Chapter Twenty-Three
I Can…I Can…
One month after Angel’s revelation Buffy walked out of the bathroom towel drying her hair. She stopped short when she saw Spike. She dropped the towel and ran to him. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his legs hanging over the side of it. But the thing that had made her heart stop was that he had tears running down his face.
“Spike!” She took his hand. “What’s wrong?” Are you hurting?”
The pain that he’d felt in his lower back and legs since the operation had been a constant companion to him. Willow had told them that she thought that it was related to his enhanced powers of healing. A price, if you like, for being more than human. Spike never really complained about it though sometimes, when it was particularly bad, she could see it etched on his face.
“Buffy,” Spike said quietly, running a hand self-consciously over his face before putting his arms around her and hugging her tightly.
“Oh, baby, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“I can…I can…” He lifted his eyes to meet hers. “I can move them, Buffy. They were right, I think I really will heal.”
He’d hoped for it but hadn’t dared to let himself believe it for fear of the disappointment. Buffy felt tears of her own flood her eyes.
“Oh, God. Show me,” she said, pulling out of his arms.
Over the past few weeks Spike’s legs had started to respond more and more, but until now he had still been unable to move them properly without helping with his hands. He could raise his knees and push more strongly against Brad’s hands during his therapy but still hadn’t been able to lift his ankles from the bed.
Spike looked at her before putting his hands on the bed, and wriggled his bottom a little to get his balance right. He concentrated really hard, staring at his legs, willing them to respond to the messages he was sending. Slowly, so slowly, he raised them up until he could swing them back on to the bed. He glanced at Buffy triumphantly, sweat beading on his brow with the effort, panting a little but smiling broadly.
“That is so fantastic,” cried Buffy, smothering him with kisses.
He laughed and pulled her up onto the bed.
“Brad’s going to freak when he sees that,” said Buffy with glee.
The physiotherapist was already astounded by Spike’s recovery and kept muttering about writing a paper on it for medical journals.
“Still a long way to go, pet,” cautioned Spike, trying to keep calm, half afraid that it might be temporary despite everything.
“Yes, but you’ve already come so far. I’m so proud of you.”
Although he still had his bleak moments, Spike’s general demeanour had improved over the past weeks. With Buffy’s persuasion he’d agreed to start eating their evening meal in the dining room. He still didn’t want to talk with any of the other patients except to say ‘hi’ as they passed. She was hoping that he’d soon be able to go out of Rosedene’s cloistered environment for a day. Many of the others did, but Spike still had issues with being seen in his chair. She was afraid that to go out into the ‘real world’ too soon would be too much for him emotionally.
Buffy lay next to him, their backs resting against the raised top of the bed, with their legs stretched out in front of them.
“Show me again,” she whispered, nibbling at his earlobe.
Spike grinned at her and with effort lifted his leg from where it lay on the bed and lowered it again so that it was over hers.
“Soddin’ things seem like they weigh a ton,” said Spike, “It’s weird that it feels so hard.”
“I like weird,” said Buffy, still nuzzling at his neck. She chuckled as she noticed that his pyjamas were tenting. She put her hand down and touched the raised clothing, “It’s weird that it feels so hard.” She giggled.
“Is that door locked?” asked Spike, inclining his head towards it.
“It is,” replied Buffy. “Why do you ask?” she added innocently.
“Got something that I’ve got to do.”
He lifted his leg from hers, then gripped her beneath her arms and pulled her on top of him, praying that one day his legs would be strong enough for him to be the one on top. He slid his hands between her thighs and smirked as he felt her heat. She was always ready for him.
Buffy worked to free him from his pyjamas and ducked her head down to kiss the top of his erection. Spike bucked beneath her, the thrust of his hips getting stronger each day. She chuckled and stroked him with her hand a few times before lowering herself onto him. She glanced at the clock near the bedside.
“We haven’t got much time. Brad will be expecting you soon.”
“You shouldn’t have spent so long in the shower then, pet. You’ll need another one soon anyway.”
He moved his hips again, groaning in pleasure as she shifted on top of him.
“Better than any exercises that Brad gives me,” he muttered before they lost themselves in each other.
0000000
Spike rolled himself along the corridors to the therapy room, leaving Buffy flopped on the bed. He grinned - she was literally shagged out. The poor girl did always end up doing most of the work.
“You look pretty pleased with yourself this morning,” said Brad when he spotted Spike, “What gives?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” leered Spike, “So what are we doing first? The weights or my legs?”
“Legs first.”
Spike went over to the bed and slid his bottom onto the bed. “You might want to watch this bit.”
Brad looked at him sharply, “What do you mean?”
Spike just grinned. “Now don’t let me down, you bleeders.” Instead of pulling his legs onto the bed, he slowly raised them and swung them into place. He glanced up at Brad; he was standing there dumbstruck.
“Jesus,” he whistled through his teeth.
“I know,” grinned Spike
“It’s amazing.”
“I know,” repeated Spike.
Spike leaned back against the top of the bed, legs outstretched.
“So let’s see what else you can do.”
He proceeded to put Spike through a variety of tests and exercises. After just ten minutes Spike was completely exhausted and they had to stop.
“They’re just so heavy,” gasped Spike, “It’s like they have blocks of concrete attached to them.”
“I can do something about that,” said Brad.
“What? How?”
“Look, we’ll leave it there for now but meet me back here at three and I’ll show you,” said Brad, “Oh, and bring Buffy along too.”
“Okay,” agreed Spike. He got back into his chair, delighted that, exhausted as he was, he could still put his feet back on the foot rests unaided.
He got back to his room to find Buffy still snuggled up on the bed.
“Oi, you lazy sod, get up!”
“You’re back soon. Is everything all right?” she asked anxiously.
“Yeah, it’s just I got right knackered and it seems that Brad’s got a plan for this afternoon and he wanted me to get some rest first.”
Buffy raised her eyebrows.
“No, you insatiable bint, he said that I had to get some rest.” “God, I must be knackered to pass up that invite!”
She slid off the bed with a chuckle. “Let me get dressed and then why don’t we get the kitchen to do us a picnic? We can have an early lunch out in the gardens.”
“Sound lovely, pet.”
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Later they made their way to a quiet spot at the far side of the lawns and Buffy laid out the food in the shade of a tree.
“Will you join me down here?” asked Buffy.
Spike hesitated.
“I can help you in and out of the chair, but it’ll be really nice to have you sitting next to me.”
“Okay,” said Spike, as usual unable to deny Buffy anything but still hating the fact that she’d be lifting him like a baby.
He took his feet off the footrests and she hooked her hands under his armpits and eased him gently to the ground. He shuffled back until he could rest against the tree. He crossed his legs at the ankle – simply because he could. Buffy leaned against him and he put his arm around her. Life wasn’t so bad these days.
00000000
When they got back there was a message for Buffy to call Brad. Puzzled, she dialled his extension and he answered immediately.
“Just listen and don’t let Spike know what I’m saying,” said Brad after they’d exchanged ‘hellos’.
“Okay,” said Buffy, even more intrigued now.
She giggled when he told her what he needed her to do, said ‘okay’ again and then hung up.
Spike was watching her curiously, “What was that all about?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.” she grinned.
tbc
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BANNER BY DAWNOFME
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BANNER BY DAWNOFMEAuthor's Chapter Notes:
sorry for not being able to post daily at the mo - real life is busy and I have less tiem to write! Hopefully will be back to normal soon! Thanks for your patience :)