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Chapter 30

“What did you say?” William repeated his question when the beautiful blond in his lap looked at him as if she had no idea what he was talking about. He silently prayed to whoever was listening that it hadn’t been his imagination, that she had actually said the words and she would repeat the magic phrase.

Buffy's inner Faith giggled with glee over the reaction from her vampire. She wondered what other reactions she could get from William. She also wondered how long she could play Barbie Buffy before he caught on. The very moment she realised his love could be taken from her, she had known just how much she loved him. His idea that they work with Spike to make him realise he was in love with the other Buffy was good, she had every intention of not only helping with that, but also giving the younger her a gentle push in the right direction. She didn’t think much of a push would be required if the dreams they were sharing were any indication. She finally understood that for her and William to have the happy ending she wanted for them, then Buffy and Spike had to get together soon.

Suddenly realising that there was a vampire waiting for a response from her, Buffy said the first thing that came to mind, “Huh?”

William could feel his frustration growing. He rolled his head around in an effort to lower his stress level. Bloody bint was gonna drive him crazy. He slowly counted to ten, having heard that it worked for other people. Not that he was a person, but it was worth a shot.

Buffy watched as William tried to calm himself. It was fairly obvious from his expression that he was desperate for her to repeat her words, but that he didn’t want to push her. She felt her heart go out to him. Maybe playing with him over this particular subject wasn’t the kindest thing she could do. Lifting a hand to caress his cheek, she was deeply moved when he nuzzled her palm just as a kitten would. The eyes that looked into hers were breathtaking in their emotional content. Love shone clearly. How was it possible that she had missed this before now? Had he always looked at her like this?

“I love you,” she whispered the words he was so desperate to hear.

William just looked at her. She had said them. She had uttered the three magical words. He was stunned. He was in shock, desperately trying to regain his footing. She had not only told him she loved him, but to all intents and purposes she looked like she meant what she had said. Nobody had been even close to saying those words since his mother. He didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. With a half sob of relief and elation, William tightened his embrace and held Buffy in a hug that would have broken a normal girl. He held on as a dying man clutches at a life raft. Buffy loved him. There was nothing the two of them couldn’t face, together.

~*~*~

“How are you coping, Spike?” Giles asked, concerned. The vampire had not really been given many choices. His body had been, for lack of a better word, hi-jacked. He seemed to be a little belligerent, but really, given his circumstances, Giles would probably be a little churlish too.

Spike eyed the watcher suspiciously, but found nothing in his features that indicated anything other than solicitude. With a heart filled sigh, Spike moved to the couch as he answered the man. “I could use a bloody drink, watcher.”

Without a word, Giles moved towards his liquor cabinet and grabbed the scotch and two glasses. Pausing, he grabbed a third glass, just in case William felt like a drink too. Making his way back to his recliner, Giles finally spoke. “William is my friend, Spike. I hope that we can also find some common ground.”

“How old is my…er…the other slayer?” Spike asked, momentarily flustered at his unconscious slip. He had never even met the bint, how was it possible that she was already affecting him this way?

“Young Buffy is sixteen,” Giles said, looking at Spike curiously.

“Then we’ve got common ground, mate.” Spike gave the watcher a hard look before continuing. “She’s too young to be in any sort of physical relationship, let alone a sadistic bastard like Angelus. We need to get her away from the poof.”

“From what this Buffy has inferred, I don’t think separating them will be at all difficult. I am concerned with the way Angel will react, however. He is unstable and obsessed and this concerns me deeply.” Giles shared his thoughts with the blond vampire that should, by all rights, have become the nemesis of his slayer.

“Maybe he can be told the truth? In controlled circumstances,” Spike suggested cautiously. He wanted to help. He wanted desperately to be a part of it. He was just so unsure of himself, his reception, and his ideas that he needed to go slowly. He had never been in the position where his opinion might matter. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that if he let these people get close and then they rejected him, he would never recover.

Giles watched the play of emotions flitter across the face of the vampire and wondered, not for the first time, how those fools at the council had ever come to the conclusion that demons were unable to truly feel emotion. The idea seemed absolutely ludicrous in the presence of this emotive specimen.

“That’s a good idea, Spike. Do you think we should discuss it with the others before the meeting tomorrow night?” Giles asked.

“It’s prolly gonna take all of us to come up with a workable plan,” Spike said in agreement. “But, from what the others were saying, we have a more immediate problem.”

“What’s that?”

“If the poof is stalking her, what’s to stop him from listening from outside the Slayer’s house during the meetin’?”

“Good lord, I hadn’t even thought of that!”

~*~*~

“You love me?”

Buffy tried to control the smile that threatened to break out at the look of absolute adoration and hope that William directed her way. She was a little overcome with a feeling of peace that seemed to have settled on her as soon as she made her admission. As she looked into his eyes, she felt her love for this very special vampire blossom and bloom. Her features softened as she stroked his face and smiled into his eyes as she asked, “How could I not?”

They shared a gentle smile as they gazing deeply into each others eyes, lost in the intimacy of the moment.

Buffy’s eyes widened as she was hit with an epiphany; a defining moment, a moment when a simple realisation was made monumental by the complete understanding of a second meaning behind a simple statement. “Death is my gift.”

“What’s that, luv?”

“It was around the time you got vamp-napped by Glory. I was afraid that I was losing my humanity. That being the Slayer was taking it from me. So I did this vision quest thingie and spoke to the First Slayer. She told me that I was full of love, and that I loved with all my soul. That was why I pulled away from love, because I was afraid to go through it all again after Angelus and not because I was losing it. She said I only risked losing my ability to love if I rejected it. Apparently love is pain, and the Slayer forges strength from pain. She said ‘Love ... give ... forgive. Risk the pain. It is your nature. Love will bring you to your gift.’. She also told me that death was my gift.”

“Well I hope there’s a refund policy on that gift, ‘cause you’re bloody well taking it back.”





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