiled warmly at her, feeling his heart stirring at her shining face smiling up at him so trustingly. “I really missed you, Buffy,” he whispered.
“I missed you too, Spike. I’m sorry we lost touch for so long.”
“Come on, you can tell me all about it over some breakfast, all right?”
“Oh, where do I begin…”